St. louis Ribs cut in half


 
E

Erik G

TVWBB Pro
Get this guys, a local grocery store has st. louis style ribs for $1.39/lb. Since one my closest friends has family over, he asks me if I would bbq for them tomorrow. I agreed, so he bought 8 racks. Here's the problem though. All 8 racks are cut in half (a total of 16 half racks) and I have no idea how I should stack them in my WSM. Any advice would be appreciated greatly, thanks.

Erik
 
Originally posted by Erik G:
Get this guys, a local grocery store has st. louis style ribs for $1.39/lb. Since one my closest friends has family over, he asks me if I would bbq for them tomorrow. I agreed, so he bought 8 racks. Here's the problem though. All 8 racks are cut in half (a total of 16 half racks) and I have no idea how I should stack them in my WSM. Any advice would be appreciated greatly, thanks.

Erik
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Erik, Do you have any rib racks or skewers?
 
OK Erik, Damn it there used to be some pics to this cook, but I got nothing but dead links to the pics. I'll try and splain it the best way I can. If you are familure with brick stacking then it should be easy for you. Take the 1/2 racks and stand them opposite the grill grate rods, they wont fall/run the same direction. Skewer the tops of the 1/2 racks, then place more of the 1/2 racks bone side down, on top of the ends of the bones that are pointing up towards the lid. At this point you should have about 10-12 1/2 racks on the top grate. Just do the same on the lower grate and all should be well. You only need a 1/4" - 1/2" space between them to have the air/heat and smoke circulating between them. Sorry I cant find the pics but Greg Rampe did 6 full racks of spares like this ont he top grate, IIRC, several years ago.
 
Originally posted by Bryan S:
OK Erik, Damn it there used to be some pics to this cook, but I got nothing but dead links to the pics. I'll try and splain it the best way I can. If you are familure with brick stacking then it should be easy for you. Take the 1/2 racks and stand them opposite the grill grate rods, they wont fall/run the same direction. Skewer the tops of the 1/2 racks, then place more of the 1/2 racks bone side down, on top of the ends of the bones that are pointing up towards the lid. At this point you should have about 10-12 1/2 racks on the top grate. Just do the same on the lower grate and all should be well. You only need a 1/4" - 1/2" space between them to have the air/heat and smoke circulating between them. Sorry I cant find the pics but Greg Rampe did 6 full racks of spares like this ont he top grate, IIRC, several years ago.
Click to expand...

Bryan, I can't picture what you're saying. Are you referring to a cone shape?

Erik
 
Originally posted by Erik G:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
OK Erik, Damn it there used to be some pics to this cook, but I got nothing but dead links to the pics. I'll try and splain it the best way I can. If you are familure with brick stacking then it should be easy for you. Take the 1/2 racks and stand them opposite the grill grate rods, they wont fall/run the same direction. Skewer the tops of the 1/2 racks, then place more of the 1/2 racks bone side down, on top of the ends of the bones that are pointing up towards the lid. At this point you should have about 10-12 1/2 racks on the top grate. Just do the same on the lower grate and all should be well. You only need a 1/4" - 1/2" space between them to have the air/heat and smoke circulating between them. Sorry I cant find the pics but Greg Rampe did 6 full racks of spares like this ont he top grate, IIRC, several years ago.
Click to expand...

Bryan, I can't picture what you're saying. Are you referring to a cone shape?

Erik </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No, It'll be a box. Think of making squares. Grill grates are going one way, run your first set of bones 180 to them. Look at your top grate and run the 1/2 racks across the long runs of the grill rods. i.e. if the grill rods are going 9 & 3 O clock, place the 1/2 racks 6 & 12 O clock, with the skewers running through the tops. Then place more 1/2 racks bone side down on top of the bones that are pointing up towards the lid. Savvy? THINK LINCOLN LOGS
 
Nifty. So basically you're saying I should be able to have at least a row of five half racks standing bone up perpendicular to the grill grates while another row of five half racks standing bone down on top of the bone up half racks? Will the bottom ribs be able to support the top without falling?

Erik
 
Bryan, after reading your two posts again, I'm a little confused. In your first post you say opposite to the grill grates (perpendicular?) and then in your second post you say 180 (parallel?)? I am sure it won't make a difference if I choose either way, just curious.

Erik
 
Lost me too. Better find those pics. Yesterday I saw what King Soopers called St Louis Style ribs, looked more like BBs' they were so small. Must have been some of these 1/2 racks that your talking about.
 
I can't seem to visualize what Bryan is saying either, but it would seem to me that if the St. Louis style ribs have been cut in half lengthwise (i.e. between bones) that you should be able skewer them in half-circles, stand them up and put the skewer through the meat on one and and then through the meat on the other end.
 
You can also set them up across the grates on the bone ends, like a rib rack (the grate will act as a base and keep the bottom of the rib from sliding out)and place a rack on every other grate and skewer as you go for support. You should be able to get 10-12 half racks of loin backs on the top grate alone. Once you have them all on you can even lay some on top of those, kinda like you are buiding a house with a deck of cards.

A rib rack to me is a must when doing alot of ribs on the WSM. Here are 8 racks of St.Louis trimmed spare ribs on the WSM, 4 on the top and 4 on the bottom.



Use the picture above as a guideline when using skewers. The skewers will hold the ribs up, instead of the rib rack.
 
Well, after numerous attempts and being overwhelmed with smoke inhalation, I gave up. I eventually put what looked like a pile of ribs on the bottom and top grates. I tried Bryan's, Derry's and Larry's suggestion without any success. We'll see how they turn out later tonight.

Erik
 
Erik, I don't have any advice on your ribs but I wanted to see if you're going to go to the Blues and Q in Modesto in May. I'm thinking about speaking with Ed C. and seeing if he wants to drive up to it. The guy from QN4U (State Champ. last three years) is going to be doing some kind of a demonstration.

As for me, I'm smoking some St. Louis Spares and Beef ribs today. Oh, and enjoying this beautiful weather with some cold Lites. Good luck with your cook.
 
Just like Larry's pic and you lay 3 more 1/2 racks flat, bone side down on top of the ones that are standing on end.
icon_wink.gif
 
Unconfuse me guys. When you cut to St Louis style, you cut completely across the rib tops. It's the other side or uncut side that is the "bone side" as referred to in this thread, isn't it? I know, a lame question, but need straightening out in my head.
Dave
 
Originally posted by Dave/G:
Unconfuse me guys. When you cut to St Louis style, you cut completely across the rib tops. It's the other side or uncut side that is the "bone side" as referred to in this thread, isn't it? I know, a lame question, but need straightening out in my head.
Dave
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You're right Dave, after reading your reply this can be confusing.

When I say bone side when referring to skewering or putting the ribs in a rib rack, I'm referring to the natural cut as you get them from the butcher prior to the cooking making a St. Louis trim. Now if we were talking about the bone side when cooking the ribs layed out on the cooker, I would be referring to the side the membrane is on (inside of the rib cage).
 
Originally posted by Larry Wolfe:

You're right Dave, after reading your reply this can be confusing.

When I say bone side when referring to skewering or putting the ribs in a rib rack, I'm referring to the natural cut as you get them from the butcher prior to the cooking
making a St. Louis trim. Now if we were talking about the bone side when cooking the ribs layed out on the cooker, I would be referring to the side the membrane is on (inside of the rib cage).
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Yes, not confused on the latter, only the former
 
Sorry Larry R, I didn't see your post. I didn't even know about the blues and Q. DO you have more information on it? Possibly a URL? Is it a competition or strictly a demonstration?

How did the Beef and Pork ribs turn out?

Larry Wolfe, what kind of rib rack is that? Where did you purchase it? I think it's time to invest in one, I am tired of not having enough space for ribs. Thanks.

Erik
 
DO you have more information on it? Possibly a URL? Is it a competition or strictly a demonstration?
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http://www.modestobbq.com/

There's a competition and Demonstration Ray (Dr. BBQ) Lampe will be there. I mentioned it to Ed C. and we may drive up for it. I like the blues, I like brew and I definitely like Q. Sounds like my kind of event.
 
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