upper grate or lower grate?


 
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John Griffin

TVWBB Member
I just got my WSM and I can't wait to fire it up!!

I'm going to get started this weekend with 3 racks of baby backs. Which gate should I use?? Besides the temp. difference is there any bennefit to the lower grate to the upper grate (or vice versa)??

Also, if I were to load both grates with 4 rack each, would you need to rotate them during the cooking process because of the temp. difference??

This site is great!! I can't get enough of it!! I can't believe how lame that owners manual/cookbook is that they included with my WSM!!
 
If only one grate is required for a cook, I would say use the top, if only for convenience. When using both grates to cook the same foods, it's not a bad idea to rotate between top and bottom to even things out-- there is a 10-15* difference, the bottom being the cooler. Prepare your rotating strategy in advance to minimize the amount of time the cooker is opened up mid-cook.
 
If your doing just a few slabs, I would use the upper grate-Its easier to mop, rotate,and check the meat etc.

When doing the same cuts on two racks rotate or exchange the lower meat to the upper rack and upper to the lower about 1/2 way through your expected cook time. About 3 hours for baby backs
Good luck and have fun with the WSM
Jim
 
I am currently on my 4th cook (overnight pork butt), but on my first cook, I did 6 racks of ribs BRITU style. This is what I learned. First, I was expecting to have trouble keeping the temperature down (because it was new) and I put my meat in too late when temp was at 230 at top vent. The meat sucked up the heat and dropped it to 190 at top vent for a while. So put ribs in at a higher temp (maybe 270 at top vent) and watch temp to see where it drops too..It does stabalize once you get it where you want it.

I rolled the ribs (rack hadn't come yet) and put 4 on bottom 2 on top and at three hours I turned and rotated bottom to top. The ones I started on top were finished first (by 30 minutes). The next time I do them I will rotate at the halfway point (about 2 hours in).

If I were doing only 4 racks or less (but whats the point) I would just use the top rack (quicker cooking times, plus I can see the grate thermometer from the vent holes with a flashlight..as well as the meat, I like to peek /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif )

I am slowly learning not to panic at temp fluctuations (I seem to run low), but I learned the hard way to calibrate Thermo's before each cook..mine worked fine the day before then was 20 degrees off the next day and I didn't know till after the cook. I spent the day panicking over nothing.

One last thing, If I have taken anything to heart from all of these great BBQ experts in here its this....Every Q is different and variations occur from unit to unit along with conditions and circumstances, all making for different temps and cooking times, but the results are what counts and they will always be great if you keep the temp low, don't panic and wait till the meat is done.

good luck and if your intrested and haven't already, you can see the pics from my first cook..soon to be replaced by my first allnighter now 10 hrs old. BRITU
 
I usually smoke ribs on the top rack and since the WSM has the lower capacity just sitting there, I smoke two big whole chickens on the bottom rack. Try one of the beer can chicken recipes.

Lately a Coke can half full of apple juice works pretty well instead of beer.

Sonny
 
I am inclined to try the chicken next time Sonny...your coke can with apple juice sounds better to me...not a big beer fan (at least in a can, I like bottled).
 
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