WSM Capacity for Ribs

[David K]

Hey all,

I am planning on doing a big rib cook on my 18.5 this Saturday. I've figured I can fit 10 total St. Louis trimmed spares with five slabs on the top grate and five on the bottom using a couple of rib racks.

I think temperature measurement might be a concern. There won't be a lot of room for a probe at grate level. I will probably dangle one probe through the dome and clip another to the bottom side of the top grate. Should I expect all that meat to affect the grate temp reading?

I've successfully done ribs a number of times -- I've had my WSM since 2008 -- but never to the point of great consistency. I've also never done more than four at a time, so doing this many at once is going to be a big challenge for me. Has anyone done this many or more before? Any general advice would be appreciated.


David

 

[Tony R]

I have done this @ superbowl party once. The ribs will take about the same time. You may have to Bend some ribs into place. Maybe other members have pics to show off how they fit.

 

[JohnnyJez]

I'll be following to see what you decide to do and how they turn out! I want to do a big rib cook in the future as well

 

[Gary S]

I'm not sure you will get them to fit but I will be watching your post as well. I've done eight racks in the 18.5 and coiled them with no problem at all.
Good luck.

 

[Frank Mahovlich]

I can get 8 racks of ribs on the top rack of my WSM 22. I used wood skewers and ran them through the tops of each of the racks so as to prevent one rack from leaning / resting on one next to it. Not really sure if it made a difference or not, but I did not want to risk the effects of overlapping racks of ribs leaning on one another.

 

[JimmyE]

For our company BBQ I managed 16 racks of baby backs in my 22 WSM, 8 on top, 8 on the bottom, took a bit over 5 hours running at 250 degrees. The guys at work were impressed!

 

[Richard Diaz]

I have two of those racks and I have done 18 racks at one time on my wsm 22. I did trimmed spares. I do a couple of big cooks a year. Cook them at around 275 when they get to the desired color wrap them in foil. You can it done in 5 to 6 hours. You should be fine.