Hanging Ribs In A Barrel Cooker

[DumpsterFireBBQ]

I have one tried and true method to keep my ribs from diving into the charcoal.

Leave the membrane intact or daisy chain or cut slabs in half or flip ribs upside-down half way through the cook or pull early and wrap and finish on the grate or cook as normal and hope for the best. Depending on my mood.

[DennyWoo]

I wasn't a mathlete in school, but I count 6 methods under your one tried and true...🤔

[fzxdoc]

That pretty much covers it.

Kathryn

[Soonerpop]

I’m in the membrane off, slabs-cut-in-half school on my PBJ. Never have double hooked, never have lost any to the fire. Yet.

[TobyB]

I'm convinced. It will be membrane off, rack cut in half for now on.

[fzxdoc]

Now you're cookin'...

[Carolyn]

If the rack is cut in half, what do you do to test to see if they are done?

[Carolyn]

@fzdoc Is that the 3" competition probe? That looks like something I could use.

[fzxdoc]

Carolyn, I use the Competition Series Short Probe about 1.25 inches long. It's perfect for ribs, chicken pieces, fish, etc.

https://www.fireboard.com/shop/competition-series-probe-28mm/

Kathryn

[Carolyn]

fzxdoc Awesome, thanks a bunch. I am going to order one.

[Ace]

If the rack is cut in half, what do you do to test to see if they are done?

You'll still get some pullback from the bones and then test for tenderness by using the probe test. They'll be done when they are as tender as you like them. I usually get an internal temp of around 205* ish.

[Carolyn]

I probe my ribs along with the bend test, and I use a thermometer to see when I am getting close to temp. I don't know what I was thinking about it being different for a half rack. I chalk it up to lack of sleep. 🤓

[Ace]

Carolyn It's all good. I believe that no matter how much experience a person has, asking a question helps reconfirm what we might have forgotten or haven't done for awhile. We might even pick up a new trick here and there plus new cooks/members can benefit from the conversation. Cook on Pitmaster... :-)

[Carolyn]

Ace Thanks a bunch.

[fzxdoc]

Every good hint or tip has already been made here, including the one from hoovarmin which says just retrieve that rack of ribs and keep on cooking. Nothing more for me to say, but of course I will gab on a bit...

I've never lost a rack of ribs to the PBC fire gods. I may be running low on that rib luck by now.

Since the beginning of my long and happy PBC life, I've removed the membrane, double hooked or split the racks in two, depending on how many racks I'm smoking in the PBC, monitored the rib meaty part temp with a Thermapen and later on with the Fireboard skinny needle probe.

And I've made mgaretz Blasphemy Ribs, but prefer the kettle and Vortex for that. I used the PBC, though, until I scored a Vortex. Next up in that department is Malcolm Reed's Party Ribs.

That's my rib story and I'm sticky to it , licking my fingers all the way.

Kathryn