I ended up with a 18" and 22" WSM -- hanger question

[jasonwilliams14]

Kind of a funny story. I was picked up the WSM 22 on Amazon (on sale and I had a promo credit and was able to secure it for tad under $400).
About an hour later, my wife was browsing Facebook marketplace and asked me "Didn't you just buy a WSM?" Long story short, there was a 18" WSM listed on FB marketplace for $100. I quickly drove out to see it and the gentlemen said he had done 3 or 4 cooks and gave up on it. It was in great condition so i quickly grabbed it.

Christmas came early.

Great way to expand my BBQ/smoker collection.

I have a pretty good idea of some mods I want to add. Nothing crazy right off the bad. However, I would like to get some rib hangers.
Does anyone have a breakdown of the difference between the three big rib hangers for the WSM?

- Hunsaker
- Pit Barrel cooker
- gateway drums

Of the three above, is one allow the ribs to be hung a bit higher then others, specifically on the 18" WSM?
I heard the hooks made by PBC are good doing some research.
however, I have not found any dimensions on the different hanger sets themselves.

Anyone experience/thoughts on the above?

Really appreciate it.

Cheers,

Jason

[Purc]

Great purchases!

[jfmorris]

Great find(s)! And way to move into the WSM world in a big way! I'll be watching your progress closely. Have no advice on the rib hangers beyond what Google would tell me though...

[jasonwilliams14]

Thank you very much. Appreciate your kind words. I will definitely get some pics going once I get them assembled and running. I am a bit giddy at the moment and excited to start smoking!

[synodog]

I also have the 18” and 22” WSM but I haven’t done the hanger thing yet. The 22 had a lid hinge and pit viper fan attachment on it and DigiQ controller when I bought it. It also has casters on the legs. They’re excellent mods imo.
The 18 had the thermometer gasket on it when I bought it.
I added a gasket to the 22 recently which is the extent of the mods I’ve done so far on either.

[jasonwilliams14]

I have started to look at some mods. There a few I am looking at including the casters for the legs, a gasket, the haners.....the mods make it very interesting and exciting.

any particular gasket works best, or any will do?
thx

[synodog]

jasonwilliams14 and by gasket I meant grommet lol. I grabbed whatever one on Amazon. I think it came with two

[MsTwiggy]

Nice find!!!
Check out this video. He has some good intel for ya.

https://youtu.be/twyuk4TqhnM?si=5PpVmNER6csoKxIJ

🔥🔥🐿️

[jasonwilliams14]

Awesome. thank you!

[Bbqmikeg]

Justin aka Baby Back Maniac!
Among the nicest guys on YouTube!

[RonB]

Double congrats.

[Troutman]

I run the Hunsaker hanger in mine. It does stick up a bit higher and allows the meat to hang above the fire with a little greater tolerance. I love it, I regularly do Pollo Asado on mine.

[BFlynn]

Those look great!

If you haven't posted your Pollo Asado recipe.... I'm gonna need you to do that

[Troutman]

BFlynn Here you go bud, this is our signature and favorite chicken recipes. Enjoy !!

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/recipes-technique-food-cooking/poultry-chicken-turkey-and-duck-recipes/964383-asado-de-pollo-ahumado

[BFlynn]

@troutman

Definitely making this with the next birds I buy.

[Steve R.]

I have only used the Hunsaker hanger, but can confirm it is excellent. I even use it in my Bronco Pro, since I prefer it to the ones that came with that cooker.

[TripleB]

I have the gateway hanger and diffuser plates for both my 18.5" and 22" WSM. The PBC hooks work well (Since I have a PBC too). I would recommend a diffuser plate since you will be removing the water pan when you hang the ribs.

[Steve R.]

Diffuser plate is a solid recommendation. I got the Hunsaker Vortex charcoal basket w/ diffuser for my WSM and it worked great.

[klflowers]

I have the Hunsaker hanger setup for my 18. I don't have the diffuser though. It works great.

[BBQandLove]

Any interest in a Weber hanger system for the 18”? New in box.

[Bbqmikeg]

I hang ribs in my 22inch using the Weber gourmet cooking grate or even a hinged cooking grate. I bent skewers into hooks.
The trick is to place upside down charcoal holders and run a fat fuse down the middle so the ribs hang to the sides of the coals. The ribs hang lower just using a grate.
Hang some ribs no matter what it takes!

[BFlynn]

All I can say about hangers - is double hook your ribs - like a daisy chain.

I hand them on the PBC.
I lay them flat on the WSM 22......

[Bbqmikeg]

I still ate the one rack that fell in the fire.
Any thoughts about keeping the membrane on to prevent the ribs from falling?

[jasonwilliams14]

any tips for hooking them? double hook? assuming one hook is lower, the upper hook, hooks into the lower one?

[BFlynn]

Yeah so hook the first hook through the meat - so the hook is up (to go over the rebar) and the eye is at the bottom.

Run the second/lower hook so it goes through the loop of the top hook - like a chain.

I'm not describing it well. But you probably get the idea