Ribs on WSM for dummies please?

[jjdbike]

Hello friends,

I am at my son's place visiting w/ our family. I intend to use his WSM for my second or third time ever. I am doing three small racks of baby back ribs over Kingsford Bluse with no wood. I intend to grill till bark is well established. Then I will wrap, add some moisture, and braise till tender. Then I'll unwrap and glaze with sauce.

I's an old school, un-upgraded WSM w/ the air leaks, flimsy door and zero temperature controls or thermometers.

Any help, suggestions or advice is greatly appretiated!

Thanks in advance!
JD

[mrteddyprincess]

Hey, I think your plan sounds pretty good! You describe these ribs as small. I would just caution you to anticipate them needing less time than you might think to cook. Otherwise the only thing left is for you to post pics of the ribs and the smiles on the people eating them! Brian

[jjdbike]

Thanks bud,

I chose 3 small racks as opposed to 2 big ones.
This will allow me to make three different flavor profiles. Plus it’ll allow them to cook quicker than big thick racks. Also, will allow peeps, including kids, to have several ribs each.

I was planning on using Harry Soo’s Minion method.
JD

[Hulagn1971]

Hey JD, I have a couple 22" WSM's that I use regularly without temperature controls/fans. I would suggest an internal thermometer if possible to keep track of the cookers temp. My dial is about 50 degrees higher than actual chamber temperature. Anyways, I start my fire using Harry' Soo's donut method. For ribs fill your fire ring about 2/3 full with unlit coals. Then dig a hole in the middle forming a crater. This is where the lit coals will go. Light up some coals with a chimney starter (maybe 10 or so) and dump them in the crater when they stop smoking. Assemble the cooker and open the bottom intakes up all the way. Also open your top exhaust vent 100%. I personally keep my water bowl empty and just keep it covered in a double layer of heavy duty foil for easy clean up. Get some wide blue painter's tape and seal around the 4 edges of the flimsy door. Probably want to do this prior to assembly (oops). This helps a TON. Once the smoker gets up to about 210-215 degrees shut 2 of your bottom intakes closed 100% and adjust the 3rd to about 1/3 open. Now just wait and keep track of the temp for the next 15-20 minutes. I like to get it stabilized at 250-270 degrees for ribs. If you need to raise the temp just open one of the closed intakes a gnat's hair and wait. No crazy adjustments needed, always a little at a time. The cooker WILL settle down and loves to run in that 250-270 range. I don't wrap but hey man, you do you!
Years ago when I got my 1st WSM I ran a Pitmaster IQ110 regulator fan then just got tired of messing with it, having to have an outlet to plug it in etc. That is when I learned how to cook on one without any help at all. I can literally get the temp settled where I want it and do an overnight cook of pork butt or brisket without a temp swing greater than 10 degrees and sleep peacefully all night long. Enjoy your family time brother!

[jjdbike]

Hey JD, I have a couple 22" WSM's that I use regularly without temperature controls/fans. I would suggest an internal thermometer if possible to keep track of the cookers temp. My dial is about 50 degrees higher than actual chamber temperature. Anyways, I start my fire using Harry' Soo's donut method. For ribs fill your fire ring about 2/3 full with unlit coals. Then dig a hole in the middle forming a crater. This is where the lit coals will go. Light up some coals with a chimney starter (maybe 10 or so) and dump them in the crater when they stop smoking. Assemble the cooker and open the bottom intakes up all the way. Also open your top exhaust vent 100%. I personally keep my water bowl empty and just keep it covered in a double layer of heavy duty foil for easy clean up. Get some wide blue painter's tape and seal around the 4 edges of the flimsy door. Probably want to do this prior to assembly (oops). This helps a TON. Once the smoker gets up to about 210-215 degrees shut 2 of your bottom intakes closed 100% and adjust the 3rd to about 1/3 open. Now just wait and keep track of the temp for the next 15-20 minutes. I like to get it stabilized at 250-270 degrees for ribs. If you need to raise the temp just open one of the closed intakes a gnat's hair and wait. No crazy adjustments needed, always a little at a time. The cooker WILL settle down and loves to run in that 250-270 range. I don't wrap but hey man, you do you!
Years ago when I got my 1st WSM I ran a Pitmaster IQ110 regulator fan then just got tired of messing with it, having to have an outlet to plug it in etc. That is when I learned how to cook on one without any help at all. I can literally get the temp settled where I want it and do an overnight cook of pork butt or brisket without a temp swing greater than 10 degrees and sleep peacefully all night long. Enjoy your family time brother!

Thanks much!!!!
Like I said, I’m at my son’s vacation house. The only time that WSM gets used is the rare event (only 2 so far), that I use it. That being said, I don’t see it worth it buying thermometers , etc for this. I have all of that gear at my house for my gear.
I’ll just have to use my eyes and feel.
JD

[Hulagn1971]

Sounds like a plan!

[Alan Brice]

After they experience your yumminess, mebe the WSM will get more use?

[ecowper]

Like Hulagn1971 said, the dome thermometer will run about 50F higher than the top grate due to the heat convection in the WSM. I'm assuming this is a WSM22. Hulagn nailed it on how to set up the fire and vents, no need for me to add anything more to that. Taping the door with painter's tape should help with leaks a lot. I do use water, but that's me :-) ..... Definitely be careful with vent adjustments. 1/4" can result in a lot of temp change. I like it to just let the WSM get somewhere around 250 and then leave it alone.

As far as the ribs, yeah, I don't wrap either. But that's me. Biggest thing is to figure that 3 smallish racks that are getting wrapped may only need 3 hours.

[jjdbike]

Like Hulagn1971 said, the dome thermometer will run about 50F higher than the top grate due to the heat convection in the WSM. I'm assuming this is a WSM22. Hulagn nailed it on how to set up the fire and vents, no need for me to add anything more to that. Taping the door with painter's tape should help with leaks a lot. I do use water, but that's me :-) ..... Definitely be careful with vent adjustments. 1/4" can result in a lot of temp change. I like it to just let the WSM get somewhere around 250 and then leave it alone.

As far as the ribs, yeah, I don't wrap either. But that's me. Biggest thing is to figure that 3 smallish racks that are getting wrapped may only need 3 hours.

Thank so much!

Unfortunately it’s an 18, not a 22. I was wondering if I’ll need to use both grates?

So if top thermometer reads 30”, I should figure it’s 250 at the top great? If that’s the case I’d suspect it would be closer to 275 on the bottom grate?? Good guess?

I’ll plan on wrapping roughly 3 hours in, for potentially another hour - 1:30, then unwrap & glaze. Sound about right?

JD

[ecowper]

jjdbike great questions that I don't know the answers to ..... Here's what I know. On the WSM 22, with a water pan in place, my bottom grate is 25F (give or take) cooler than my top grate, and my top grate is 40-50 F lower than my dome therm. And I highly advise having the WSM in shade. Sun changes those temps dramatically. I don't know exactly what it will be like on a WSM 18, hopefully someone using the 18 can chime in.

As far as racks of ribs on the grates .... I'm guessing you will either have to coil the racks or only go two on top, one on bottom.

[ecowper]

Okay, the last time I kept records of top and bottom grate temps on WSM 22 WHILE cooking ribs was before I had FIreboard. This was on a Maverick ET732 and I rigged up a way to use the meat probe on one grate (stuck it through a potato LOL). Thought I'd share pics of this because I actually took pictures of the temps. Sheesh, I really do document a lot of stuff.

Top temp is bottom grate and bottom temp is top grate. This is when the WSM got stable, but no ribs on yet.

Bottom rack setup

Top rack setup

Temps after ribs are on and WSM is stable again

Cause who doesn't like a pretty shot of the WSM cooking?

I think this is when I rotated the racks of ribs from top to bottom and bottom to top

Final product :-)

[BFlynn]

ecowper - what finally killed it?

I have one that fell off the table, was right up against the PBC for long enough that it partially melted.... And it still works..

I keep it as a backup..

[ecowper]

BFlynn it appears that after being dropped several times, the battery cover cracked and water got into the battery compartment. Still, rock solid thermometer with remote capability that worked perfect for 12 years and only cost $40!

[BFlynn]

That's awesome

[jjdbike]

Okay, the last time I kept records of top and bottom grate temps on WSM 22 WHILE cooking ribs was before I had FIreboard. This was on a Maverick ET732 and I rigged up a way to use the meat probe on one grate (stuck it through a potato LOL). Thought I'd share pics of this because I actually took pictures of the temps. Sheesh, I really do document a lot of stuff.

Top temp is bottom grate and bottom temp is top grate. This is when the WSM got stable, but no ribs on yet.

Bottom rack setup

Top rack setup

Temps after ribs are on and WSM is stable again

Cause who doesn't like a pretty shot of the WSM cooking?

I think this is when I rotated the racks of ribs from top to bottom and bottom to top

Final product :-)

Thanks!
Beauiful!

[jjdbike]

Does spiraling and holding them w/ a skewer impact the cook in any way other than shape?
JD

[ecowper]

My understanding is that they cook a little slower. I've never done it myself. I think that it honestly won't change things much and will make your life easier.

[STEbbq]

Also potential challenges if you like to wrap or sauce before they are done. If you are cooking bare with no tweaks, you are good to go.

[BFlynn]

I like smaller racks for baby backs. The bigger racks can have more loin meat.

WSM is a solid cooker, right out of the box. Don't sell it short.

[jjdbike]

Does spiraling and holding them w/ a skewer impact the cook in any way other than shape?
JD

Thanks,
This is a challenge as I did intend to spritz, wrap and glaze them. I'll do my best to fit them all on the top rack. Worse case scenario I'll put one on bottom and rotate them.
Thanks again,
JD

[jjdbike]

I like smaller racks for baby backs. The bigger racks can have more loin meat.

WSM is a solid cooker, right out of the box. Don't sell it short.

Thanks!
I look forward to this cook. I just wish I had an instant read thermometer and a pit temp gage.
JD

[BFlynn]

Honestly, you don't need it.

Ribs are hard to temp anyway. This is bbq, and I don't think you need 3 decimal places of precision.

The lid thermometer is more of an indicator but keep it below 300, and you'll be fine. I smoke everyone at 260-270 anyway

Hardest thing with ribs - and it just takes practice - is knowing when they're done. I never really got a feel for the bend test, but I can tell when the meat starts pulling back from the bones. Troutman did a great primer on ribs.....

[BFlynn]

... Look at those pics.
If you're in doubt, slice a rack in half and take a rib it's the middle to test.

And post pics. We like them rib pics

[jjdbike]

Two hours in. WSM is riding steady at 275 on top thermometer with all vents open wide.
Not having wood to create smoke seems to be having a negative impact on the color. If this was on my KBQ with cherry, it would be a pretty deep red by now.
I was planning on pulling, wrapping with additional moisture at 2 1/2 - 3 ish. At 2 hours, it still needs at least another hour for bark & color.
I’m going to play this cook by ear.
I want ll say I’m surprised it’s holding so low with all vents open…. In the sun on a hot day.
Could be the water pan acting as a heat sink.
Ill keep you updated.

JD

[jjdbike]

At 3 1/2 hours in… ready to wrap.
Wrapped, braised, glazed, caramelized, rested, served….. win!
Got scarfed up by seconds & thirds.
That WSM rocked 275 steady. 12 lbs of Blue, Minion method, held 275 for 6 hours easy.
Im impressed.
JD

[ecowper]

I’d eat those!