I just picked up an attachment to hang ribs on my WSM to fit more for entertaining. And looking for tips from those who do this? I know some remove the water pan so as to allow the fat to rip on the coals, but I'm thinking of leaving the water pan (with clay saucer) in place to reduce the direct heat and over cooking the bottom of the ribs. I am wondering the temp difference will be between the lower rack (where the bottom of the ribs will be) and the hood temp with the pan in place. Should I invert them half way before taking them off to wrap. I've read a thread somewhere that discusses the temp difference b/ bottom and top rack, but can find/remember where.
I don't hang anything on my WSM but have been tempted to try. I don't run with a water pan ever and have fan control on mine. I suggest you do some experimenting, build a fire and run some temperature probes at the various grate positions and measure for yourself. You should try it with and without the water pan setup to get total picture of temp variables.
Sorry if I had some I'd share but don't. I'm the kind of guy that likes to prove it for myself and my cooker anyway. Hard to tell if someone else is getting the same readings as you are due to a lot of differing variables involving their cooker versus yours, they way they build the fire, etc..
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honestly I think it will take 2 cooks to determine if you'd need to rotate them or not. On the PBC, no. On the WSM w/o a water pan, most likely no. But with it? Hmmmm. Dunno.
I hang directly over the coals (after the pit is up to temp) and rotate a couple times in 2 hours then wrap and rehang for 1 hour. I trim the small end of the rack to keep them 10-12" above the coals. Of all the styles that I've done, the Commodore and I like this the best. The flavor is distinctly different from the kettle or BGE. Not too smoky, perfect bark and surprisingly moist for hanging directly above the coals.
You won't go wrong if you use the water pan or clay saucer. Experiment until you find the result you prefer....happy smoking.
I think you will want to remove the water pan to fit the ribs in there, and run just like a PBC or UDS basically. As with the PBC, the radiant heat is reduced, and only the end rib that is near the coals gets much of it.
I've been hanging ribs for the past year in my WSM 22" with excellent results. I purchased the Hunsaker Vortex charcoal plate and Gateway hanging kit and do not use the water pan. The air circulates and the ribs cook evenly top to bottom, and with the grease dripping onto the Vortex plate the smoker has plenty of moisture.
When I used to use the Weber hanging rack in my 18" WSM I never used the water pan. I would hang them directly over the coals.
I would setup the fire with the "donut hole" method. I would shoot for a temp of 275°F-ish - I never obsessed over trying to hold it too tightly to that temp. Sometimes it would want to run a little hotter, sometimes a little cooler. Sometimes it would jump up and down but as long as it was generally in that 275-ish area I was content.
I never flipped them upside down but I might slide/reposition them a little on the racks if there was a need to.
Also, I never wrap baby backs (the only ribs I cook) so I have no experience with that process to share.
I actually ordered the Cajun Bandit ring extension for the WSM18. That will raise them 10" to allow for the use of clay saucer. Once I master that, I'm sure I'll switch things up and try hanging directly over the coals. I am curious as to the taste difference. For now I'm just getting used temp control with dry smokes with the clay saucer and want to stay with that. WIll the cook time be extended much going from say, 2 racks to 5/5 racks?
fritz any time you load a smoker down with a bunch of cold meat - say 6 butts versus 1 - it drops the cook chamber temperature a good bit, and it takes a while to recover. For me, I have to add 30 minutes to 1 hour to a cook where I just absolutely fill the smoker versus having a lot of space around each piece of meat. While this is experience with the offset and with the kettle + SNS, I think it would also apply to a WSM, wether hanging or using the 2 grates. I've read that the guys and gals with the PBC have longer cook times if they load it down with 8 racks of ribs versus 2-3.
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