ribs.. rack vs. laying on grates

[johnd49455]

I have a chargriller smokin pro & did a large amount of meat for our church Tailgate party (picnic). Usually I lay my ribs on the grate & they come out great. I had to make room for 2 corned beef briskets & a chuck roast so I put the ribs in a rack, standing up. The meat pulled back from the bone very early while the bottom was not near getting done. Should ribs go in the rack upside down? would some mods on the chargriller help? I always seem to have much higher temps on the top rack than what the lid says & from what the thermometer just under the grates reads. The tops of the ribs were about where the top rack would be. They came out like jerky between the bones but perfect @ the bottom. The briskets & chuck roast laying on the grate right next to the fire box came out great also. Was it the ribs being in the rack or just the fault of the chargriller pro?

 

[hawgheaven]

I've never used rib racks in my CG, so I'm just taking a stab here. What happened to you was always a concern for me also. But, I think if you flip them when you start to see the meat pull back, that might do some good. Plus, spritz them every hour to keep the moisture level up.

Anyone else got any ideas?

 

[smokin for life]

I have a GOSM (the smaller one) and I have to use rib racks. I use the 3-2-1 method and a when I hit the Wrapped 2 hour part I flip them over making the top the bottom. They always turn out GREAT

 

[johnd49455]

I moped the ribs every hour with a vinegar based mop sauce. Flipping them over may be the key.
I do like them best when laying down cause the mop sauce sets on them better & they stay much more moist. What I think I need is a bigger smoker, I just need to clear it with the war dept. (wife). ... fat chance unless I can turn it to a for profit venture.

 

[hawgheaven]

There ya' go, you're hooked my friend!!!

I'd just get another CG and keep adding to the stable as you see fit.

 

[johnd49455]

What I'd like is one on wheels to take with me wherever I go, just in case I can find the excuse to use it.

Ya buddy I'm more than hooked I'm obsessed, or is it possessed by the smoking gods.

 

[gypsyseagod]

next thing ya know you'll be ordering 1 of these.... http://www.bbquepits.com/images/PORT...ers_photos.htm

 

[blackhawk19]

Now that's a smoker, I just put that on my Christmas list. I showed it to my wife and she said I won't have enough Christmases left in my life to get something like that

She also mumbled something about all my Aniversarys , Birthdays and Fathers Days as she left the room

 

[johnd49455]

Sounds like my wife

she also added that you would have to make a lot of money off your BBQ & even the BBQ for the stars might not even qualify me for that.

 

[keywesmoke]

Good God, that's a rig! Just keep a little thing in mind....
"food goes bad". That's why I never ventured into the food business!

 

[hawgheaven]

Only way I could get one of those is if it has living quarters... 'cause that would be my new home!

 

[plazdiddy]

it sounds like you might be placing the rib rack too close to the firebox side of the grill. ive found that its best to rotate positions of the foods a little bit. for example, ill start with everything on the extreme left side of the grill since thats where the heat is most gentle. the shorter cook items (like chicken thighs) rotate in at some point and take over the left side only after the ribs/shoulders have gotten to the foil wrapped phase of the cook (roughly 4-5 hours in). this way theyre shielded from direct heat, which dries out the meat.

installing a heat baffle and extending the chimney (search for it, plenty of people have written about these mods) would help you distribute the hotspots for more of an even heat throughout the chamber. ive been too lazy to do them myself, so rotating is the only option. make sure you get your sous chef (aka the wife) to stand there with a tray so you can reposition the meat without dropping them on the dirt