backwoods cooker question...

[porkingINpublic]

I compete on a Backwoods Party.... love it! Only question about it I have is how do you deal with ribs dripping on each other? I do 4 racks of ribs per drawer.... the lower rack of ribs always gets dripped on and when you try to dab it off it takes rub off with it. What method are you using to keep this from happening?

 

[Right on Q]

Interested in the responses on this as I have the same issue on my Humphrey's.

I did my ribs on a WSM this weekend with everything else in a pan in the Humphrey's

 

[eap0510]

Instead of dabbing the spots off I use a bamboo skewer and pick off the black spots.

 

[Untraceable]

I used the "Hide it from the wife" method. I bought a new pit that allowed me to run 5 racks wide. be gone demons!

 

[DUBBAGA]

I used the "Hide it from the wife" method. I bought a new pit that allowed me to run 5 racks wide. be gone demons!

Interesting. I have never heard it referred to as "Hide it from the wife" method. I always have known it as "Where are the extra pillows and blankets for when I sleep on the couch" method

 

[Blanton]

I used the "Hide it from the wife" method. I bought a new pit that allowed me to run 5 racks wide. be gone demons!

So that's what I was supposed to do!!

 

[porkingINpublic]

since the winters can be cold here... i'd rather not sleep on the couch. Has anyone tried cooking the top rack in a pan to catch the drips?

 

[Dan - 3eyzbbq]

I deal with it with sauce. And how I place ribs in the box if competition is your thing.

 

[Balls Casten]

at comps .. our butts/briskets are wrapped by the time ribs go on so we don't have that problem

 

[tunnelengineer]

A solution is to cook in shallow steam pans with wire racks that catch the drippings.

 

[CBQ]

I deal with it with sauce. And how I place ribs in the box if competition is your thing.

+1 Once you wrap the ribs, most of the time those spots go away, and if they don't you can remove them pretty easily before you sauce.

 

[porkingINpublic]

I always worried the pans would make the cooker temps uneven.... I guess I need to just try cooking some all the way instead of trying to clean them

 

[egorham]

In my Fatboy G2 I use disposable sheet pans with racks to get some airflow under the ribs. In the Backwoods it is more for easy cleanup than drips but I have not had any issues with uneven temps.

If you are concerned about using pans I have used strips of foil when cooking ribs on two levels of the WSM. I made strips that were about 2" wide and about 2" longer than the rack of ribs. Set the ribs on the foil so the edge of the ribs run along the middle of the foil. While some fat an juices dripped through, the foil works great to catch the marrow dripping out of the end of the bones. I found the marrow was the only part that left noticeable marks on the lower racks.

 

[K-Train]

In my Fatboy G2 I use disposable sheet pans with racks to get some airflow under the ribs. In the Backwoods it is more for easy cleanup than drips but I have not had any issues with uneven temps.

Same here.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Don't know if it's the right way to deal with it or not but when there are imperfections such as dripping on other ribs I just pull out a shaker of the rub I use and add a light coating of rub right before I close up the wrap. This blends it in nicely and hides the imperfections.

 

[TheTeZ]

+1 Once you wrap the ribs, most of the time those spots go away, and if they don't you can remove them pretty easily before you sauce.

But, hes not talking about brisket or pork dripping on ribs... hes talking about cooking enough ribs he needs to place them on 2 racks, and the racks on the higher shelf drip on the 2nd shelf....

honestly, i havent worried about it, and normally the top shelf cooks the best ribs anyway.

 

[porkingINpublic]

I agree.... past 3 weeks my top racks have been turn ins.

 

[CBQ]

But, hes not talking about brisket or pork dripping on ribs... hes talking about cooking enough ribs he needs to place them on 2 racks, and the racks on the higher shelf drip on the 2nd shelf....

honestly, i havent worried about it, and normally the top shelf cooks the best ribs anyway.

I used to cook my ribs on a Chubby, and that was the only meat on the cooker - so I was talking about ribs dripping on ribs. Looks bad when you wrap them, but by the time you are ready to sauce most of those marks go away.

 

[shares]

... I do 4 racks of ribs per drawer....

4 racks per drawer/rack in a Party? That sounds cramped. Are you cooking back ribs? I cook 4 racks - 2 per shelf for excellent air flow on a BWS Competitor.

I don't see the dripping as a problem. Maybe spices will wash off, drippings from above will have rub too, rotate, etc. I'm no king of ribs, so take my advise for what it cost...

Also, those blood spots do come up, and are easy to pick off with a toothpick like Dan said. And once you glaze nobody will notice the spot.

 

[porkingINpublic]

I think it auto corrected me... it was suppose to say "I do 4 racks per comp". Glad you caught that, I didn't notice it yet... I do 2 per rack as well. 4 total.