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BB Ribs, Indirect, low & slow ..Drip pan or not??

Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
For Baby basck ribs, I have been putting my platesetter upside down, then the cooking grid, and the v-rack inside the drip pan (on top of grate.) I line the drip pan with foil (for easy cleanup) and put some water in it.[p]I have the BGE inverted v-rack with drip pan for ribs, but I have found that you have to cut the slab long enough where the ribs don't fall in the drip pan. On the other hand, the slab cannot be too long ot it will be laying over the cooking grid.. This cause my dilemma and you invariably get short pieces of slab left over.[p]Since I am using the platesetter and cooking them 4-5 hours at 230 or so degrees, would I even need to use the drip pan.... or the v-rack?? Does it need any kind of liquid in there to keep them moist? Will I lose that by laying the ribs directly on the cooking grid??[p]Will appreciate your input... I cannot be Eggs Ackley right, but I like great ribs!!

Comments

  • Meant to add this.... I have an XL BGE, so with the platesetter inverted, there is less than 1" between the cooking grid and platesetter. This is hardly enough room to put a drip pan underneath. That leads to my quandary.

  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Eggs Ackley,[p]I usually cook my ribs with only a drip pan underneath as a heat block. The only time I use any fluid in the pan is if the drippings are burning. If you use the platesetter and no pan, and the drippings burn, there's no way to stop it, and, personally, I don't care for the taste of burnt fat mixed with burnt rub.[p]Using a raised grid and laying the ribs flat usually produces the best ribs for me. I have mediums, so a single rack and some pieces is about all I can fit, so I don't do it that often. But they "fall off the bone" more often than when in the V-rack.[p]Cooking on the lower grid would be too hot. Before I got a platesetter or fire bricks, I tried that, and burnt the bottoms, and had flare-ups.[p]gdenby
  • Eggs Also,[p]
    No drip pan here. Just a piece of foil on top of the inverted plate setter works wonders. Cook three hours 250 dome. Pull and wrap in foil adding 1/4-1/2 cup liquid of choice. (I like apple juice) Then another layer of foil. back in for at least an hour, then unwrap and finish for another hour. [p]Sauce them every twenty to thirty min. Depending on how sticky you like your ribs you can cut back to 15 min and sauce three or four times.[p]Check out CWM ribs. I basically stole his method and adjusted to my liking.[p]Mike

    [ul][li]http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2002/06/baby-back-rib-class.html[/ul]
  • Mike in Abita,
    LOL.[p]I always said, it was a great or should I say good way to start your baby back rib eggperience. [p]I just happy knowing that so many people can cook better ribs than any restaurant they can go to.[p]Nice Job Mike.[p]Mike

  • Beanie-Bean
    Beanie-Bean Posts: 3,092
    Eggs Ackley,[p]I just did some this weekend, and here was my setup for my Large BGE, starting from the bottom:[p]Platesetter w/legs up
    16" pizza pan (use foil on it, I didn't and the cleanup took a long time!)
    Porcelain grid
    Grid extender[p]I rotated the slabs through porcelain grid and grid extender for this, using Car Wash Mike's 3-1-1 method. Works like a champ, and the ribs turned out fine.[p]I used a single big chunk of hickory (dry, not soaked) mixed in with the lump, and some apple chips (soaked) later on in the cook.[p]I prototyped this method a few weeks ago on a single rack of ribs (still learning the differences between cooking on the BGE vs. the "old" way I used to do things, and my wife said that those ribs were pretty good. Which, in my house equates to really good.[p]Good luck with the cook. Take some pictures if you remember, and let us know how things turn out for you.[p]Thanks for the excellent info on your site, CWM![p]-Mike[p]

  • Tony
    Tony Posts: 224
    Eggs Ackley,
    I have a LBGE, and use an inverted plate setter with a large aluminum roasting pan sitting on it; porcelan grill on top of that. BGE Rib rack on the grill. I cut the baby back racks exactly in half; this means I can do three racks at a time. I go 2 hours at 225 dome; pull'em to wrap all together in one foil pack; back on for an hour in foil. Pull'em again, this time laying them out flat (meat side up), slightly stacked. 30 minutes - quick saucing. 15 minutes, another quick saucing - repeat 1 more time. Pull'em 15 minutes after last saucing. Fed my sister, bro-in-law and neice these ribs yesterday. They raved about them, saying they were the best ribs they'd ever had (sis and hubby in late 50's - so they've had a few ribs in their time). I used good lump with 5 or 8 chunks of dry hickory - maintain 225 at the grill the entire cook (courtesy of BBQ Guru).[p]To prep ribs, I use a good dry rub, then massgae in some creole mustard (brown mustard by most standards). Don't forget to peel the membrane off the back before seasoning.[p]They are awesome this way; tender but firm, not mealy; the the flavor is simply outstanding.[p]Good luck - you sure have allot of options to choose from![p]TD

  • JDub
    JDub Posts: 23
    Eggs Also,[p]I just got my XL and melted my gaskets setting up the egg as you described, which I thought was the proper configuration. I spoke with John at the BGE Mothership in GA today and he tells me that the plate setter is supposed to be located between the firebox and fire ring on the XL, leaving lots of space between the plate setter and grill. If you put the plate setter on top of the fire ring (like you and I did)you will melt the gaskets (like many have done this way). The only problem I see is that there is now a gap of a few inches between the firebox and fire ring which doesn't seem right.