I have done 6 without the large shelf but found rack length * width plays a factor to keep them from hanging out side the drip tray/pan. I have the large shelf and have not tried it out yet. I will be interest to see how you do. BTW RT told me 8, yeah that
without the shelf. A faux cambro can be you friend if you need to load up twice or more.
Your question is valid and reminds me of the old contest about guessing how many jelly beans are in a jar. Setting aside the different types of ribs (e.g., Full, St. Louis, B-Back, Back Loin, etc.) I have comfortably put 10 racks of ribs on my Bull using the large shelf (the pic is for a single layer cook for reference only). It was a little tight but very achievable. Fortunately, they tend to shrink as they cook, just remember to put a little space in between each slab and squeeze their lengths for better form and to keep them from extending beyond the drip tray. The yield from that at an average of 4 bones per person should meet your needs. If you really want to go “whole hog”, lol, you can stack them vertically and fit about 12-14 on the bull. As a tip, when you go to wrap, make sure you seal them up pretty tightly with the foil (heavy duty, 2 or 3 layers) and you can stack them for the 1.5 hour “steam bath” as they will all be stewing in their juices at the same temperature and don’t require the same amount of spacing or care as they did when you were trying to form a good looking bark. I hope this helps. Also, that’s a good looking AC in your profile pic.
Just what I needed for Info! Did the ribs on the top rack cook at a different rate then those on the bottom rack?
I didn’t detect any significant differences in the way they cooked. But remain aware that the lower rack rear is warmer than any other area on most RT700s. Especially on the sides of the fire pot (think approximately 1 bread slice width off center, rear, both sides). As such, either place the thicker end of the ribs in the rear or rotate after 1 hour. BB-Backs/Loin Backs are the most sensitive in my opinion. STL style are more forgiving and have a thicker profile. Generally, the top rack ribs look more uniform but you can alternate the bottom with the top’s and they will cook at relatively the same amount of time discounting for the uncontrollable differences in the pigs that were harvested, protein density, and other factors. If I really want to maximize the moisture in my ribs when they are running a little lean, I put them on a top rack for the entire cook to keep them further from the direct heat source. It increases the cook time slightly but gives me some really juicy ribs. I often wonder if the person that originally pitched the “Fall off the Bone 3-2-1” method was cooking with less direct fire/contact using the upper shelf method also. The best part of using the top rack is that when you do the final sauce set and char using the lower rack, they are crispy on the outside and dripping with juicy goodness on the inside.
Create an account or login to comment
You must be a member in order to leave a comment
Create account
Create an account on our community. It's easy!
Log in
Already have an account? Log in here.
