How many racks of Baby Backs can you get into a 008?

I have done 4 racks, cut in half and hung. (8 half racks)

Like GLH says,but keep in mind that there is no "rule" that ribs have to have X amount of space between slabs,or can't ever touch.

They are going to be in the cooker for several hours,and as long as the air flow isn't completely blocked,heat and smoke will get to everywhere.

They may have to be shifted more often,and the door opening means you add some time at each shifting,but just plan for it.

You can buy disposable grill racks and put small blocks between them,like the jerky guys do.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Old GLH stole my thunder...I get eight half racks if I hang em. I have laid them flat, I have used racks and I prefer hanging them. They cook more even and I get more room. I do like to leave a bit of space between them. Man, they sure are pretty when I open the door.
Thanks for this. Just figured out my holiday smoke.

I just did 4 slabs of baby backs in a 008. I bought 2 of the rib/potato holders at Lowes and cut 2 of the slabs in half to be able to better fit in the racks. By putting the 2 of the half slabs in different slots on the holder I was able to put a full slab in a slot on the holder and then kind of wrap it around the holder and place it on a rack in my 008. I then did the same thing with the other 2 slabs and the other rib holder and placed them on a second rack. I hope that this makes sense.

I built two rib racks 14"x14" and can get 12 14" racks in or 12 half depending on the length of the rib. The racks lean at a 45deg angle tward the back of the smokette. Six slots each. I started using the generic rib/potato racks but found that upright ribs take up too much space. If I built three racks I could do 18 pieces.

If you purchase the five slot rack holders and a few more racks you can really squeese in a lot of meat!!

Thanks! Anybody ever make their own rib hooks?

Yes! Do a search with the "find" tool. "Rib hooks." Pics & everything.

I made rib hooks by cutting and bending stainless skewers for shish kabobs.

With the hooks, I hang 1/2 slabs from the top rack.

This weekend, I cooked 9 full slabs in my smokette. I had 3 rows of 6 half-slabs.

The ribs turned out great and were a big hit.

I use chrome wire letter holders from Office Depot. Bought on sale they cost maybe $2 each and they will hold 8 half/full racks depending on size. Cheap. Works. Happy.

Here is a shot of 6 slabs being prepped in the kitchen. These are baby back slabs from Sams. I cut them in half and hung them on homemade hooks.

Here is a shot of the same 6 slabs in the cookshack:

To fit in 9 slabs, I just slid the ribs a bit to the outside and hung 6 more half-slabs in the middle (over the woodbox).

I put the middle set one rung away from the other two sets. That way, all three sets were not hanging on the same rung.

The 9 racks turned out great. They were a big hit and we had a bunch left over.