I need help with briskets and butts on my BGE, please.

Animal Eater

I've been reading "Smoke & Spice" and I'm interested in venturing out into the world of actual "barbecue", but I don't know how to apply it to the BGE. So I have a few questions pertaining to you folks that are cooking these butts and briskets for a whole day at between 180 and 230 degrees:
Do you have to refuel at all during the day?
How much charcoal do you use initially?
Do you use any wood chips/chunks too or just charcoal?
Any basting or mopping going on during this long ordeal?
Do you always cook indirectly with a drip pan or is the fire cool enough to get away with a direct method?
Do you ever use a water reservoir?
ANY suggestions would be great.
Thanks

Grumpa

Animal Eater,[p]A great place to start is to read the writings from Elder Ward. It has helped many, including myself, learn to achieve success on the BGE.[p]Just follow this link.[p]

[ul][li]Elder Ward[/ul]

RhumAndJerk

Animal Eater,
Here is a good place to start with for Butts.[p]RhumAndJerk[p]
[ul][li]North Carolina Pulled Pork[/ul]

RhumAndJerk

Animal Eater,
Here is a good place to start with for Briskets.[p]RhumAndJerk[p]
[ul][li]EW’s World Class Brisket[/ul]

The Naked Whiz

<p />Animal Eater,
> Do you have to refuel at all during the day?
No, I started mine at 9 pm and didn't open it until 6pm the next evening.[p]> How much charcoal do you use initially?
I had it almost up to the top of the fire ring in my large egg. When it was done, I had about 40% left.[p]> Do you use any wood chips/chunks too or just charcoal?
I put hickory chunks in the lump as well as a hunk on the burning coals.[p]> Any basting or mopping going on during this long ordeal?
Nope. I did my first one plain just to see if I could get a fire to burn all night longl[p]> Do you always cook indirectly with a drip pan or is the fire cool enough to get away with a direct method?
I did it indirect with a drip pan. [p]Here is a link to my web page which describes my first attempt.[p]TNW
Do you ever use a water reservoir?[p]
[ul][li]My first attempt at a butt.[/ul]

Porkchop

TNW, how did TNB (the naked butt) turn out taste-wise? did you pull it and then dump some rub/sauce into it?

The Naked Whiz

Porkchop,
Yep, I pulled it. It has a nice smoky pork flavor and we dumped sauce on it when we ate it. [p]TNW