Wood chunks

batfire

After reading the recipe steps, it says preheat cooker to 350 with indirect setup. Then add large wood chunks. If using fire bricks how do I add wood chips or large chunks ?

Jethro

batfire,[p]If using chips you can just let them drop through the grill. Next time consider adding the wood chips prior to placing the fire bricks on the grill.[p]Keep em Smoking,
Jethro

yaB

batfire,
Adding any good-sized wood chunks after you've assembled your fire bricks or plate setter is pretty difficult, and in my opinion, not worth the trouble. [p]Here's what I've been doing recently:
1) Clean the fire box up as needed, scrape out the ash, and load the fire box up with fresh lump as needed.
2) Light a starter cube in the middle of the mound of lump, with vents wide open.
3) Wait about 15 minutes for the starter cube to burn out and confirm that the lump has actually started.
4) Close the air supply vent down to about ½", and leave the top vent about ½ open.
5) Wait about 10 or 15 minutes more to see how the fire is progressing. Observe top vent smoke and temp to see if things are stabilizing. I expect to find a dome temp of around 300-350° by this time, maybe approaching 400°.
6) Now add wood chunks in with the lump. I usually press one big chunk smack in the middle of the lit lump, and I've been experimenting with putting other smaller chunks further out from the burning area, to see whether they'll come into play later in the cook.
7) Now assemble your fire bricks, drip pan, grill and meat as required, and formally start the cook. Unless you've got a Guru to worry the details for you, you'll probably have to fiddle with the vents for another 10 or 20 minutes to get to your target dome temp, but then things should stabilize.[p]Key thing is that you should have all your stuff lined up and ready to go once the fire has stabilized. Smoking wood, fire bricks/plate setter, drip pan, grill and meat. It reads more complicated than it is in practice. You just need to make sure you've thought thru the steps you need to do for that particular cook before you start.[p]Bob

Yazoo

batfire,[p]After starting the lump, I set a wood chunk on the edge of the lump next to the side of the fire box (or fire ring, depending on how full it is), then assemble the egg with plate setter, grill, drip pan, whatever and wait for the temperature to stabilize. Being on the side, the wood chunk doesn't burn right away. When I put the food in, I use a straightened out coat hanger to flip the wood chunk towards the center, over the burning lump and then get my smoke.