Adding more wood to the fire

[Guest]

Hello fellow smokers!

I finally got a WSM about 2 months ago, and have had a blast trying new recipes. I'm setting myself up to do a Boston Butt for the first time tomorrow morning.

My issue is adding wood to the fire once everything has already started cooking. Maybe something is wrong in my process:
1. I put the charcoal ring on the bottom grate, and fill with charcoal.
2. I light a few briquettes for the Method.
3. I add the lit briquettes to the pile on the charcoal grate, then put the water pan on top of that. The water pan usually sits more on top of the coals than being supported by the walls of the charcoal ring.
4. I add water to the pan, and assemble the cylinder and remaining two (cooking) grates.

If I want to add some wood to the fire after a couple of hours, it's nearly impossible to get the water pan out of the way to put the chunks on the coals. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks for the great venue and all the help!

 

[Dennis Haner]

Why does the water pan sit on top of the coals? I use the Brinkman charcoal pan as my water pan, and it sits on the brackets the water pan is supposed to sit. What am I missing about your set up?

 

[Guest]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> and it sits on the brackets the water pan is supposed to sit <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I think I'll have to go check what I'm doing wrong here. I guess I missed the brackets.

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[Kirk J]

Ted, from your post it sound like you are sitting your water pan right on the charcoal ring. Your water pan goes on the same bracket that your lower grate goes on....just the lower bend. Well above your charcoal ring.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I looked at the bracket and moved the pan. I thought everything looked a little odd, but I felt that I was following the schematic to a T. It looks more like it should now.

Thanks again.