I basically set the vents as soon as I put the lit charcoal in the ring. Might leave one vent wide open while I finish the prep, but not more than 20 minutes. A slow climb is way easier to control than a quickie.
What is the advantage of using a clay saucer in the smoker? Do you place it in the empty water pan?
What is the advantage of using a clay saucer in the smoker? Do you place it in the empty water pan?
Yes. I found the filling and getting rid of the water in the pan after a smoke to be the only frustrating part of the process.
Putting the clay saucer in and foiling it up means once your done all you have to do to clean up is ditch the dirty foil.
There are various opinions Jem. There are several threads if you search that discuss the merits of other heat sinks such as sand, saucers, steel discs vs a water pan with water and a dry water pan. Search "heat sinks" and you will see what I mean. That should keep you busy reading for awhile. Experience will aid you in determining what works best for you. Personally I like a water pan with water for ribs otherwise I really don't use water. I use a heavy metal plate. I did use clay but broke them from the thermal shock. Everybody on this site will have an opinion of what they like best or their opinion can be as simple as avoiding the cleanup with a water pan.