As promised, pics of today's setup with fire bricks.
Started out by wrapping the charcoal grate 3/4 of the way with HD foil. Then, put the fire bricks 4-5" from one side, end to end or overlap as necessary. I added one layer of briquettes, then placed in a piece of hickory and a piece of cherry, with the last of the cherry pieces from the bag. I'm out of cherry wood and need to find a source (cheap!) for cherry chunks, since most stores here only carry hickory & mesquite chunks year round.
I add the lit coals (15 today, and more or less depending on how hot or cold it is outside) to the can, with a piece of hickory underneath to get the smoke rolling.
Remove the can with a pair of pliers, and then I let the grill come up to temp with the bottom vent wide open. When it hits 200°, I close the bottom vent to 1/4-1/2 as the grill gets closer to the temp you want.
Today's meal on the grill, with a half pan to catch drips. Rib trimmings will go into a pan of beans... and into the cook's mouth as a snack.
Hope this makes sense. I liked the video showing how to use a charcoal basket and add briquettes & wood hourly from the other post, but this way is usually good for 5-6 hours without refueling, depending on where your desired cooking temp is set. Also, the fire bricks act as a good heat sink so if you open the lid for any reason, temps recover easily. Today, I am cooking ribs around 250°, but I'm not that picky if it goes up or down 25°. I will adjust the bottom vent to maintain temps as necessary. If the sun comes out and shines directly on the grill, I may have to close the top vent halfway, which will bring it back down easily.
Good luck smoking on your kettle!
