613866 Tue Apr 21 14:10:32 -0700 2009 4 41 Cookware 0 4615897 Based on the many helpful reponses, I decided on Royal Oak hardwood, in part due to its availabilty at Walmart. After using it this weekend in my new Weber performer (I know, could have saved $ by just buying a chimney starter, but that's another thread), I know I need some refining of technique as relates to cooking time, and temps. A search of other sites shows numerous discussions of smoking using briquettes, due to longer burn and lower temps. When I get to smoking in the kettle, are briquettes the way to go, in combination with wood chips and hardwood charcoal? Tue Apr 21 14:10:32 -0700 2009 14330 nickdanger 1 4616787 I use chunk charcoal for everything - for the grill and for my offset smoker - Tue Apr 21 18:56:47 -0700 2009 4615897 11622 weinstein5 1 4617537 I use hardwood charcoal for everything too. After reading back on your previous post, you didn't get the Wicked Good? Royal Oak is fine enough. Anyway, you should still invest in a chimney starter. Swing by a Home Depot/Lowe's, they're about $12 or $13. The gas starter on the Performer works OK, but the chimney starter is really a far superior tool. Also, Don't use too LITTLE charcoal. That's a common mistake. It gets hot and dies out pretty quick before you even get a chance to cook over it. More charcoal = more heat, yes, but that it easily adjusted by using either the dampers or by using the 3 zone fire technique. 3 zone: Dump the coals onto ONE side of the grill so you have a hot searing zone for steaks or something similar. The middle is for intermediate grilling like for pork chops or some chicken items, and the far side, away from the fire, is used for a safety zone, cooking things slowly, or for keeping things warm. This is the same technique I use when smoking. Take a standard pork shoulder for instance. Dump your coals on one side of the grill and place a drip pan on the other side. Pork shoulder goes over the drip pan and the wood chunks (use the bigger chunks, not chips) go over the fire. Chunks just last longer. Close down your dampers to adjust the temp and you've got yourself a smoker. It won't take long to get an acceptable temp. Use those hinged grates to add a few chunks of charcoal every couple hours and you'll do great. Wed Apr 22 06:31:11 -0700 2009 4615897 283259 SQHD 2 4617913 Everything you say makes sense, and I will try WG when I get to Alexandria. Thanks for the advice. The chimney is a good idea, as the starter only fires in the middle, and I could have more direct placement without disturbing the coals too much. Wed Apr 22 08:19:52 -0700 2009 4617537 14330 nickdanger 3 4617955 The coals can take some abuse. Use some long tongs or a metal spatula to move them around. In other words, if you start them with the propane, just shove them over to one side when they are ready and glowing. They'll survive! You probably want to buy 2 or 3 bags of the WGC when you find it. It's quite different (in a good way) from Royal Oak. Wed Apr 22 08:29:10 -0700 2009 4617913 283259 SQHD