The good thing about the Weber Smokey Mountain cooker is, unlike typical horizontal units that require hourly intervention for temperature monitoring and refueling, its ability to hold a steady temperature for hours on end. Usually around 10 pm at nights I'll fire up the WSM, put a boston butt on, bring the unit up to smoking temperature (230-260F measured at the lid) and then retire for the night. When I arise the next morning the WSM's temperature will be hovering within 30F of its setting that was made the night before and so all I need to do to bring it back to proper temperature is either readjust the bottom vents or add another handful or two of charcoal.
Be advised, however, the the WSM is strictly charcoal fired and requires a couple or three chunks of smokewood for proper smoking. It is not wood-fired. The unit holds a really steady temperature for the longest time and is capable of cooking for 18-20+ hours on a single load of charcoal (about 1/2 bag of Kingsford). And now a word from our sponsor!!!!!!
