Caveman Lab Work

I had wanted to fire up the new Char-Griller smoker I've got on the carport and 'cue up some pork shoulder and ribs for me and my muslim friends, and I would have succeeded if it weren't for the meddling weather.

Having only used the damn thing twice, I still haven't "fine tuned" temp control yet. Last time, I was all over the thermometer, 175 up to 400+, managed to stay around 250-275 most of the time and everything turned out O.K., but I had to babysit the thing like it was a 'tarded kid.

I see large piles of charcoal bags and hardwood ash in my future as I experiment with what combo of wood-charcoal works best. What I'm aiming for is a Tops BBQ taste, but according to an interview w/ one of the Tops, inc. poohbahs, they use charcoal and green hickory wood. Ever since I was a kid, I've been told not to burn green wood because the tars and resins they give off accumulate in the flue and can ignite and burn your shit down. And I'm pretty sure I don't want that on my meat.

Vacation idea: Go to Memphis and make nice w/ the owner/manager of one or more 'cue joints and see if I can be a pit-man trainee for a day and take notes. Don't wanna swipe your "secret recipe" to start my own mega-cue franchise, I got my own ideas for recipes. I just wanna learn "pit fire management" from a pro.