For one & two & sort of three, try using dry chip or even small chunks of wood.....here's the way I think of it:
the fire has to burn off the moisture that's on the wood, then get back to what it was going to do anyway, burn the wood for smoke flavor.....wetting the wood just makes the fire work harder.....
not to say it can't or shouldn't be done, but it's tricky using wet wood & getting the fire to burn clean......
That will be a portion of the temp drop right there......
The cold meat going on will drop the temp some....I try to guess it out to start off a little bit higher heat so it drops to somewhere in the ballpark of where the normal run temp will be for that piece or cook....
The charcoal thing I'll think of like this:
If it needs to go up in temp, or is beginning to drop & needs to stay about the same, add some lit coals....
How many depends on each situation & knowing comes from the experience of doing it a few times.....
If the temp is fairly stable & about where it needs to be, but the cook needs to go on for awhile, unlit, or mostly unlit coals, so they can then lite off over time & extend the cook.....
Water pans / drip pans are fine....some use water to help the temp keep stable for a bit longer cook & it will add in moisture to the cooking chamber.....downside is, it's harder to get high temps that way.....
You can get screamin' hot temps in a kettle just loading in a bunch of coal....lump maybe higher than briquettes....Troy & MacEggs get 1100 & 1200 degrees doing pizza (personally, I think this is nutz, but WTFDIK?)
The coals will be a bit hotter if concentrated in a smaller area like the basket or piled tight......using a "chimney's worth" as a measure is good as a lot of folks go by that & it gives you a standard to work with, but....it doesn't have to be the only amount you start with....could be less for a light cook, could be x 1&1/2 or more for a real high heat thing....guess that says something about 5 & 6......
I generally like to come UP TO the temp I'd like to cook at, them maintain....it's easier than fighting it back down....
Hi-heat searing / grilling is different....then, it's more "All In" longer or shorter time on or near the coals....
Cover's not a bad idea....the workhorses are exposed, the beauty queens are covered or inside....
Good stuff from Mini & Harley there also.....get one chicken like Harley's & you'll be hooked on kettles for life.....
here's a few example type things.....
Lit & unlit, mixed to go aways...
Starting with taters, as they take the longest.....525 degrees...
let those go for awhile, then add in the chicken pieces.....still fairly hot...
No piddlin' around...slap 'em on there (action shot of slappin' 'em on)
This was mine w/ the smoke later on as the wife doesn't like smoked so much....
Hope that helps some.....
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