While there are several methods of cooking a large low and slow cook on the Ranch Kettle, I prefer this method over all I have tried.
I start by using four of the Weber #7402 fences (two on each side) to control my fire. I then load a half chimney of cold all hardwood briquets to both sides.
Then I use two full size tin foil pans in the center of the cooker.
Then I fire up a full chimney of the all hardwood briquets and pour 1/2 on top of the cold in each side of the cooker.
Next step is to load the cooker and then to add some hardwood chunks to each side of the fire. Adjust the cooker to about 275-300 degrees measured on the cooking grid and cook away.
These are briskets for my pastramied beef about done on the Ranch Kettle.
For most of my brisket and pork butt cooks, I will usually add about 15-20 more cold briquets to each side a couple more times during the cook.
This cooker is just so simple to run with this method, easy to clean up after a cook, very even cooking as I don't like to have to turn or reposition any of the meat during a cook, and just works out the best for my way of cooking.