When do I add the food to the grill?

[Dr ROK]

When using the SnS, do you put the food on the grill before you start adjusting the vents, or do you add it after it has reached the target temp?

[Jerod Broussard]

I add mine as soon as I got clean smoke going and things rolling.

[Ernest]

Clean smoke first then depends on what I'm cooking.

[Dr ROK]

How does what your cooking impact your decision Ernest?

[Ernest]

Dr ROK let's say I'm cooking a chicken, my preferred cooking temp is a range, 300 to 375. Once I get good smoke I don't bother too much with cooking temp, I get the chicken on. I wouldn't put ribs on if my temp was at 300 with clean smoke. I'll stabilize at 215 -240 then put the ribs on.
If I'm baking a peach cobbler I'll stabilize at 350 before I start cooking. Or pizza, I'll get it to 550 degrees and

[w0nq]

I usually stabilize my temp a little first but then maybe my assumption that that was the efficient way to do it is not the preferred method? Only a couple months owning a SnS
I place my wood chunks just behind the lit stuff so I can have it all situated without catching a face full of smoke.

[Gooner-que]

I stablize the temp then add the food.

[David Parrish]

Clean smoke first then depends on what I'm cooking.

Ditto for me.