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Without a pix this thread is fkin useless...what is a "workhorse?" Is that sumthin new at Wally world?

Anyway enough of the amateurs.....

Charcoal chimney loaded with Lump hardwood charcoal..you can use paper but that is catch as catch can...I have a Propane Wok burner which gets them up to speed in a few moments..

Probably the best way is to light the charcoal on the grate at the bottom with with a Propane torch. Once started put your Wood splits on and watch them catch on fire (you should close down the vent to direct the smoke through the unit to heat the metal and bring to temp..Let all that black smoke (creosote) burn off... ifn you don't your meat will taste bitter...till you get a nice thin bluish gray smoke.. at this point you can be at 300*...put yer meat on and close down vents till you stabilize at 250* plus or minus..

On those stick burners you have to constantly watch your temp and add wood...adjusting the vents as needed..that is sumthin you learn by doin..you also should have some wood either on top of the fire box or inside next to the fire to pre heat the wood...

You have to stay with hardwoods..oak, mesquite, hickory, cherry, apple orange, olive, pecan...alder...each will impart a little bit of a different taste characteristic..

One buys an expensive heavy gauge metal stick burner for heat retention so there is less fiddling to do..they are hands on...and it does take work to run em...

Ifn you want easy just buy a pellet smoker, put them in and walk away..