Fuel source

Hi all. Total newbie to the BBQ scene and looking forward to learning the smoked arts! I have been researching this, but can't seem to find a solid answer.

My set up (in process) - double barrel smoker, dual dampers from bottom barrel with dampened smoke stacks.

If for example, I want to cook ribs with hickory (non specific for this example), when I build my fire, do you use the wood you are using for smoke as the base for the heat, or do you tend to use something more plentiful to the area, like oak for me, or charcoal for the heat and then add the hickory as needed for smoke?

Thanks in advance for the help and not flaming me for such a newbie question.

I chose the double barrel because I read some good things and it seemed like a fun build. Like I said, a newbie so I expect to make plenty of mistakes along the way. I will check out the UDS as a reference, thanks.

From what I read, charcoal is probably not sufficient for the big baby so more wood. I am guessing it would be wise to use red oak as the fuel source. My concern would be to use hickory or apple or whatever rather than a plentiful variety (to me) like red oak, as the fuel source. Or the concern of say I was cooking chicken and wanted apple for the smoke flavor, but mixing it with oak and mixing smoke flavors unintentionally.

Is it safe to say once the flames are gone and it's smoldering, there is no real difference to wood used or is that blasphemy?