Charcoal use question

That IS the way to fire up a UDS or most any charcoal fired smoker. Bludawg (still miss him) said "put the hot on the not" referring to an arbitrary # of lit coals. I use 18 ashed over coals on top of my UDS basket- open the vents and let it come up to temp, then feather the intake until I like the cooking temp.

Some folks just hit the center of the basket with a weed burner/torch until a "good number" of coals are lit - same basic idea.

It's not as much making your fire last longer - it's allowing a certain number of coals to stay lit which sets your cooking temperature. How long your cooking temps lasts is a combo of how many "living/thriving" coals plus # of pounds of charcoal in your basket.

It's called the minion method.

With your PK I would try to fill up your indirect side with charcoal then on the farthest side from from where you are cooking your meat pull out 15 to 20 briquettes, put them in a chimney wait until they are ashed over and dump them right where you pulled them from. You can put your wood chunks ether in or on top of the unlit coals you have placed in the grill.

Never cooked on a PK but I would close the lid vent above where you started your fire and leave the bottom vents wide open, do the opposite on the side where your meat will sit. This will draw the smoke and heat across the meat, it will take awhile for the grill to come up to cooking temp, once you get to your desired temp and the smoke is clean adjust the bottom intake vents that you originally left open to control your temp.

Also say your target temp is 250 and it settles in at 240, 265 or even 275 and it's staying steady just let it roll don't chase temps. I used to do all my cooks on a Weber Kettle and I never had to refuel during a cook and that includes cooking Butts and Briskets.

If you already know most of this sorry for the book if not I hope this helps.