I have read the last several posts referring to liquid in the drip pan. There are two things to think about here. 1. The only time we recommend starting out with liquid in the drip pan is when you do beef brisket or seafood.
2. Another idea is to cook the ribs and the chicken at the same time. Here is a recipe that was passed along. Get three racks of ribs and cut them in half and hang them on the rib hangers, two half racks on each rib hanger. Then place two whole chickens on the middle cooking grate (depending on how long the ribs are) or the lower cooking grate. Let them cook for two hours. When doing something like this, just make sure that the chicken is always below the other meats.
I know Thanksgiving is three+ months away, but here is an awesome turkey recipe that was passed along. Get the biggest fresh turkey you can find this time of year, probably will be around 12-16lbs. Wash the turkey and pat dry. Chop up parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (enough to cover the inside and outside of the bird). Place the ingredients in a bowl and add olive oil (again, add enough to cover the bird). Rub the ingredients on the inside and outside of the bird. For wood chips, use 1/2 Alder chips and 1/2 cherry/apple chips between the drip pan and the cooking cylinder. Cook at 7 minutes per pound. The smoke is nice, not over powering. It tastes fantastic!
Not big on turkey, but that sounds excellent. Will pass it along to my wife. Thanks!