Through the past few years I have posted time and time again about the amazing virtues of the Alfresco SFI-POD, or, solid fuel insert.
This accessory allows you to cook with wood or charcoal on your gas Alfresco grill. It has been more than a revelation, it's been revolutionary as I've been able to elevate my grilling to the next level with this flavor-enhancing accessory.
However, it comes with a cautionary tale. If you want to play with fire, you need to take heed and be careful. See the picture below of an overloaded SFIPOD.
This is a picture of my SFI-POD with a bit too much charcoal in it. My advice is to put a light layer of lump hardwood charcoal on the bottom, or, bank your coal to the front or back of the box in order to make a dual zone cooking area. Because of charcoal's higher burn temp, you don't need to overwhelm the box with coal. And please, if you are adding wood to the mix, be even more sensitive to the load amount. Go LIGHT, solid fuel burns far hotter than gas!