Was given a brinkmann gourmet charcoal smoker/no manuals

Sure...the smoker top and middle lift off. There is a pan that goes over the charcoal pit. The pan is used to create moist heat. It will produce steam while you cook. I recommend flavoring whatever fluid you put in the pan with fruit, fruit juice, or frozen concentrate, or wine, mixed with water. You can put your initial batch of charcoal in the bottom, (pit) and fire it up just as you would any charcoal grill. once the coals are ready, you can put the pan over them, put the middle section in, (with whatever meat you prefer), then finally the top. During cooking, to produce a smoky flavor, you can put water soaked hickory or misquete chips with the charcoal, it has a door for access. You can also add charcoal as needed to maintain the desired heat level thru the door. Remember, it takes longer to prepare food on the smoker, the key is low heat and longer cooking times. For example, I usually cook a boston **** at about 185 degrees for up to 12 hours. Bon Appetite!