Need help with first cook..

Leave the control setting where it is when you check it. The temp will not spike that much. It's worse to leave the door open for a long time and loose the heat.

Look through the archives and you will find quite a few methods. Generally for the butts, top or next shelf, fat up. Start on smoke or 180 for the first 3 to 4 hours then go up to the next setting for the next 3 to 4 hours, then the next until the butts are done. Alternately, start on 180 for 3 to 4 hours then go to 250 until the butts are done. I did 4 last night with a brisket. They went on at 10:30 and where ready at 7am.

Ribs, usually 250 to 275 for 3 to 4 hours for spares. Babybacks will be less. Check them at about 3 hours.

These are very general guidelines. You just need to cook enough to get a feel for the cooker. Once you do, you can vary temps and times to get the product you're happy with.

Have fun!

One trick I use if I don't want to be blasted with smoke while I am checking, is to turn the heat up to 350* just prior to opening the door. Since the FE burns so cleanly at those high temps, the smoke is cleared out and I am not working in a blue cloud. Prior to closing the door, I take the temp back down to where I had it. Even with the door open and it running at higher temps for a minute, the recovery time is minimal.

I put my butts on late at night, just before bed @245*. In the morning when they are close to 200* and I can wiggle the bone, I pull them out and wrap and let rest. I then put the baby backs on @ 275* They take about 3.5 - 4 hours. I mainly use the top two racks, unless I am cooking a full load. Don't worry about the temp spikes. Temps settle back down quickly. You will find that it is very hard to mess up cooking with the FE.