Meat smoking

Tamale time is here again. Normally Ernie cooks the meat in a crock pot. She wants me to smoke it on the Big Green Egg this year. I believe she normally uses a roast of some sort.
Brine or no brine? If yes, what would you suggest? What about wood chunks? I use real wood chunks in the Egg. NoNE of those briquettes....and never any sort of petroleum products to light it. Have been using Royal Oak Chunks. Have a bag of Hickory, and may still have some Mesquite. Any suggestions?