Should the meat you're smoking touch the inside of the cabinet?

You don't want any food to touch the cabinet...that's typically a hot spot anywhere within 1.5-2" of most vertical smokers which can cause rapid cooking when hot smoking. Also, this can cause a baffling effect and will reduce the temperature and slow the cooking of anything above it on a higher grate.

You can cut a packer in half if you like...I've done that once before on 3 packers I smoked all together...won't hurt a thing, really. Just put your point where it's a bit hotter than where you put the flat if you want them done at about the same time, or load the flat a bit later, however it works out best for you.

Eric

I would go with the bitter flavor, but as you smoke meat will shrink and you should be able to move it from the sides of the smoker. At least with my vertical its the case. If you do get some blacking on it, you can either wash or cut that area off the meat.