Entering my first local competition...advice needed.

bbquy said:

 
Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it!  I usually cook my butts to 200* and let it rest between 1-2 hrs. I will go for 205* next time. I'm also going to try doing it in the pan and cutting the cross hatches.

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200 should be fine.  Letting them rest is important.  I came up with the idea of cutting through the fat cap after doing something similar when cooking pork belly on the Weber Grill.  The fat cap will render down and you can chop it fine and mix in with the Q for some great taste.  Nobody will know the fats there but you'll get some good taste from it.  I'm real particular about hand pulling now.  I get all the bad fat, veins, gristle, etc. out so nobody gets a chunk of fat unexpectedly.  I started doing this for my wife.  She only found out recently that I was mixing up part of the rendered fat cap.  lol  But you don't get that fatty "feel" in your mouth, just the flavor!