Except for an unexpected afternoon downpour that caught just enough of my firebox to cause a temporary fall in temperatures, Saturday's smoke went very well. I started with a boneless butt, then added some spare ribs about two hours later.
I started out by getting a good fire going using lump charcoal and apple wood, bringing temps up to about 315 before letting them settle back down to about 270-275 and feeding it the rest of the way with apple and the occasional hickory chunk. Over the course of the day, my fire ranged from 200 during the aforementioned shower up to the 315 starting temp. The vast majority of the time, I stayed between 250 and 270.
As was the case during my seasoning smokes, holding a temperature wasn't as difficult as I expected it to be, though it definitely took a bit more work once I added cool meat to the cooking chamber. I followed a 3-2-1 technique for the ribs. They came out very nice, though I think I over-rubbed them; they were a bit salty. I was concerned at first, as I was expecting more pull-back than I got, but they were done enough a simple twist released the bones from most of the meat. Also, my family has developed a taste for what realistically should be called over-cooked ribs. So, although they were basically fall-off-the-bone tender, I did hear a sentiment that one family member would've liked them a bit (my word) mushier. Late in the smoke, I added some bbq beans and corn-on-the-cob to the cook. Beans were great, but 45 minutes definitely wasn't long enough for the corn to absorb any real flavor. My fault for last-minute thinking.
I shredded the butt, mixing in some barbecue sauce and saving it for dinner on Sunday. Oh, and what a dinner it was! I wish I'd taken a picture of the smoke penetration, because it was deep and strong. The meat was tender, juicy and had a rich flavor.
Overall, I'm pleased. I'm thinking I may accede my wife's and daughter's request and do a brisket next!