First timer needs some guidance

[turfmunch]

Now you remind me about pictures....

At 2 hrs 45 minutes the alarms went off showing 165.

Wrapped them in foil and replaced in smoker. Reset the alarms for 205.

Set the alum drip pan that I put underneath in the fridge to set up

Oh..and I cracked open another cold one.

 

[turfmunch]

OK. I'm all done and the meat turned out awesome with one exception. For some reason I didnt get much, if any, bark. The outside was brown and seasoned well but mostly soft and pliable. There most certainly wasnt anything I would need to cut with a knife.

Can anyone tell me what I did wrong?

 

[walking dude]

you have to watch foiling TOO soon.......the moisture will soften the barq

when i first started doing butts....i had a couple that i DIDN"T foil......and the barq got SO hard.......COULDN"T cut it with a knife.......so its a learning experience/curve.........the more you do.......the better idea you will have........each of us smokes diff. with diff setups.......so all we can do is give guidelines........in the ballpark kinda thing.......thats why its nice to have a smoking log........so EVERYTHING you did.....you wrote down.....so you can go back the next smoke.........and maybe change sum things up.........and write down what you did.........best learning book in the world is your smoke log........

 

[smokebuzz]

Some rubs just won't make a barq, some chunks of meat won't make a good barg either. Possibly too much moisture in the cooker.

Foiling? my smoke events get foiled enuff!!

 

[walking dude]

what buzz said........the more sugar/brown sugar......the more barq.....it crystalizes into the barq........or at least in MY world.......