Help !!!! Where did I go wrong?

[vettman]

I smoked a butt today and it was not good. I started with a 4 lb boston butt. Come to find out it was boneless. Slim pickings here on saturday mornings. Anyway, I rubbed it last night and kept in frig. I got smoker ready and put it on til 160* (about 3 hours) then I double wrapped in foil and put back in til 206*.  I let it set foiled on counter for an hour and a half.  Here's how it came out.: Not much bark, and very little smoke flavor, almost like I had done it in an oven! I used hickory chips. I have an electric upright smoker. Why hardly any smoke flavor?  I,ve done ribs that were good. Anyway I quit using chips after 3 hours when I wrapped it. Total time was 6 and a half hours. You pros help me out please!  -Thanks

 

[meateater]

We need more info. What smoker you have and a few pics would help. Then the CSI's  "Carnage Scene Investigators" can step in. 

 

[vettman]

It's a Masterbuilt upright electric smoker from lowes. (fathers day present). Sorry, I didn't think to get pics.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

   Vetteman,IMHO you did bake them?

 The wrapping softens the bark wioth all that moisture in there.I don't wrap anything and get good results.I'm not a Pro.,just a BYC and the Family enjoys my Food.

   I don't know what your cooking on ,but (my) first rule is'don't open the cooker until it is about done.How do I do that,I figgure my time and close the lid,hod it as close as I can to my cooking temp. ,and when the time is ab out up,I check IMT and go from there.

 

[eman]

160° in 3 hrs is kinda short time? Usually takes longer than that .What temp were you smoking at?

 Wrapping in foil does take away from the bark.  You may need a lil more (heavier)smoke for a butt than you do for ribs

 

[SmokinAl]

Did you use a digital therm. or did you rely on the controller setting. Sounds to me like it cooked awfully fast. If you want more smoke flavor & bark try not foiling next time.

 

[turfguy]

I'm not sure that's the problem, IMHO. I always foil and never have a problem with my bark not surviving the oven. It will soften it a bit (which I like) but it won't disappear.

 

[alelover]

It got to 206? Did it almost fall apart when you pulled it. If not it may not have really hit 206. Check your thermometers.