So many questions here...
What kind of cooker?
What temp you cooking at?
Wood, lump, gas, electric - what's your fuel?
Ferg66 is right - if you roast them in the oven first you really won't get any smoke on them.
Here's what I would do...
Rub them with your favorite rub. If you don't have one, go to the salt and pepper for now.
Fire up your cooker.
If you have the time, cook in the 230* range. This will take you in the range of 1.5 - 2 hours /pound.
If you are short on time, crank the heat up to 275 - 300*.
Put the meat on the cooker and don't peek.
While you are waiting...
Get one or 2 1 pound breakfast sausage chubs.
Take off the wrapper and put them in the cooker too.
After about 2-3 hours when they hit 165* take them off and slice them up.
This is a fatty in it's truest, naked, delicious form.
Try not to eat an entire one yourself.
When the internal temp of the pork gets to the 165* range OR when the bark is as dark as you want it, toss them in a foil pan and top with foil or just wrap in foil.
Put them back on the cooker till when you stick a probe into them there is no resistance - should feel like a hot knife through butter.
I don't care what the internal temperature is at this point - they aren't done by time or by temp - those are gauges, it's done when there is no resistance.
Now... get a clean, dry, cooler and some old towels the missus won't mind you getting messy.
Wrap the foiled butts in the towels and put them in the cooler and put the lid on.
Let them sit in there at least an hour - 2 or 3 is better. No worries, unless you keep lifting the lid they will still be piping hot.
After the rest.. enjoy!!
Things to keep in mind..
Do your math to figure out how long you need to cook these butts. I always add an extra hour + the amount of time I want them to rest. Nothing worse then your Q not ready and you have a bunch of hungry people staring you down.
Each butt is different and will get done in it's own time. Don't try to rush it.
You want a nice clean fire - white billowing smoke does not taste good. Thin blue is where you want to be...
Have fun - let us know how you make out.
