Pork Butt help

I suck at cooking Pork. I finished DAL this past weekend in Arthur, IL contest. Anyone willing to give me advice? I will be at the Libertyville contest this weekend and if you want to stop over and give me a couple of pointers from start to finish I would be greatful. I will give you charcoal in return for your advice.
I know I have a 1000 questions to answer before I get advice from anyone.
I cook on a Large Big Green Egg.
I usually buy my butts at sams.
Cook at 225
Use 3 or 4 different smoking woods.
I have used different rubs. Guns, yardbird, etc.
I have used fab. mine comes out to salty
I have cooked with no injection. comes out a little dry
I have found that I get the best flavor and moist meat with injecting with apple juice, cider vinegar with a little salt and pepper.
I wrap at 165 and pull from smoker at 195 to 198 depending on the feel of the meat.
I have turned in pulled, chunks with bark and without. Not really done slices.
I know anyone offering help will have these questions and more so fire away.

I have finished DAL 2 time this year and the main cause is burnt bark. I will stop using some rubbs that I have with sugar. I assume that is the cause of the burnt bark flavor. Funny thing is I do not taste the burnt flavor they give me comment cards on. Yes I get comment card. 3 last weekend. The good thing was they were consistant with burnt bark taste. Very useful. Thanks Judges

I hate to go into winter with such low placement and worrie about it all winter.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Chris
Bartlett Boneheads

OC PIG ASSASSINS said:

FOIL with liquid.

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Apple juice or beer?? How much?

early mornin' smokin' said:

well.....figuring out what you are doing wrong is always a good place to start. Im not a huge fan of foiling unless absolutely necessary, and there is a HUGE difference between bark and burnt crust, which looks like bark, but you've figured out how that tastes already.

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I have tried a no or low sugar rub and cooked longer. That seemed better but still got really dark bark. Maybe drop the cooking temp to 210 and cook longer. Foil at the end to push up if needed.

Scottie said:

I'll give you something at Libertyville Chris. Just don't tell anyone!!! ;-)

I don't need any Royal Oak. I'm more of a BBQr's Delight kind of guy.

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Hopefully no one sees this post and they will not know what you are doing.
Who knows, One day RO may have pellets.

Thanks Scotty see you this weekend.

Smoke'n Ice said:

Do you use a place setter on the BGE? Radient heat will cause the burnt bark. When I cook on my Kamato, I put the fat down to help protect from charring.

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I use the plate setter. I usuall put the brisket on the bottom rack and put the egg extender rack over it and put 2 butts over the brisket. I leave a gap in between the butts and keep them off the side of the egg. Tricky but possible. This could be a lot of my issue. Toooo much meat and the air cannot flow properly.

Psyco Realm said:

I found meat in a packaged solution always has a salty taste.
mabey try a natural pork brand without a packaged solution added.

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To my knowledge the butts at Sams do not have a soulition added to them but I will check.

YankeeBBQ said:

how much wood are you using. What kind of wood. Are you adding wood during the cooking process or just putting it in the cooker in the beginning

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I take chips and mix them in the lump before lighting. A mix of cherry, apple, pecan and hickory. I add some chunks just before putting the meat on. This is usually 2 apple 1 hickory and 1 cherry. I do not add any more due to the trouble of adding it to an egg.

Thanks for all the help. I will post how I finish next week after the contest.

Chris