Love my drum, but...

Don't get me wrong-I like just about everything having do do with drum cooking.

I made a nice brisket yesterday (a tad overcooked- that happens)- KBB and hickory chunks on a 30 gallon UDS. Kosher Salt, coarse pepper, onion, garlic powder.

My color was "ok"- and the bark was "ok" and it tasted - but nothing like I see posted around the site here. The taste was there- just was not an outstanding LOOKING brisket.

For all the drum fans, how do you get that great color and bark? Or does it really just not matter that much that you don't get it? I'm not a picture taker- so it's not for show off /bragging rights. Just need to know if I'm missing out- and how to get there if I am missing out.

thanks in advance.

Guess I could have been a bit wordier- I usually have the opposite problem

5 hours on the grate (250-275-ish*) - starting out fat side down- flipping half way thru. After 5 hours, the color is decent, but bark is pretty light and might not have fully set and IT is about 165-170.

I do wrap- used to do full foil cocoon/ Texas Crutch thing - lately have gotten fond of the Chud foil boat to finish- fat side up up . (250-275-ish), into a 285 oven to finish out. The fat renders pretty well on top- but my lean bark (what there is of it) suffers from being in the liquid

The wood thing... my basket is not huge- I put 4 chunks of wood- each a bit bigger than a golf ball. I have always let my smoke run clear before putting meat on the grate. After temp stabilizes and smoke clears, it could be a full hour after I "drop the hot on the not". Am I screwing myself out of bark doing that? Maybe I should forego the completely clear exhaust and just put it the grate when the temp is solid???