What type of pit are you cooking on/in, Cack? That can make a big difference.
When I'm cooking butts at home I keep things very simple.
1. I like big butts, and I cannot lie :-D. 8 lbs minimum, but I prefer 9 - 10 lbs, bone in.
2. Trim off any thick areas of fat and any loose bits from a sloppy meat packer
3. Inject with Chris Lilly's injection mixture (recipe below)
4. Rub heavily.
5. Put it in the cooker at whatever temp your cooker like to settle in at. For mine that's usually 250-ish.
6. Forget about it for a few hours. No mopping, no opening the cooker door.
7. When the bark is the color that I like (dark red or mahogany) foil, or don't
If I foil I add about 1/2 cup of the injection liquid (fresh, not used
).
8. When the temp probe slides in with little resistance remove from pit and open the foil for a few minutes to release some heat to stop the carry over cooking.
9. Place in a preheated cooler insulated with towels and let it rest for at least two hours.
For my cooker at 250 I average around 70 - 80 minutes per pound, but I budget 90 minutes per pound just in case I get a stubborn butt.
Chris Lilly Injection:
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce