What a great thread! I am going to learn a lot from this one. I am very simple in my set up. My wife and I live in a condo so any smoking I do is while camping with a Brinkman charcoal smoker or a Weber Jumbo Joe grill. (The largest portable Weber) I am envious of the set ups here.
I typically set up the Jumbo Joe with a water pan, fire bricks or tin foil crumpled to make a heat spacer and charcoal. I use a rack thermometer for my smoke temp and check the meat with a simple probe thermometer. With this set up I can keep the temp anywhere from 225 to 300 depending on my charcoal and wood input. I just recently picked up a dual probe wireless but winter came and I won't be able to do much now.
I have tried smoking for a few years and I've thrown out more meat than I would like to admit.
I have over heated, over smoked, dried out, burnt up and anything else you can do bad to meat. I admittedly just didn't put in enough research time. I finally started studying anything and everything I could. Slowly I started to improve my abilities. This year I was able to produce a few slabs of fantastic ribs (not my words
), 2 Boston Butts (I would grade: 1-B,1-A-) and a Brisket. I got sidetracked on the brisket and lost my heat. I recovered and saved it but dried it out slightly. 1 brisket - C. I am slowly logging my methods and becoming very happy with my results.
I have tried many rubs. I, personally, don't care for "sweet" rubs but I try to make things that the entire family enjoys. So far I have found "Oakridge BBQ" to be my favorite rubs. I have had very good success with their products.
Boston Butt. I smoke until 170 internal then foil wrap. It creates IMO a better overall bark.