Don, when I was first starting with the WSM I was frustrated because of inconsistent results on butts, and never, ever getting any kind of bark worth mentioning. So out of that frustration I did a few cooks with no rub, or naked as I called it, and started over. Eventually I found the rub I liked and it's been no looking back. My butts are in demand, no pun intended! Still, the effort was instructive and edible and tasty. Give it a try.