Where's the bark?

[R.D. Harles]

Smoked 2 - 3.5 lb. boneless pork butts overnight last night. Put them on @ 10:30 pm and took them
off @ 7:00 am (8.5 hours). They both read 200 degrees internal. Never opened the cover once.
For the first time, the butts had no hard outer crispy bark. It was more of a light brown soft covered skin. Very strange. First time I've ever seen this.
Anyone have any theories?

 

[Jim Minion]

What was the pit temp?
Jim

 

[R.D. Harles]

It hit a minimum of 217 and a max of 270.
It know it ran a little hot 250-270 for several hours through the night. I had to get up a couple
of times to adjust vents. Temps were a bit
erratic - I'm guessing because it was a little
windy.

 

[Jim Minion]

At those temps you should have formed plenty of bark, what was your rub?
Jim

 

[R.D. Harles]

On one I used a commercial dry rub "Butt Rub" - has a picture of a pig on it. On the other, I had a homemade dry rub. I rubbed them about 4 hours
prior to putting them, sealed in plastic
wrap and put them in the fridge - nothing too out
of the ordinary.

 

[Jim Minion]

A rub low in sugar will not give you as much bark, but in your case you should have had bark.
There is something we are missing here.
Jim

 

[R.D. Harles]

Perhaps it should remain a mystery...

 

[Tony Weisse]

Was there foil involved?

 

[R.D. Harles]

Nope, no foil. Put the 2 pieces of meat on
and never opened the cover until they hit 200 degrees.