1. Preheat your smoker to 250℉

Make the rub and season

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, breaking up any clumps in the brown sugar.
2. Pat your pork butt dry and coat it generously with the rub, pressing it in so it sticks well.
   
3. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

On the smoker

1. Place the pork butt on the smoker, fat side up.
2. Smoke for 2–3 hours without opening the lid (if you're lookin', you ain't cookin'), allowing the bark to begin forming.

Start spritzing

1. Combine apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire in a spray bottle and shake well before each use.
2. Start spritzing the pork butt every 45–60 minutes after the bark has started forming (usually after the first 2 hours on the smoker). This point is marked by the outside starting to turn a red color.
3. Spritz throughout the cook, until you wrap. Continuously spritzing with the spritz mixture will caramelize the exterior and help form that super dark bark we all love.

Check for color

1. Around the 5–6 hour mark, once the internal temp hits 160-170°F, the bark should be set. If it is up to temp but not the right color on the bark, keep spritzing and keep cooking until you are happy with color of the bark.
   

Wrap

1. Once the bark is set, wrap in foil to push through the stall. I like to use the 18" wide aluminum foil to get more coverage. Take two sheets about 3ft long and lay them in the shape of a "plus" sign with the shiny side facing up so that when you wrap the shiny side is on the inside (the shiny side will reflect heat and we don't want that). Bring each edge over the top of the meat and then crimp all around until its fully sealed. You don't want any juices or moisture to escape.
2. Optional (but useful): place it in an aluminum foil pan after wrapping to catch all of the juices possible.
3. Once your pork is wrapped and back on the smoker, it’s time to start watching for doneness. You’re looking for that perfect tenderness—the probe should slide in like it’s going into warm butter. For an 8-pound butt, this is usually around the 12–14 hour mark, but don't get too hung up on the clock.
4. A good rule of thumb is 1.5 to 2 hours per pound, but the real test is how it feels. Start checking around the 200°F mark, and only pull it off when it feels like it could fall apart in your hands. Let the time tell you when to start checking for tenderness—not when to stop cooking.

Rest

1. Remove from the smoker, keep it wrapped, and let it rest for at least 2 hours in a cooler or oven set to warm before shredding.
2. For best results, let it rest 6-8 hours wrapped in a blanket inside a cooler and then reheat it in a 300℉ oven while still wrapped until the internal temperature reaches 165℉.