Seriously?
You got this! Its really (and I do mean...REALLY) hard to screw up a pork butt. Ambitious doing a bunch so soon...but practice a little and you will nail it. Trust me.
Here we go...school's in session:
~Increase your cook temp for starters. You won't hurt it by trying to cook hotter. 275 is a nice mid point between low/slow & hot/fast. I've been cooking them at 325 lately and haven't looked back. Last butts I did (7.5lbs untrimmed) I woke up later in the morning that I wanted and I still had them done, rested, and eating in 6.5 hours from when the meat hit the grate (and I really wasn't rushing it). The hotter you cook, the faster it's done.
~Spritz it only if it looks really dry. Otherwise, don't. My spritz is...2 to 3 parts Apple Juice/1 Part ACV (and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce). If it's getting dark quickly spritz with vinegar or plain water (don't add any additional sugars that will just burn).
~Keep the lid closed (and if the lid is off, work quickly). If you're lookin,' you ain't cookin.' Check it on the hour. Later in the cook, (195 internal) every 20/30 minutes. When you remove the lid for too long, the temp drops...then spikes. If you have a second person handy when transferring meat, have them grab the lid while you grab the meat. It will keep your pit temp steady (where it needs to be). If it gets too hot, close everything down...then slowly open it back up. You'll be fine.
~Wrap it in foil DURING the cook. "F"oil is your "F"riend (they both start with F...so it's easy to remember). Some people wrap to temp, some to color, some to time. I say...color is where I usually wrap. Time and temp can vary from cook to cook depending on weather, meat, pit temp, etc. So wrapping in foil midway when I get a color I like...sometimes its 155-165ish; is the bark softer? Yes. Does it still have bark? Yes. Is it juicy? Yes! I'll let you in on a super secret about pulled pork. Sshhh...please, please, please don't tell anyone, ok? Here it is: People care about tender and juicy more than bark. Take an unbiased poll if you don't believe me.
Bark is overrated and relegated to "beauty contests." If your rub is good, it will translate into a flavor that makes a nice bark and an excellent contrast between most of the pork in the interior (that has no bark) and the exterior. Some of the best butts I have ever made had a nice smoke ring, smoke flavor, and a soft, reddish/mahogany bark. Seriously. If you're feeding a crowd, ditch the competition mentality and go for best TASTING food. Focus more of your time "crushing" the choice of roll, bbq sauce, and the type of slaw (I prefer vinegar slaw over mayo btw).
~Pull 195-205. If you pull earlier, it will be done. Just not "pulled pork." It will slice fairly well. Pull higher than 205 and it will still pull. It may just be that you may get some mushy (or dry) pork. If you're pressed for time, and I mean hungry guests gathering around the pit, pull at the highest temp possibly under 205 and...disregard the next step.
~Open the foil and vent it for about 3-5 minutes minutes minimum (some people vent for 20-30 min). Regardless...let that steam out or it will keep cooking (unless you're pressed for time and need it to keep cooking).
~Keep the pork chunked/whole in a cooler or cambro until serving. All of that moisture you worked to save will evaporate when you start shredding it. If vac sealing, keep it chunked with juice from the foil.
Alrighty...
Fire up that pit and get after it! Do one a week before the big cook to nail down your process/procedure. If you nail it, repeat. If for some reason it isn't the best, offer it to your neighbors with some sauce.
You got this.
Ok...pencils down. Any questions?