Spent last night smoking an 8.5lb shoulder… went in at midnight, came out at 3:30pm. It’s delicious, but here’s some tips to avoid frustration-

#1. Don’t fall asleep for too long. Sounds obvious, but if you conk out for 3 hours, so do the coals. Go ahead and add 3 hours to your cook time.

#2. All lump charcoal is not created equal. The Crapford lump I used was crap… it didn’t burn well- uneven and cold. Didn’t help that it had been damp outside where it’s stored.

Anyway- cheers!