Bark discussion

So, I'm looking up some Mop and Finishing sauces online and come across a video series where they guy has some great recipes and smokes a pork butt. Everything was going great until he pulled the finished butt out of the smoker.

It was BLACK! I mean it looked like someone had taken a MAPP torch to the whole thing and left it on for a while!

So then he "pulls" the meat and it breaks right apart the inside is nice and tender. But I just can't imagine serving that blackened hunk of burnt meat to anyone I know.

When I've smoked I've gotten a bit of char here and there, and deep reddish color of caramelized rub. I have recently started using a mop sauce and I STILL get the same deep red color, but the outer portion is less dry and tough.

So what's the deal with this BLACK stuff? I can't see it when I google search BBQ Bark. All of the other sites I've been to show a bark like what I get. And this guy is supposedly a GOLD MEDAL winning BBQer!

I like the bark. When I do a butt I won't use any misting, mop, or finishing sauces. Just dry rub on top of a mustard base.

I never had before the last two and they turned out good. But I didn't mop every hour like some people do. Just 4-5 times during the time I can actually tend it. But, the last butt I smoked got rave reviews from friends and I agree it tasted better than before. I think the flavors from the rub and mop sauce worked their way into the meat more.

I'm not picky either way about the bark, I'm just surprised that the guy had such a thick layer of BURNT stuff and supposedly won awards for it.

The bark should be dark to black. I am a KCBS judge, and it is what we look for.
If you want to make one that is nice and tender, I smoke for 4 hours on the rack, then place it into a pan and tent it with tinfoil for 4 hours. Then the last hour with the foil off.
When internal temp is 195, I wrap it in foil, then into a cooler with towels on top. When ready to serve, shred it apart in the pan and serve. All the juices from the fat rendering are in the meat and it is tender and tasty.

Love the bark. I get black bark on everything I smoke, even baby back ribs. The important thing to note about bark is it looks burnt but it does not taste burnt. It tastes delicious.

Here is how I do mine, most people will pick as many of the nice black bark pieces as they can for on their sandwiches.

Out of the smoker getting ready to rest in the cooler for a while:


Pulled:


Sauced:

Nice job Rich! Exactly how I like it! Here is one of my turn in boxes.

Nice!

If you don't like the bark. Keep an eye on it and once it gets to your desired color foil it for the rest of the cool

maybe I'm wrong,
maybe I'm sippin the fruits of my labor
but
black is not bark
bark is bark
bless foil