I have smoked a few pork shoulders/butts now and am getting better flavor but have not mastered getting a good bark. I have not been using mustard or anything to adhere the rub, and the pork has typically been a little damp from taking it out of the brine when I rub it. I have not foiled the last couple butts/shoulders I have done which has helped the outside texture.

I am getting ok bark, but not really what I want. I have a big pork picnic shoulder I am going to smoke this weekend. I know I need to trim the skin and a lot of the fat from the outside, but my question is Should I rub the shoulder overnight and let it sit in plastic wrap the night before I cook, then reapply more rub the next morning? And should I take the shoulder out of the fridge for a couple hours before I put it on the smoker or not? I am wondering if the condensation formed on the outside of the pork when I sit it out is part of the reason I'm not getting a really good bark.

Any other tips would be appreciated. Aaron