I use a heavy box smoker like you have except mine has a firebox on the left. I start a fire in the firebox with some good quality lump charcoal (not briquettes). I sometimes cheat with this part and load up my chimney and set it on my fish cooker (propane burner) and use that to get the charcoal going. This eliminates the possibility of having lighter fluid taste.

Then I dump the charcoal into the firebox and equal amounts of hickory and pear wood. Not chips, I have a log splitter and I will cut some pieces to about 10" long. I use hickory and pear, because I have alot of it on my farm.

I do not soak my wood. It needs to be dry, most of my cooking wood is at least 2 years dry.

I cook at about 225 for however long to get the temperature correct. On a medium sized butt it is usually about 7-8 hours. I usually do 4 butts at one time.

The bark is always dark red and about 1/2" tick. It is smoke that gives you the redish line and the smokey flavor.

Just my way, I am sure everyone has their own.