Man I've had carrots do some weird stuff too, that sounds like a real winner. My soil here is so rocky I get carrots that look like they're trying to crawl away, all twisted and split. The ugly ones always have way more flavor though, like all that stress forces them to concentrate the sugar.

Huh, did anyone mention what type of brush you were using? Bristle stiffness makes a huge difference too, a soft brush can push soot around no matter what direction you go. Way less dust is the real win though, your lungs will thank you later.

My mate had a senior dev rewrite his whole approach in one 10 minute chat.

Man that crunchy bark is no joke! I've found that running my smoker hotter and pulling earlier gives a better texture than low and slow all day. Last cook I pulled at 198 and let it rest for a solid 3 hours wrapped in butcher paper. The bark stayed snappy but the inside was still buttery. My guests were fighting over the burnt ends and flat pieces. Definitely gonna keep pushing that temp closer to 285 next time. Your wife is right about that 202 pull.

Good for him. It's nice seeing someone dial it in that far.