New to smoking on my LBGE

I have a very simple recipe that I and others I have served enjoy.

Basically just rub with Bad Byron's Butt Rub.
50/50 hickory and apple wood chunks mixed in the lump and a couple on top
Plate setter legs up with drip pan
Cooking grid on plate setter, with the butt(s) on the grid
Dome temp of 250 - 270 for about 1.5 - 2 hrs/pound
Pull at an internal temp of 190 - 200
Let rest about 1/2 hour or wrap in fowl and a towl and put in a cooler if you need to hold for a few hours
Pull by hand or with forks and then mix in a NC style vinegary sauce. There are plenty of recipes for it on the web.

I am sure there are as many opinions as there are users on here but this is what works for me. This will give you sort of a NC BBQ with a twist.

Good luck.

NC hit the nail on the head! personally i like 275-300 dome when cooking at the felt level.  put some water in your drip pan, and save the drippings, great addition to the sauce. if you want, you can also cook it in a half size aluminum pan with a dribble of applejuice and vinegar in it, keeps everything clean, skim off the fat and shred right in the pan. don't think too much about it, and leave the lid closed, if you've got a remote thermometer, don't open the lid till it hits about 165-170, open it, if it's looking nice and dark, cover with foil. I don't foil. Personally i'd never pull a butt until it hit 195, 190's always seem to give me a harder time pulling.

Really solid advice from the experienced eggers.

So do you have to have the plate setter to smoke??

It is highly recommended. You need some way to redirect the heat so it is not getting direct heat from the lump. While others have used other methods to achieve indirect heat, if you have a plate setter that is the way to go. If you don't have one, some of the other guys can help you with alternate methods.

So do you have to have the plate setter to smoke??

The very great majority of people who smoke use some sort of heat deflector (indirect cook) for smoking.  You can use most anything to keep the radiant heat from the lump away from the smoke target.  Platesetter or after-market products (ceramic grill store).  Or you can use a simple aluminum pan or fire bricks on a grid below the main cooking grid. 

Some will smoke direct (no deflector) but that usually involves getting the smoke target higher in the dome (raised grid).  Perhaps those direct smoke eggsperts will be along.

for a boston butt, i've only direct smoked it in a giant barrel smoker, where the butts about 4 feet from the actual coals. I usually hang racks of st louis ribs in it, but smoking directly over the coals can lead to some pretty massive flare ups from dripping fats and flavors you aren't used to from the smoke from the fat imparting itself on the meat. get a plate setter, or something from the ceramic grill store. I've got both, the spider with 13" stone and a plate setter. To be honest, depending what im cooking, they both have their pluses and minuses.

i'm currently 3 hours, 15 minutes into my first pork butt on my new egg. I followed other vets on this board with these directions from @rich_ie :

How did it turn out?