^^^ I've always agreed with the fill the box thing. My scores were:
Chicken 9
Ribs 8
Pork 8 <-- like what you're doing, but fill it, and the sheen might've been a bit much
Brisket 8
Yeah, the sheen is a double edged sword. Some people are conditioned to like and
expect a high gloss shine. Where as I grew up with barbecue that didnt shine so
much and later worked in publishing/printing/advertising where food literally was
sprayed with shellac for that shine. To me, too much shine looks almost fake. I
wouldnt grade off for it, but its just not as appetizing (to me) as it could be.
The ***** of it is that it's subjective, and everyone has differing opinions. This is
why landing on a good table is really key and the luck of it. A good table meaning
one that's good for you, where your *style* is appreciated.