Rub it the day before. Pat the pork shoulder completely dry. If using liquid smoke, rub it all over the meat first — it acts like a glue for the rub. Mix all the rub ingredients, then coat the shoulder on every side, pressing it in. Set it on a rack over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours. The salt seasons deep into the meat and the surface dries out, which sets you up for good bark.

Start it low and naked. Heat the oven to 300°F. Set the shoulder fat-side up on a rack in a roasting pan so the bottom doesn't steam in the drippings. Cook it uncovered for about 3 hours — this is when the bark forms. Don't cover it and don't peek much.

Wrap it to beat the stall. Once the outside is deep mahogany and the internal temperature is around 160–165°F, the "stall" hits and the temp stops climbing. Pull the pan out, lay down a double layer of heavy foil, set the shoulder on it, add the 1/4 cup vinegar or juice, and wrap it up tight. Return it to the oven.

Take it to 203°F. Keep cooking until the thickest part reads 203°F on an instant-read thermometer — usually about 6 hours total, or roughly 1 to 1¼ hours per pound. Cook to the number, not the clock. It's done when a fork twists with zero resistance and the blade bone pulls clean.

Rest it — this part matters. Leave it wrapped and let it rest 30 to 45 minutes so the juices redistribute instead of running out. Skip this and you'll pull dry pork out of a pool of wasted juice.

Pull and dress. Unwrap over a bowl to catch the juices. Shred the pork with two forks or meat claws, discarding big pockets of fat and the bone. Pour the collected juices back over the pork and toss — that's your seasoning and moisture. Serve with barbecue sauce on the side or lightly tossed through.