re: Smokehouse/BBQ restaurant quality pork shoulder at home

I smoke on a BGE and usually smoke two shoulders at a time. I'm pleased with the results. If others have their methods and they work, then great. Here's how I do them:

Use dill pickle juice as a binder.
Use 50:50 salt-n-pepper followed by your rub of choice (I use Sweet Rub o' Mine).
Sit for 24 hrs in the fridge.
Use only a little lump and 50/50 post oak & pecan.
Gotta let your lump burn clean before putting meat on (gray coals and essentially no smoke from them). This obviates any creosote on the lump.

NOTE: one of the challenges to smoking on a BGE is obtaining the coveted thin, blue smoke while keeping the temp under control. Thin blue smoke needs a good supply of O2 to combust to that extent. IOW, you need the vents opened. But when the vents are opened, the temp will rise quickly.

I compensate by using a paucity of lump and when the fire starts dying, I utilize a chimney starter to have more fired lump ready then do a quick pit stop. Take the shoulders off, the grill, drip pans, and plate setter. Add the new fire, throw in 2-4 chunks of wood, and put it all back together. When planned well, it doesn't take long at all. Again, a little lump is all you need.

Place shoulders on sides, not in back and front. This makes it easier to rotate them during the smoke.

Target 225-250F. It usually fluctuates some. But that's ok. You will be surprised at how little lump you need to get to temp.
Smoke fat side down (see previous poster).
Rotate (clock) them about every 2 hours.
Spritz often (I just use water).
Wrap in tin foil at about 160-180F for the remainder.
Remove at 205-210F.
Let sit until cool enough to pull by hand.

Ta-da.