A few notes and cautions with regard to the topic of barbecuing are probably in order, especially for the novice barbecuer.
Firstly, there's the question of how the barbecue is supposed to look when it's done. The answer is black. That's right, black. If your shoulder's not black, something's wrong. It should look like you've burned it.
You haven't really burned it, though. The black color is the result of 10 to 14 hours of constant exposure to hardwood smoke. The fat-cap is now a shriveled, black and nameless thing. The surface of the meat on the side opposite the fat-cap has a nice, attractive bark to it. The meat has a deep, red or pink smoke ring around the outside that you could see if you cut into it. And, most importantly, the meat is moist, succulent, fall-off-the-bone tender, and delicious.
Secondly, it's possible, on account of the imprecise nature of our heat-control method, that your meat will look like it's done, but won't quite be, after the prescribed amount of time because your fire was not quite hot enough. On the other hand, the fire may have been too hot, and your meat looks like it's done, and is done, before the prescribed time has elapsed. Never fear. We have ways of dealing with these situations.
For cases where we suspect we have one of the abovegoing anomalous conditions in play, there is what is known in barbecuing circles as the shake 'n' bake test. To perform the shake 'n' bake test, you just grab hold of the exposed shank bone, which should be clearly visible and identifiable as bone by now, of the shoulder and give it a good shake. If the meat loosens from the bone and looks like it's ready to fall off, the 'cue's done. Contrariwise, if it don't, it ain't. It's that simple.
I think it's always a good idea to shake 'n' bake when the meat looks done, just in case. Remember, though, that the bone will be hot. Protect your hand - by using tongs or pliers, or by wearing an oven mitt - so you don't burn yourself.
Thirdly, in case you're inclined to try to eat what's left of the fat-cap, don't. It's as hard and tough and unappetizing as it looks, and it tastes about as bad as it looks. Toss it, along with the bones, and pull and/or chop what's left.
Pulling pork, incidentally, is merely the act of pulling the meat apart into sections along the grain. If the meat's too hot to pull with your bare hands, try using a pair of dinner forks in place of your fingers. Just pull the meat apart into not-so-thick portions.
After you've pulled the pork, you may want to chop the pieces into more convenient lengths if they're too long to be easily managed. Or, if you don't want to pull the pork at all, you can skip the pulling and just chop your meat up. In either case, use a chef's knife or cleaver, and chop down, rather than cut back and forth.
Then, again, if none of the above tickles your fancy, there's always the sliced-barbecue route. Just slice the meat across the grain, like you would a ham (you can do this either with the bone in, or with the bone removed). A knife with a serrated blade, such as a special-purpose ham-carving knife, works best.
Finally, I realize that, for the uninitiated, kettle-barbecuing a pork shoulder that weighs 10 to 14 pounds may seem a little daunting. Well, don't let it be. Barbecuing is actually much less intense than roasting hot dogs on sticks over a campfire, where conditions can change rapidly. You have to be alert and you have to pay close attention when you're roasting a hot dog. Otherwise, you just might burn your weenie.
Barbecuing, by way of contrast, happens at a slower pace. You do have to pay attention, certainly, but barbecuing is still a very leisurely undertaking. In fact, the only problem you're likely to run into in barbecuing has to do with the time it takes. You're liable to get so bored during the long hours of cooking time that you fall asleep and let your fire go out. That minor hazard notwithstanding, barbecuing is an ideal pastime for any lazy person. This fact no doubt explains why I'm so fond of it.
Happy cooking, ...er..., barbecuing!
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