Trim off any large pieces of fat from the outside of 1 (5-pound) boneless pork shoulder roast. Cut the roast in half (it’s okay if the halves are slightly uneven or some smaller pieces detach). Season all over with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.

Stir 1 sliced large yellow onion, 6 crushed and peeled garlic cloves, 1 (12-ounce) can Dr Pepper soda, 1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (including the sauce) if using, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon liquid smoke if using together in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker until combined.

Place the pork on top of the onion mixture. Cover and cook until the pork is cooked through and very tender, 7 to 8 hours on the LOW setting, or 5 to 6 hours on the HIGH setting.

Using tongs, transfer the pork to a serving platter, rimmed baking sheet, or large bowl. Use 2 forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. Pour the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer set over a measuring cup or medium bowl. The contents of the strainer can be chopped and mixed into the pork if desired. Skim the fat off the top of the cooking liquid.

For more moist and flavorful pulled pork, mix some of the cooking liquid back into the pork. Start with a little, mix, then add more until the pork is as moist as desired. Alternatively, for barbecue pulled pork, mix in Dad's Award Winning Bar-B-Q Sauce.