In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, mustard powder, paprika, onion powder, and black pepper.
Rub the pork all over with the rub and place into an 8 quart or larger slow cooker.
Pour the liquid smoke into the slow cooker. No other liquid is needed. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours until very tender.
While the pork is cooking, make the sauce. Add the vinegar, ketchup, both sugars, and salt to a small sauce pot over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 3 minutes.
Take off the heat and add the chili flakes and pepper; stir to combine. Allow to cool on the countertop.
Take the pork out of the slow cooker. Discard as much of the fat as you wish. Note: I prefer to discard the liquid that is in the slow cooker after I pull the meat out but I do set some aside to moisten it back up if I am reheating it later or if it might be sitting in the crock pot on warm for a while. I just don't want the vinegar sauce to get diluted by all the liquid still left in the crock pot.
Shred the pork, then chop it up into smaller pieces.
Add it back to the slow cooker, and drizzle some of the vinegar sauce on top. This is up to you on how much you would like to add, and stir to combine. Allow to cook on low for an additional hour so the flavors can mingle.
Serve immediately on buns, with cole slaw if desired and more sauce.
Notes
Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
You do not need to add any additional liquid to the pork as it cooks. It will create its own with the melted fat. However, if you want to add sweetness to your pork, you could add a can of Coke or Dr Pepper.
I actually saved the liquid that the pork created on the side. It’s nice to be able to drizzle some on the pork to moisten it back up when reheating.
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, freeze for up to 3 months.