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This Instant Pot pulled pork is going to become your new favorite pulled pork recipe. It comes together so quickly and tastes amazing.
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I love pulled pork, but I don’t always think ahead enough to leave it in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours. Is it possible to get the same tenderness and flavor without cooking it all day? YES. This is where the Instant Pot comes in! After cooking for ONE hour you’ve got melt-in-your-mouth, flavor-packed pork. This is why I am obsessed with my Instant Pot: through the process of pressure cooking the meat is so tender in such a short time.
If you haven’t tried any Instant Pot recipes yet, this is a terrific one to start with. You can also make Sunday Pot Roast, Corned Beef and Cabbage, or Chicken Cordon Bleu in minutes, rather than hours!
Ingredients for Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt Roast – See our tips below for the best cut of meat to use for pulled pork.
- Chicken Broth – Vegetable or beef broth can also be used, but we find chicken broth gives a richer taste to the meat.
- Barbecue Sauce – Try our homemade barbecue sauce recipe or use your favorite bottled BBQ sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce – This tenderizes the meat as well as adds flavor.
- Spice Rub – This homemade spice rub includes brown sugar for sweetness, chili powder for a little kick, and then onion, garlic, paprika, and mustard seasonings to flavor the pork.
Steps for Making Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- In a small bowl, mix all spice rub ingredients together.
- Cut pork butt roast into 2 equally sized pieces. Rub the spice mix all over each piece of pork until coated all over.
- Set your instant pot to “Saute” mode. Add olive oil.
- When olive oil is heated, add one pork piece to the pot and sear for about 3 minutes on each side. Then remove from the pot. Repeat with the second piece of pork.
- Add chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce (optional) to the Instant Pot. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any burned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the barbecue sauce and stir. Add all of the pork pieces.
- Cover the instant pot, set the lid to “Sealing”, and press the “Manual” button. Set the timer for 60 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, turn the Instant Pot off and let it naturally release remaining pressure for 20 minutes. Then do a quick release.
- Take the pork out of the pot and shred it using two forks. The pork should shred easily. Return the shredded pork to the pot and stir it around in the juices. Serve immediately. You can add more barbecue sauce if desired.
What is the Best Cut of Meat to Use?
There are many cuts of meat you can use in this dish. A lot of people suggest using pork shoulder for pulled pork. Sometimes you can find a good boneless pork shoulder roast without too much fat. However, I find that the shoulder can be a little too fatty. I found that using a pork roast, specifically a pork butt roast, was less fatty and it was also cheaper! I still got that fall-apart-melt-in-your-mouth tenderness without as much fat. If you do use pork shoulder, just make sure to trim it well and when you are shredding it watch for the bigger pieces of fat and remove them before putting the pork back in the pot. You can also use pork tenderloin or pork loin to make pulled pork.
Ideas for Serving
The obvious choice here is a nice pulled pork sandwich or slider with BBQ sauce on a brioche bun with coleslaw! Try our homemade coleslaw. However, if you aren’t feeling like a sandwich, you could always make BBQ Pork Nachos or fill some tortillas with pork and some cheese for delicious quesadillas. This pork also makes mouthwatering pork carnitas. Or try serving it over Homemade Mac & Cheese with lots of barbecue sauce on top. Whatever way you decide to serve it – it will be incredible! If you are looking for other pork recipes, try our Instant Pot Pork Chops with Gravy or our Complete Guide to Make a Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad.
“This was such an easy family dinner, I served it with sauerkraut and we loved it, the perfect meal.”
-Lily
Frequently Asked Questions
It could be the cut of the meat or the cooking method. The best cut of meat to use for pulled pork is a pork shoulder roast or pork butt roast. A quick release of the pressure in the Instant Pot will cause pork to become tough. A slow release of the pressure will keep the meat tender and easy to shred.
You can prepare pulled pork successfully in both a slow cooker and pressure cooker. With the right cut of meat (pork shoulder or pork butt roast), the right seasonings, and the right recipe, you can prepare delicious pulled pork with either method. Crock Pot Pulled Pork.
Our preferred liquid for pulled pork in the Instant Pot is chicken broth. Beef broth or vegetable broth can also be used, but we find chicken broth gives the pork the best flavor.
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Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
For the Spice Rub
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Pulled Pork
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 pounds pork butt roast trimmed
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup barbecue sauce plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix all spice rub ingredients together.
- Cut pork butt roast into 2 equally sized pieces. Rub the spice mix all over each piece of pork until coated all over.
- Set your instant pot to "Saute" mode. Add olive oil.
- When olive oil is heated, add one pork piece to the pot and sear for about 3 minutes on each side. Then remove from the pot. Repeat with the second piece of pork.
- Add chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce (optional) to the instant pot. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any burned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the barbecue sauce and stir. Add all of the pork pieces.
- Cover the instant pot, set the lid to "Sealing", and press the "Manual" button. Set the timer for 60 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, turn the instant pot off and let it naturally release for 20 minutes. Then do a quick release.
- Take the pork out of the pot and shred it using two forks. The pork should shred easily. Return the shredded pork to the pot and stir it around in the juices. Serve immediately. You can add more barbecue sauce if desired.
Awesome recipe! So easy to make and the flavor was incredible!
This was such an easy family dinner, I served it with sauerkraut and we loved it, the perfect meal.
This looks delicious and so easy! Perfect for those busy days!