Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Pork shoulder pressure cooked until it falls apart, then shredded and stirred back into a thick sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. Made entirely in the Instant Pot and even better the next day.
Servings: 8
Calories: 485kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pound boneless pork shoulder cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For Dry Rub
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
For Sauce
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth low sodium
Instructions
- Trim the pork shoulder and cut into 2 inch pieces. Combine all the rub ingredients in a small bowl and rub over the pork.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté on high and add the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Brown the pork in batches, about 5 minutes per batch, without crowding the pot.
- In a bowl, whisk together the 1 cup BBQ sauce, 1 cup ketchup, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 3 cloves sliced garlic, 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and ½ cup chicken broth.
- Return all the pork to the pot and pour the sauce over. Stir to coat. Close and seal the lid.
- Cook on the Meat/Stew setting for 90 minutes.
- Allow a natural pressure release, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the pork to a bowl. Turn on sauté and reduce the sauce by about half.
- Shred the pork with 2 forks and stir in about 2 cups of the reduced sauce. Serve on buns with coleslaw and extra sauce.
Video
Notes
- Brown the pork in batches. Crowding the pot steams it instead of browning it.
- Use a natural release, not a quick release. Quick release makes the meat seize up and go tough.
- If the pork doesn't shred easily, it needs more time. Return it to pressure for another 15 minutes.
- The sauce comes out thin because the pork releases a lot of liquid. Reduce it on sauté before mixing it back in.
- Pork shoulder and pork butt both work. Avoid loin or tenderloin, which are too lean.
- For crispy edges, spread the shredded pork on a sheet pan and broil 3 to 5 minutes, then toss back in the sauce.
- Slow cooker: brown first, then low for 6 to 8 hours. Oven: covered Dutch oven at 300°F for about 4 hours.
- Keeps 4 days refrigerated and freezes 3 to 4 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1390mg | Potassium: 1113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 540IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg
