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Instant Pot Pulled Pork is a pork shoulder that has cooked long enough to become super tender, and it has a ton of flavor! Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork is made in a fraction of the normal time!
Delicious pulled pork made in the Instant Pot is good on tortillas, buns, and over your favorite starch (potatoes, rice, etc.).
Originally published on Jan 15, 2018
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
You may not think that pulled Pork made in a pressure cooker would be that great, but let me tell you that it is awesome!
This is an Instant Pot Dump and Start recipe so it is very easy, and takes a fraction of the time that pulled pork normally takes with other cooking methods.
You can make this pulled pork recipe just the way you like it, from spicy to a more mild and sweet barbecue.
The Steps to Make Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
Start with a pork shoulder roast that you have trimmed most of the fat off of. Then cut it into 1-pound chunks. Pictured is a 3-pound roast, so I cut it in 3 equal pieces. This will ensure even cooking, and faster results. Use whatever size roast you have, but cut it into the 1-pound chunks.
Rub the spice rub mixture onto all sides of the pieces generously, and place in the pot on top of the onions and liquid (in this case, it’s Dr. Pepper® pop).
When finished cooking, remove the pieces of meat to a bowl and use 2 forks to shred the meat. It will be very tender. Then season a little more, add back some of the cooking liquid, and serve (with your favorite bbq sauce for even more flavor).
How to Serve Instant Pot Pulled Pork
• Make a fabulous Instant Pot Pulled Pork sandwich, served on a soft kaiser roll. Add any toppings you like, or just the meat.
• You can also serve over potatoes or rice.
• Make pulled pork tacos!
• Try Pulled Pork on Mac and Cheese, it’s amazing!
The meat is shredded after cooking and can be used for pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, served over rice, or with potatoes.
Instant Pot Barbecue Beef Roast
Instant Pot Simple Pot Roast
Instant Pot Beef Guinness Stew
Instant Pot Bone-In Ham
Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
If you make this delicious pressure cooker pulled pork recipe, please leave me a comment below. Let me know how you liked it!
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Equipment
Ingredients
Spice Rub
- 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- 3 teaspoons Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Powder (optional), for heat
Pork
- 3-4 lbs Pork Shoulder Roast (Pork Butt) Fat trimmed off, and cut in 1lb chunks
- 1 Onion, cut in eighths
- 1 (12 oz) can Dr. Pepper or Cola (or 1 ½ cups chicken stock or water)
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar (or more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon Salt (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Mix the spices together for the rub. Remove 2 Tablespoons of the mix and set aside for later.
- Rub all sides of the pork roast chunks generously with the spice rub. Set meat aside.
- Cut the onion into 8 pieces (cut in half, then cut each half into 4 pieces). Put the onion into the inner cooking pot of the pressure cooker.
- Pour the can of pop (or water/broth) into the the pot over the onion*.
- Set the pork chunks on top of the onions. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the pork.
- Place the lid on and lock into place. Set the steam release knob to the sealing position.
- Press the Pressure Cook/Manual Button (or use dial) and then the +/- button (or dial) to choose 65 minutes. High Pressure.
- After the cooking time has finished, let the pot sit undisturbed for 15 minutes. Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position (or push button) to manually Quick Release the remaining pressure/steam.
- When the pin in the lid drops down, open it and remove the meat to a large bowl. Use a slotted spoon to get the onions out and add to the meat. Use two forks to shred the meat.
- Sprinkle the reserved spice rub and ½ tsp salt into the meat. Mix well. Taste and add more salt and/or brown sugar, if desired.
- Use a large spoon (or a fat separator) to skim off the fat from the cooking liquid that is still in the pot. Then add ½ - 1 cup of the liquid to the meat and mix in. You can add more of the liquid to the meat if you like it more moist.
- Serve on buns, or over rice or potatoes, or in tortillas.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Resources to Make Pulled Pork Recipe in the Instant Pot
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Hi, just got an instant pot and want to try this recipe. But all the pork butts I find are bone in…cant cut it into pieces. What do I do?
Kyle, it’s fine to cut around the bone, then throw the bone in to cook the meat off of it. I have to do that sometimes.
Hi There,
Would this recipe also work on the Instant Pot slow cooker setting? Have you tried it before? If so, would I change any of the preparation steps?
Thanks!
Tara
Hi Tara! Well it would, but the IP’s slow cooker setting is not very good. If you try it, be sure to use the “More” setting.
Can you tell me the cook time if using the 8 qt. Instapot? Thank you.
Hi Pam, the cook time stays the same.
My husband said this was the best pulled pork I’d ever made! I would totally agree! Thank you!
Can I use Diet Dr.Pepper, it is what I have on hand. I also have a diet ginger beer. What do you think? Or is the sugar necessary? Could I just add brown sugar to the rub? Thank you!!
If that was all I had, I would use it! Diet Dr. Pepper is my favorite of the diet sodas!
I have a question please. I have a 5 1/2 pounds of pork tenderloin cut in thick slices I am tripling the spice and liquid. How long should I cook?
If it is a true tenderloin, and not a loin roast, the tenderloin will only need a few minutes, and a long natural release. I would try 3 minutes, and a 15 minute natural release. Tenderloin isn’t the best for pulling, it is best for slicing. If you were using the pork shoulder, you would keep the time the same because the roast is cut into chunks.
My family likes pulled pork with sauce. Do you recommend adding bbq sauce after it is shredded or could it be done during the cook cycle?
Hi Matt, you could pour the bbq sauce on top of the meat right before you close the lid to cook it. Just don’t stir it. This will reduce the chance of the sugars in the bbq sauce burning as the pot is heating up. Adding the bbq sauce after is fine as well, but maybe warm it up first.
My pork shoulder has a bone. Will it cook the same in the instant pot or do I need to adjust the cooking time?
Just cut into large chunks where you can. Toss the bone with meat on it in with the rest of the pork. The meat will cook off of the bone. Same cook time. If the bone won’t fit in your pot, freeze it and use it for soup!
I made this and it didn’t disappoint, I am new to the instant pot. I did use the trivet and put the meat and onion on top of it and I seared the meat in a skillet first but other than that I followed your recipe and it was perfect! I give it a “10”. Thanks!
That’s great! I’m very happy that you liked this pulled pork recipe! We take it to potlucks and family picnics!
Woman, Holy s&@t, this has absolutely have to be the best thing I have ever ate ever. Please remove this recipe from off the internet and never give it out again! Freaking unbelievably delicious, so just so you know I’m gonna lie and say it was my grandmas uncles sisters dads recipe from panama ????
Kenya! LOL! I’m so glad you liked it! Your grandmas uncles sisters dads recipe from panama can become a family tradition. I won’t tell!