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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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This was absolutely delicious!! I’m already looking forward to using left overs for tacos tomorrow. Thank you for such a fabulous and easy recipe! Now I’m going to go look at the rest of your website and see what else I can make.
I got an IP for Christmas and this pulled pork recipe is awesome. I had a bone in shoulder but I boned it out first. Should have thrown the bone in the pot but it came out great anyway.. A couple of small differences I did was placed the onion and pork on the trivet and left the onion in when I pulled it. only other change I made was to use Carolina vinegar based sauce instead of the broth or Dr Peeper. Personal preference as I like east Carolina style bbq. love the spice mix! 5 stars.
Made this last night. Excellent flavor! (left out the cumin and brown sugar for us) Can’t wait to make it for a pot luck we have coming up! Thanks!!
I had a 3/4 lb. pork filet roast. I reduced the seasoning and cut the time to 45 minutes. I didn’t have Dr. Pepper or Coca-Cola, so I used chicken bouillon. My pulled pork was divine! I’m thinking that in addition to sandwiches, I can use it for tacos or spring rolls. This would have been perfect to take along for the arrival meal after driving to the beach for Thanksgiving week ~ back when my family still did that. As it is now, there’s plenty for me to have a sandwich before going to my 6 p.m. photography class.
Thank you so much!
I had a 3/4 lb. pork filet roast. I reduced the seasoning and cut the time to 45 minutes. I didn’t have Dr. Pepper or Coca-Cola, so I used chicken bouillon. My pulled pork was divine! I’m thinking that in addition to sandwiches, I can use it for tacos or spring rolls. This would have been perfect to take along for the arrival meal after driving to the beach for Thanksgiving week ~ back when my family still did that. As it is now, there’s plenty for me to have a sandwich before going to my 6 p.m. photography class.
Thank you so much!
5 stars – I used chicken broth and plus a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (which is from a recipe I used to use when I did this in a crockpot) and skipped the brown sugar as I am cutting back on sugar as much as possible. The pork was delicious and flavorful, and so tender, the pork was basically falling apart when I took it out of the instant pot. Shredded it and put it on brioche buns – my middle school boys devoured it and my discerning husband and I enjoyed it as well. A good and easy weekday recipe with leftovers!
I have made this 3-4 times now for my family, and EVERY TIME, we cannot believe how delicious it is…right down to the 14 month old loving it! I am so thankful for Not only the deliciousness…hut also how simple it is to prepare! Thank you for sharing!
That’s great Kendra! Thank you.
So I dont even have my Instant Pot yet (coming in 2d) but have decided yours will be my first recipe : ) Thank you for the motivation to not let it sit on my shelf as I get more nervous the closer the delivery date (I’m not a good cook). Can you please help with anything specific to change for doing in a 3qt Mini? Thanks!
How exciting! The main think for the mini is that you may need to cut some recipes in half. Keep the cook times the same, except where the size/thickness of the food, like meat, is smaller/larger chunks.
Hi Sandy~ As I write this mine is in the istant pot cooking. My 8 qt instant pot says never to use it without using 2 1/4 cups liquid. So I added more Dr Pepper. I am cooking a 5.31 lb pork loin. I doubled the rub and cut into 1 pound pieces. My question is will it be tender and should I cook it less time ? I read a comment above that talked about pork tenderloin and am not sure if pork loin and pork tenderloin are the same? I am looking forward to serving this recipe with all the raving reviews you have gotten from it!! Thank you soooo much! ~ Martha
Hi Martha, I would cut the loin in half and cook as directed in the recipe card. Tenderloin is a different cut and requires much less cook time, but loin usually needs about an hour.
AMAZING! Definate crowd pleaser!!!?
Love it ❤️ We will be enjoying this recipe
Over and over again‼️?? A+ ??
Thank You,
LeanJeanDancingMachine