The ultimate Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe that will make your taste buds dance!
Need dinner quick? With only 5 minutes of prep time and a pressure cooker, this easy Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe makes the best barbecue sandwiches and tacos.
Easy Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Instant Pot Pulled Pork makes dinner a breeze! When you don’t have time to make dinner, this pressure cooker recipe will come to your rescue!
I’m not kidding when I say this is about the easiest pressure cooker meal I’ve ever made! You can tell from my all of my Instant Pot recipesthat I’m a little obsessed with mine.
I’ve made slow cooker pork, but this pulled pork is so much faster and perfect for when you need a fix it and forget meal much quicker!
All you need is about five minutes of prep time, then after your pork soaks up the spices, it’s ready to go into the Instant Pot!
There is no other work besides shredding your pork for sandwiches. Easy peasy, melt in your mouth pork!
What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork?
Wondering what cut of meat is best for cooking pulled pork? For this recipe I use a pork shoulder which is the most flavorful cut of pork roast. Thepork shoulder is cutinto two parts, the Boston Butt, and the Picnic Roast.
How long does It take to cook pulled pork in the Instant Pot?
It only takes 90 minutes to cook amazing pulled pork in the Instant Pot!
You’ll have to add at least 30 minutes of time to prepare the pork and for the pressure cooker to pre-heat. Best of all, it’s super easy!
I hope you enjoy this delicious pulled pork recipe! It’s now one of my son’s favorite meals, and that’s saying something because he is literally THE MOST PICKY kid in the world.Pair it with this amazing potato salad recipe and you have a winning meal!
Looking for more Easy dinner ideas? -> Check out our Recipe Index for more ideas!
Mix the paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, ground mustard, and salt together in a bowl.
Cut pork in half, then rub the spice blend all over each piece of pork. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or overnight.
Turn the Instant Pot on Sauté and once it says “hot”, add the oil.
Sauté pork 3-4 minutes on each side until it is brown. Turn off Instant Pot.
Add co*ke, water and Worcestershire sauce then close the lid. Make sure the seal is closed.
Cook on “Manual” or “Meat/Stew” button for 90 minutes.
When done, let the pressure naturally release (about 10 minutes).
Turn pressure valve to release any more pressure and open the lid.
Place the pork onto a plate to shred with two forks.
If you like BBQ sauce on your pork, remove the excess liquid in pot and place the pulled pork back into the Instant Pot. Stir in about 1-2 cups of BBQ sauce, close the lid and place on warm until ready to serve.
Notes
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Why is my pulled pork tough in the Instant Pot? If you find that your instapot pulled pork is tough after cooking, it's likely because you did a quick pressure release instead of a natural pressure release.
Transfer everything to a large slow cooker and add a splash of liquid — water is great, but so is broth, apple juice, or beer if you have them handy. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.
Slow cooking the meat means it never has the chance to toughen up and will be extra silky and tender. Pressure cooking is faster, though you may lose a little bit of the tenderness. If you're going for the pressure cook method, be sure to get a pork shoulder or pork butt, as opposed to a pork loin.
While it is possible to overcook pulled pork in the Instant Pot, it's very unlikely if you are using pork shoulder or butt. The pork should get more tender the longer it cooks. If using pork loin, which is leaner, you can overcook it.
Slow cook for 6-8 hours if you split the meat in half, and about 8-10 hours if you left the pork butt whole. The trick to good pulled pork is cooking low and slow! We want all the collagen and connective tissues to break down and give us that tender, delicious texture.
Can you overcook pork in the Instant Pot? Although it's possible to overcook pork and other meats when pressure cooking, usually if the meat isn't tender enough it's because it wasn't cooked long enough. 4-5 pounds of pork shoulder needs about 90 minutes of cooking time at pressure.
The acid from the apple cider and apple cider vinegar help to tenderize the meat while also keeping it juicy and flavorful. The low and slow cooking method makes it fall apart as soon as your fork touches it and shreds beautifully.
This thin, vinegar-based finishing sauce, which differs from a BBQ sauce, is the secret ingredient to kick up my smoked pulled pork. After you've pulled your pork butt, drizzle over the meat and combine. The vinegar adds contrast to the smoky flavor and cuts through the fat in the meat.
We use brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, a good amount of salt & pepper, and a pinch of cayenne! Make sure you use all of the seasoning! Also, really rub it into the pulled pork, get all of the nooks and crannies!
I prefer to season the meat before adding it to the slow cooker with my favourite spices, along with salt and pepper. I also recommend browning the meat slightly prior to slow cooking which will help maximise the flavour. However, this is a step that can be left out if you don't have enough time.
Worgul recommends placing the pork in the slow-cooker fat side up. The fat will render thoroughly during the cooking process and by placing the meat fat side up, it makes it much easier to remove excess fat before serving. "The cooker will be nearly filled with fat and liquid after hours of cooking.
To achieve tender and flavorful pulled pork, it's best to cook it slowly for a long time until it's easy to shred. This makes it a great dish to prepare in advance and serve for dinner later.
Return pork to the grill (or smoker) The pork is finished cooking when it pulls apart easily and reaches an internal temperature of 190 to 195 degrees F, about another 1 to 2 hours. Let rest for 1 hour, then unwrap the pork butt and pull the bone out.
Allow pork butt to rest for as little as 30 minutes to as long as 5 hours; however, the ideal resting period to rest pork butt is between 1 and 2 hours. This gives the meat enough time to relax and allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
Unfortunately, once you overcook a piece of meat in the pressure cooker, there's no going back. You'll be left with a pile of dry, crunchy, tasteless fibers and no amount of additional pressure cooking is going to put that moisture back into the meat. Earlier, I explained how ingredient size affects the cooking time.
All you'll need to do is pour an entire can of root beer into your slow cooker — or whatever vessel you're using to make your pulled pork — and let the soda work its magic. The sugar and carbonization will work together to flavor your meat and make it melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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