If you want to enjoy pulled pork without waiting for up to 8 hours cooking it in a slow cooker, this pulled pork Instant Pot recipe is all you need.
Just follow the instructions, and this dish is literally impossible to mess up!
Core Components of Pulled Pork Instant Pot
This pulled pork recipe is so simple that it only has 3 major components!
Pork Shoulders: The main character of this dish is the pork shoulders that develop melt-in-your-mouth tenderness after an hour of cooking in your Instant Pot.
Dry Rub: The dry rub is the main contributor to the pork’s flavor during the initial cooking process. For this recipe, we’ll use a pretty common blend of spices featuring brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, salt, and pepper.
Liquid Sauce: The main components of the liquid sauce are the chicken broth, liquid smoke, and BBQ sauce. However, by the end of the cooking process, pretty much all ingredients, including the pork and dry rub, will help contribute to the final flavor of the liquid sauce.
Best Ways to Serve Pulled Pork
I’m guessing you already have a few ideas on how you’ll serve pulled pork.
But just in case you’re still looking for inspiration or ideas for leftovers, here are some of my go-to ways to serve pulled pork!
On Top of Fries: Pulled pork fries are the perfect no-fuss snack for get-togethers or movie nights. With some melted cheese on top, this dish is sure to impress anyone!
In a Sandwich: Pulled pork sandwiches are a classic way to serve pulled pork. You can use burger buns, sourdough bread, or even ciabatta to make your sandwiches exactly the way you like them!
On Top of Nachos: For me, nachos are only ever complete with meat on top. And when it comes to adding that extra meaty flavor to nachos, pulled pork is undoubtedly one of the best options!
Wrapped in a Tortilla: You can make a burrito or a quesadilla. Either way, you’re guaranteed to have a tasty meal if you wrap pulled pork in tortillas!
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
With this recipe, you’ll have tender and flavorful pulled pork in just a little over an hour! It’s perfect for sliders, sandwiches, buns, tacos, and pretty much all dishes you can think of!
Ingredients
For the Dry Rub:
- 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
For the Pulled Pork:
- 3 to 4 pounds of boneless pork shoulders or pork butt
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 ½ cups of chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke
- ½ to 1 cup of barbecue sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the measured brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the cayenne pepper (optional), making sure all ingredients are well combined.
- Trim the excess fat from your pork to reduce greasiness. Then, cut it into 4 equal quarters.
- Rub the spice mixture into the pork chunks. Make sure every side is covered by the spice mix.
- Turn the Instant Pot into the sauté setting. Add the olive oil to the pot, and once it’s nice and hot, sear the pork chunks in batches until they are browned. With my Instant Pot, I usually need to cook each side for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- After searing all the chunks, remove the pork from the Instant Pot.
- Deglaze the pot by pouring ½ cup of chicken broth into it. With a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pot. These bits add more flavor and depth to the pulled pork, so don’t discard them.
- Once you’ve deglazed the Instant Pot, add the remaining chicken broth and the measured liquid smoke to the pot. Return the pork chunks to the bottom, spacing them out evenly.
- Close the Instant Pot’s lid and set the steam release valve to “sealing.” Cook on high pressure for about 60 minutes.
- After the cooking time’s finished, let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes. Perform a quick release for the remaining pressure after that.
- Transfer the cooked pork chunks to a clean chopping board or large bowl. Using two forks, shred the pork until you achieve your desired pulled pork texture.
- In a small bowl or ramekin, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water to create a slurry. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode again and stir the slurry into the cooking liquid. Simmer for about 5 minutes, and once the sauce thickens, stir in the BBQ sauce.
- Add the shredded pork into the thickened sauce. Or, if you don’t want it to be too saucy, you can gradually add sauce to the shredded pork! Either way, make sure to coat every piece of pork well.
- Serve the pulled pork on buns or as desired!
Notes
Image credit to ©jocooks.
Featured image credit to ©kristines_kitchen.
