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    Popular » Recipes » Instant Pot

    Instant Pot Pulled Pork

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Jan 4, 2022 by Dee

    This Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe makes the best shredded pork from a pork shoulder roast in the electric pressure cooker in about 2 hours! Use the tender meat for pulled pork sandwiches, carnitas, nachos or over mashed potatoes for an easy dinner the whole family will love! via @meamel

    This Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe makes tender shredded pork from a pork butt or pork shoulder roast in the electric pressure cooker in about 2 hours! Use the tender meat for pulled pork sandwiches, carnitas, nachos or over mashed potatoes for an easy dinner the whole family will love!

    Jump to Recipe -
    instant pot pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and bbq sauce on a black plate
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Best Cut of Pork for Pulled Pork
    • How to make Instant Pot Pulled Pork
    • Cooking Time
    • Variations
    • How to Store
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    I made pulled pork in the Instant Pot from a pork butt for the first time on New Year's Day a few yeas ago, and it was seriously the best pulled pork ever!

    Actually, it's one of the best Instant Pot recipes ever!

    You guys, I'm talking about fork-tender pork that just melts in your mouth in only 2 hours. Yes, two hours in the electric pressure cooker-- a fraction of the time it takes in the slow cooker!

    Whenever I make a pork roast for pulled pork, I like to keep the seasonings as simple as possible. This way, I can make just about anything with the leftover pork.

    I usually serve BBQ sauce and homemade coleslaw on the side for pulled pork sandwiches. Then, I add different spices to leftover pork for carnitas tacos and pulled pork nachos or leftover pork chili verde.

    Ingredients

    You only need a few simple ingredients for this easy pulled pork recipe. You can find them in your grocery store or online:

    • Pork butt
    • Water -- or Coke, Dr. Pepper, or some dark soda, broth or beer
    • Sea salt
    • Garlic powder
    • Smoked paprika
    • Ground black pepper
    • Yellow or white onion
    • Garlic cloves

    Best Cut of Pork for Pulled Pork

    The most popular cut of meat for pulled pork is a pork butt roast or Boston Butt roast. Butt roasts are well marbled and fattier, which adds tons of flavor.

    It's also sometimes called pork shoulder roast, although a true pork shoulder is a slightly different cut and usually sold with the skin on.

    You can use a bone-in pork butt roast or a boneless pork shoulder roast. I've used both cuts of pork and I didn't notice any difference in flavor.

    How to make Instant Pot Pulled Pork

    First, I like to cut the pork roast into smaller pieces before cooking it in the Instant Pot.

    This is optional, but it helps the roast to cook evenly and fit better in the pot.

    Next, season the meat all over with the homemade dry rub from the spices. We like to rub the spices into the meat so that it's well coated before pressure cooking.

    rub spices on instant pot pulled pork roast

    Then, place the cut-up roast into the bottom of the pot. Add the onion and some garlic cloves along with a little water, soda pop, broth or beer.

    I have made Instant Pot pulled pork with Dr. Pepper and Coke in the Instant Pot, and these sodas make the meat insanely tender!

    instant pot pulled pork roast with onions and garlic

    Cooking Time

    So, How long do you cook pulled pork in the Instant Pot? This, friends, is the $64,000 question! And honestly, you will get so many different answers.

    Since we're dealing with a thick cut of meat, you need to cook it long enough to break down the fat and connective tissues to make it as tender as possible.

    I find the best Instant Pot pulled pork cooking time to be 90 minutes high pressure followed by a natural release. It's the perfect time for making pulled pork in the Instant Pot.

    Cook time may vary if you have a very large roast or don't cut it up. I have cooked a 6 pound, 7 pound, 8 pound, 9 pound and 11 pound pork roast for the same amount of time, 90 minutes, and the meat was perfectly tender.

    You can cook Instant pot pulled pork from frozen pork roast. It will just take longer to reach pressure.

    fork tender instant pot pulled pork on tongs

    And when the time is up, the meat is fork tender and perfectly shreddable, which is exactly what you want for pulled pork!

    You can drain the cooking liquids before shredding the pork or simply shake off the excess liquid when serving.

    pulled pork on a bun with bbq sauce

    Variations

    Make Instant Pot carnitas by using different flavors, such as a Mexican spice mixture, chili powder, and lime juice. Any leftover meat can be baked in the oven with shredded cheese and tortilla chips for delicious pork nachos!

    Use your favorite BBQ sauce while cooking the roast. Don't just stir the sauce into the shredded pork--add it to the top of the meat and let it sit.

    If you mix the BBQ sauce in, the sugars in the sauce might burn during cooking. You can also add some brown sugar for a richer BBQ taste!

    A favorite way to add some extra flavor to the pork is to use a dark soda, such as Dr. Pepper, Coke, or root beer, to the Instant Pot instead of water.

    Using these sodas also helps the pork tenderize, due to their acidity. Beef or chicken broth works as well.

    How to Store

    Store any leftover pulled pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It'll keep for about 4 days.

    For longer storage, freeze leftover pulled pork for up to 6 months. This pork freezes and reheats quite well!

    It also reheats well in the microwave. Pulled pork leftovers make great sandwiches, tacos, and nachos, but you could just eat the tasty meat on its own!

    Recipe

    Instant Pot pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and bbq sauce

    Instant Pot Pulled Pork

    Published by Dee
    This Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe makes tender shredded pork from a pork butt or pork shoulder roast in the electric pressure cooker in about 2 hours! Use the tender meat for pulled pork sandwiches, carnitas, nachos or over mashed potatoes for an easy dinner the whole family will love!
    5 from 18 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Text Share by Email
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    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 35 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 15
    Calories 150 kcal

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 6-pound pork shoulder roast (pork butt)
    • 2 teaspoons sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 ½ cups water coke, dr pepper or broth
    • 1 yellow or white onion cut into large pieces
    • 3 cloves garlic, peeled

    Instructions
     

    • Cut roast into 3 large pieces, and season with sea salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper
    • Add water, then add roast, onion and garlic
    • Cover, move valve to sealing position, and hit PRESSURE COOK for 90 minutes
    • Allow natural release, and when pin drops, open lid, shred with forks, and serve

    Video

    Notes

    Recipe made with all natural pork shoulder roast in 8-quart Instant Pot pressure cooker.
    Natural release takes about 20 minutes or more. Use quick release after 15 to 20 minutes to save time.
    Use your favorite soda pop for added flavor and tenderness!

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 312mgPotassium: 7mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 66IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    Recipe first published in 2018 and updated in 2022

    instant pot pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and chips

    This perfect, easy Instant Pot pulled pork is one of our family favorites! I hope you enjoy this great recipe as much as we do!

    For more easy recipe ideas and quick meals, be sure to subscribe to the newsletter and follow me on social media!

    Happy Cooking,

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    More Recipes made in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

    • Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese
    • Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
    • Instant Pot Turkey Stock
    • Best Instant Pot Baked Ziti

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Patrick says

      January 06, 2022 at 8:03 pm

      Love this stuff! Made this for dinner tonight. 90 minutes worked well for my 7 pound roast. Left overs for me too!5 stars

      Reply
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    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

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