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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 · Modified: 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 17 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    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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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Erika says

      December 07, 2020 at 10:47 am

      This is currently in my IP and the aroma is flowing through the house.. I may need to eat a bowl of cereal to hold me over since the smell has made me so hungry 🤣! However I was wondering if you had any suggestions for freezing the leftovers/reheating?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        December 07, 2020 at 12:15 pm

        I usually freeze smaller portions, and the pork reheats well in the microwave or on the stove -- depends on what you want to make with it. We use leftovers for carnitas tacos or pulled pork nachos. Hope you like it! 🙂

    2. Susan M Williams says

      July 03, 2020 at 11:38 am

      Sounds easy as I am new to any pressure cooking. Going to use a 6.8 butt in a 6 qt, will cut to fit. And I see only 1/2 cup water for 6 qt. My question is do you drain the juices before you pull apart?5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        July 03, 2020 at 1:56 pm

        I take the pork out and shred it on a large platter for serving. If you want to serve it in the pot, you can drain the juices if you want.

    3. kaitlyn says

      June 19, 2020 at 8:15 am

      Can you do this with a pork loin?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        June 19, 2020 at 5:46 pm

        I have not tried a pork loin in the IP, but I know it doesn't take long at all to cook.

    4. Lauren Singer says

      March 17, 2020 at 12:25 pm

      put mine in!! Yikes! I didn't cut it in chunks! will that be a problem??!!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        March 17, 2020 at 1:10 pm

        How much does it weigh? It might be fine, and if it's shreddable, no problem. If not, you can always try to cut it then and put it back for maybe 30 minutes until it's tender.

    5. John says

      February 09, 2020 at 5:55 pm

      90 minutes for unthawed pork shoulder. This rub was easy to make and simple. Fell off the fork. This will be the only rub I use from now on5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 10, 2020 at 8:09 pm

        Thank you so much, John! Happy to hear this!

      • Kent K says

        December 31, 2020 at 3:12 pm

        Don’t limit yourself!!! ALWAYS explore!!!

      • Steve says

        January 12, 2021 at 1:31 pm

        John, do you mean thawed or unthawed (frozen)?
        Just checking!

    6. Laura says

      September 03, 2019 at 3:09 pm

      If my pork is still slightly frozen is that okay? Would cook time change?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        September 03, 2019 at 9:04 pm

        Are you able to cut it into smaller pieces? If so, it should still be the same. If not, it will probably just take longer to reach pressure. If it still seems tough, you can always add more time at the end.

    7. Lwl says

      May 23, 2019 at 4:34 pm

      Do you place the meat on the steamer? Or directly in the water?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 25, 2019 at 11:01 pm

        I put the pork in the water. No need for the trivet since you're shredding the meat after cooking.

    8. Nicole says

      May 10, 2019 at 1:16 pm

      Absolutely amazing! My husband, three boys and I LOVE, like really LOVE this pulled pork! It’s the best that I’ve tried and we’re hooked! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe❤️5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 13, 2019 at 9:34 am

        Thank you so much for the compliment! So happy you all like it!

    9. Dominique says

      March 15, 2019 at 1:44 pm

      I wasn’t sure on which button to press so I pressed the meat/stew button and put it on an 1hour and a half. Is that okay?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        March 16, 2019 at 10:12 am

        I use pressure cook/manual, but meat/stew should be fine.

    10. Danielle says

      February 23, 2019 at 2:16 pm

      If I'm cooking only a 3 lb pork butt do I still cook it for 90 min or decrease time? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 23, 2019 at 9:56 pm

        I have the best luck with 90 minutes, but you could try cooking it for less time and see what happens. You can always add more time if it's not tender enough for pulled pork.

    11. Marianne says

      February 21, 2019 at 4:04 pm

      Can I cook a 6 lb bone in roast in a 6 qt ip if I cut up the roast?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 21, 2019 at 4:35 pm

        Yes -- as long as it fits. Decrease the water to 1/2 cup for a 6 quart. 🙂

      • Thomas Spiro says

        March 14, 2019 at 7:30 am

        Don’t use water, put a can of cherry coke in there
        Or can of Verners

      • Dee says

        March 16, 2019 at 10:14 am

        I know a lot of people add soda/pop, but I think the flavor is best when you keep it natural -- just water or broth.

      • Leah says

        April 07, 2020 at 11:44 am

        Hello, I am about to make your recipe in the insta pot. A 6 lbs. Boston butt what pressure do I cook it at? High?
        Thanks!5 stars

      • Dee says

        April 07, 2020 at 4:46 pm

        Yes, I always use high pressure. 🙂

    12. Lena says

      February 17, 2019 at 10:57 pm

      I have a 10lb pork shoulder and I’m trying to figure out how long to cook it in the instant pot using your recipe. Any idea?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 18, 2019 at 11:32 am

        You would still cook it for 90 minutes. 🙂

      • Pam says

        February 17, 2020 at 8:37 am

        If it’s bone in can I still cook a 9lb for 90min in the insta pot?

      • Dee says

        February 17, 2020 at 8:31 pm

        Yes! I've cooked bone-in roasts before, but I do cut them into large pieces first, and it works great every time.

    13. Joan And Jon Lauer lauer says

      January 24, 2019 at 5:04 pm

      Do you brown it first in sauté mode?5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        January 25, 2019 at 8:58 pm

        No. I just added the roast to the pot and cooked.

      • Jb says

        March 24, 2020 at 4:00 pm

        I no longer go to the trouble of browning. I just use Kitchen Bouquet...brush it on. It gives the meat rich color and flavor so meat doesn't look grey. You can still use your other seasonings .

    14. B says

      January 08, 2019 at 2:48 pm

      I have an 8 lb pork shoulder with the bone in, do I have to remove the bone?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        January 08, 2019 at 3:18 pm

        I don't remove the bone, but I do cut the roast up into smaller sections and remove the bone after it's done cooking. I just think this guarantees that the roast cooks evenly and is tender enough to pull apart.

    15. Luke says

      January 03, 2019 at 2:07 pm

      I know you leave the fat on, but my pork shoulder cake with the skin on, should I remove the skin or leave it?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        January 04, 2019 at 12:04 am

        You can remove the skin or leave it on -- It'll add more flavor, and you can make crackling after the roast is cooked!

      • Tracie says

        February 15, 2020 at 11:06 am

        Can I use a center cut pork roast?

      • Dee says

        February 15, 2020 at 7:19 pm

        I've never tried this cut in the IP -- just my Crock-Pot.

    16. Courtney Ellis says

      October 31, 2018 at 12:46 pm

      How long does it take to release pressure naturally for this recipe? Thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 31, 2018 at 3:46 pm

        It takes around 20 minutes or so for a natural release. 🙂

    17. Deborah says

      September 30, 2018 at 2:56 pm

      Made this last night and loved it! It was so simple, and is definitely a new family favorite!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        September 30, 2018 at 8:33 pm

        Thank you so much, Deborah! I'm so glad your family liked it!

    18. Mary says

      September 23, 2018 at 3:03 pm

      Can I use pork loin??

      Reply
      • Dee says

        September 23, 2018 at 4:29 pm

        I haven't tried pulled pork with pork loin in the Instant Pot, so I can't say for sure how it would turn out.

    19. Erin says

      September 20, 2018 at 10:14 pm

      I got my Instant Pot yesterday, so this was the first recipe I tried. It was delicious, and I’ll definitely be making it again!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        September 20, 2018 at 11:26 pm

        So happy to hear this, Erin. Thanks for letting me know! 🙂

    20. James says

      September 20, 2018 at 6:37 am

      Made this one last night! Another new family favorite!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        September 20, 2018 at 7:59 am

        Thank you so much, James. I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it!

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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!

    More about me →

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