Instant Pot Pulled Pork is perfectly seasoned and incredibly tender. It is juicy, flavorful, and truly mouthwateringly tender. You can easily prepare this delicious pulled pork using a pork loin roast, and in about an hour you will have your family’s new favorite instant pot pork recipe ready to enjoy at the table.
How Do You Make Pulled Pork?
Making pulled pork at home is actually very simple, and there are a few easy ways to make the process faster and more convenient.
Most pulled pork recipes begin with simple seasonings that you probably already have in your kitchen. I usually use a mix of brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, and cumin. These basic spices work together to give the pork a rich and delicious flavor.
After you have seasoned the meat, the next step is to prepare the wet ingredients. I prefer using broth instead of water because it adds more flavor to the dish. Then add your favorite barbecue sauce along with a small amount of apple cider vinegar. The vinegar does not only add great taste, but its acidity also helps make the meat more tender while it cooks.
Once your meat is well seasoned and your wet ingredients are ready, it’s time to start cooking.
If you enjoy this Instant Pot Pulled Pork, try making one of these Instant Pot Recipe next. I highly recommend trying my Instant Pot Brown Rice.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
For the meat, I usually choose a pork loin roast. However, you can also use a pork shoulder if you prefer. Some people worry that a pork roast might not become tender enough, but if you use the right cooking method and ingredients, the meat turns out soft and perfect every time.
Normally, my preferred method for making pulled pork is the slow cooker method, like the recipe mentioned above. But after becoming a big fan of my instant pot, I wanted to try cooking pulled pork this way as well. I’m happy to say the results were fantastic.
If you have extra time, you can add your seasoning rub to the cubed pork roast, place it in a sealed bag, and let it marinate for about 30–60 minutes before cooking. This step helps the meat absorb more flavor. When I cook pulled pork in the crockpot, marinating is not really necessary because the flavors slowly develop while cooking for several hours. However, when making instant pot pulled pork, marinating really makes a difference.
Next, heat some oil directly in the pot and sear the meat in batches until it is nicely browned on all sides. At this stage, the pork does not need to be fully cooked.
After that, add a small amount of beef broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot. If you skip this step, you might see the dreaded “burn” warning during cooking.
To deglaze the pot, simply pour the broth into the bottom of the instant pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the surface. These bits add extra flavor and help season the pork as it continues to cook.
Once the pot is deglazed, add everything into your instant pot, close the lid, and set the valve to sealing. Cook the pork for 40 minutes as directed. When the cooking time is finished, allow the instant pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, and then perform a quick release.
After the quick release, the pork is ready to be shredded. Serve the pulled pork on soft hamburger buns and add your favorite toppings for a delicious and satisfying meal.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Instant Pot Pulled Pork is perfectly seasoned and incredibly tender. It is juicy, flavorful, and truly mouthwateringly tender. You can easily prepare this delicious pulled pork using a pork loin roast, and in just one hour you can have your family’s new favorite instant pot pork recipe ready to serve on the table.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total 50 minutes
Servings 6
Course: Main Course
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Packed Brown Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Paprika
- 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne, Optional
- 3 Pound Boneless Pork Roast, Cut into 3-4 inch cubes
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Cups Barbecue Sauce, Divided
- 1 1/4 Cup Chicken or Beef Broth
- 1 Teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce, Optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne until well combined.
- Season the cubed pork with this spice mixture and set it aside for a few minutes.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, one cup of barbecue sauce, hot pepper sauce (if you want to use it), and one cup of broth until everything is well mixed.
- Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. Add the olive oil and let it heat up.
- Add half of the cubed pork to the hot oil and sauté it for about 5 minutes, turning the pieces so they brown on all sides. Once browned, remove the pork and place it on a plate. Repeat the same step with the remaining pork.
- Turn the Instant Pot off. Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup of beef broth and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the brown bits stuck to the bottom.
- Now add all the browned pork back into the Instant Pot, along with the prepared barbecue sauce mixture.
- Close the lid and set the valve to sealing.
- Cook on manual high pressure for 40 minutes. When the cooking time is finished, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully do a quick release.
- Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and shred the meat. Mix in the remaining cup of barbecue sauce, then serve the pulled pork on buns with your favorite toppings if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 526kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 52g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 142mg, Sodium: 1677mg, Potassium: 1151mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 575IU, Vitamin C: 4.6mg, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 2.3mg