Instant Pot Pulled Pork is so juicy and tender, it tastes like it cooked all day! Serve pulled pork with or without BBQ sauce as an entree, or make the best pulled pork sandwiches.
How I make this recipe
Pulled pork is super easy to make in the Instant Pot and turns out the juiciest, crowd-pleasing, delicious grub in a few simple steps.
First, you may wish to trim the pork of excess fat and cut the slab into pieces if its too large for your Instant Pot as I did in these photos. Generously season the pork with salt and pepper. Then combine the dry rub spices and coat the pork on all sides.
Next, sear all sides of each piece of pork using the Saute setting in the Instant Pot. Deglaze the pot by adding a splash of broth and scrape the brown bits off the bottom. This is “liquid gold”.
Pressure cook the pork on HIGH for 45 minutes with a 15-minute natural pressure release (NPR).
Transfer pork pieces to a tray or bowl. Shred the pork into smaller, bite-sized pieces with meat claws or two forks. Serve warm.
Pork butt vs pork shoulder
The Instant Pot takes an inexpensive, tough cut of meat like pork shoulder or pork butt and turns it into a masterpiece that tastes and feels like it cooked all day! If youre wondering which one to use, there are some differences, but either will work for this recipe.
Pork butt, or Boston Butt, has more fat marbling that benefits from slow cooking and pressure cooking which tenderizes and falls apart when its pulled or shredded.
Porkshoulder, or picnic shoulder, has less fat marbling. So, its a leaner cut that doesnt fall apart as easily as pork butt but still works wonders for this recipe.
Cooking a Pork Butt in the Instant Pot with Belinda.
FAQ
Can you overcook pulled pork in an Instant Pot?
What is the best liquid to cook pulled pork in?
What temperature does pulled pork fall apart?