Instant Pot Pulled Pork is seasoned to perfection, and mouthwateringly tender! Make this easy and super flavorful pulled pork using a pork loin roast and have your family’s new favorite instant pot pork recipe on the table in an hour!
How Do You Make Pulled Pork?
Pulled pork is a very simple dish to make at home, and there are a few ways to make it even more quick and easy.
Pulled pork recipes start with basic seasonings that you probably already have at home. I like to use a mixture of brown sugar, salt, garlic and onion powder, paprika, pepper, and cumin.
Once you have seasoned your meat, you will mix up your wet ingredients. I prefer to use broth over water for added flavor. Use your favorite type of barbecue sauce, and then a bit of apple cider vinegar. The vinegar not only adds great flavor, but, the acid helps to tenderize the meat as it cooks!
After you have seasoned your meat, and mixed up your wet ingredients it’s time to get cooking!
This recipe, in particular, is for the Instant Pot. If you don’t have an instant pot, I highly recommend that you try out my Crockpot Bourbon Bacon Pulled Pork and you can find the recipe for that right HERE.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe:
As far as meat, I typically use a pork loin roast. You can also use a pork shoulder if that is your preference. A lot of people worry about a pork roast becoming tender enough. As long as you use the right method and ingredients, it turns out absolutely perfect every time!
My general method has always been to slow cook pulled pork, like in the recipe I linked to above. But, since I’ve become a huge fan of my instant pot, I wanted to try cooking it that way. Happy to say it turned out great!
If you have time you will add your rub to your cubed pork roast, seal it in a bag, and let it marinate for a good 30-60 minutes before cooking for maximum flavor. When I make pulled pork in my crockpot, I find that marinating isn’t necessary because all of those flavors slow cook together for hours. However, for instant pot pulled pork, marinating really is the way to go.
Next, you will heat up your oil right in your pot, sear the meat in batches until browned on all sides. It won’t need to be cooked through at that point.
Then, you will want to use a small amount of beef broth to deglaze the bottom of your pot. If you don’t you may end up with that dreaded “burn” warning during cooking.
To deglaze, you’ll simply pour the broth right into the bottom of the instant pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape all of those brown bits off. This also adds great flavor to continue seasoning your meat as it cooks.
After you deglaze simply add everything into your instant pot, close the lid and valve to sealing. Then, you will cook as directed below for 40 minutes. After your cooking time is up, allow the instant pot to natural release for 10 minutes, then you can quick release.
After your quick release, you are ready to shred your meat, and serve on soft hamburger buns, with your favorite toppings!
Remember if you are looking for the slow cooker method of making pulled pork you can find it HERE. I also happen to adore this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chili!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
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Instant Pot Pulled Pork
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 together the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne.
- Season the cubed pork with the spice mixture and set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the apple cider vinegar, one cup of the barbecue sauce, the hot pepper sauce if using, and one cup of the broth.
- Turn your instant pot to the saute setting. Add the olive oil and allow it to get hot.
- Add half of the cubed pork to the hot oil and saute for 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the browned pork to a plate and repeat with the remaining half of the cubed pork.
- Turn the instant pot off. Use the remaining 1/4 cup of beef broth and a wooden spoon to deglaze (scrape the brown bits) from the bottom of the pot.
- Add all of the meat along with the barbecue sauce mixture to the instant pot.
- Close the lid and set to sealing.
- Cook on manual high pressure for 40 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Remove the meat from the instant pot and shred. Stir in the remaining cup of bbq sauce and serve on buns as desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this with a 4 lb FROZEN pork blade roast. Left whole, on the bone, spices the same, liquid the same without the BBQ sauce. I wanted to leave it generic so I could make it into carnitas, BBQ pork sandwiches, Cuban sandwiches, and burritos later, It did take just under 3 hours from frozen, natural release. It was fantastic! I loved that I could pluck this roast out of the freezer around noon and serve pulled pork sandwiches at dinner (6 pm). We have enough leftovers for all our intended alternative recipes as well, and enough juices for the pulled meat to be well moistened.
It was great in all recipes…highly recommended.
Great idea. My pork is marinated with Southwest spices so I will skip the bbq sauce and just use some extra broth, that way I can change up the flavors. Wonderful way to cook one batch and have different meals, thanks
I was wondering if after you shred the meat if you put back in the instant pot with BBQ sauce mixture and then add additional bbq sauce or just 1 cup of BBQ sauce to shredded meat? Thank you!
I did not do that or it would have been way to wet. I just added back some of it to moisten the meat and added the remaining BBQ sauce. I also added about a 1/4 C of ketchup at the end. My BBQ sauce is not very sweet ( KC Masterpiece) and it seemed to need a little more vinegar/sweetness. Lastly I wiped out the pan after browning the meat of bits that were more burned then brown before deglazing. Paprika can be bitter when burned and didn’t want to chance it.
This is now my favorite IP recipe. Great flavor! I double the recipe, and then freeze half. My fiance loves it best without adding that additional 1 CBBQ sauce in the last step, it is SO flavorful without that even.
I do have one question- isn’t 40 minutes too long? When I look at other IP boneless pork recipes, none are for such a long time. Does anyone cook this in a shorter time? What’s the reason behind this? Thanks.
As a general rule for any meat to be shredded, additional cooking time is necessary to break down the connective tissue. Less time may result in meat that won’t shred. This also 3 pounds of meat in 40 minutes. Other boneless pork recipes are likely calling for smaller quantities. Hope that helps.
Excellent recipe! Thank you so much for creating & sharing! We’ve made it several times and always share your link. Very flavorful and simple to put together. Threw out all my other pulled pork recipes!
Dont be afraid of burnt bits when sautéing, just deglaze the bottom with the stock or liquid for added flavour.
I cooked 8lbs of meats and it cooked it a total of 120 minutes (do not cube, left on bone). I checked after 60min, 30 mins and added more of the spice mixture. A hit at our party.
Made this for a family gathering and now I’m being voluntold to make it again. I am trying to make 12 pounds I realize it may need to be put in different batches but should I double, triple, the ingredients? I was looking at other people’s comments to see what adjustments I needed to make but didn’t see a reply.
I LOVE this recipe! I have made it four times now.This has been a BIG hit in my house!!!! I top it with a purple cabbage slaw and a cilantro jalapeño sour cream. We eat them like a soft taco on a corn tortilla. We usually have leftovers and it’s always better the next day!!! I was so intimidated by my IP at first that I put it back in the box and didn’t use it for months. I am obsessed with it now and I use it just about everyday. I make steel cut oats that are just delicious and keep them in the fridge. I have hard boiled eggs readily available every week. The convenience and ease of this kitchen helper has made my life so much better. I actually enjoy cooking again. Still not a fan of cleaning up the dishes but I do enjoy cooking again. Thank you for the awesome recipes. I am A HUGE FAN now!!!!
The slaw and sour cream sound delicious. How do you do those?
I’m making this pulled pork recipe tonight for the first time. It’s lookin good?
This was FABULOUS! Like Jina above, I too am wondering if the recipe can be doubled? New to InstaPot and don’t know what maximum limits are (I have the 6qt pot). I see the lines in the pot, but …
Thank you for any insight!
I am doubling the recipe but borrowed my daughters IP. This is our first time to try it. But for those who will read this, be sure to keep an eye out when you seat the meat. Mine burnt and I had to clean the pans out before moving forward. I was afraid it would taste burned!
I made 7.25 lbs of meat and cooked it on high for one hour after cubing the meat as directed and it came out perfect.
I’ve never made good pulled pork……..ever. It’s usually too mushy or undercooked because I’m impatient. I have made the recipe 3 times now. It is the best pulled pork I have ever eaten! I think I’d like to try it when we have company over. Yay!
1. Can this recipe be doubled?
2. If so, do I need to adjust any cooking times?