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
Check out our video for this recipe below, and be sure to follow along on Facebook where we’re always sharing the best recipes!
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.
I would like to make this but would like to add the flavor of the bourbon as in your crock pot recipe. Would you just add some bourbon to the pot as well or maybe substitute the 1/4 cup of broth for bourbon?
Thanks
I’ll have to look into this since I haven’t tried adding bourbon when using the IP before. I am wondering if pressure cooking would cook out the flavor all together. My thought is that perhaps you could stir a bit of bourbon in at the end. I’d try that, but if I learn other wise I’ll let you know 🙂
Made this for our New Years Day pork entree. Total success! I used pork shoulder and it was super-tender. Next time I’ll use 4lbs pork as it cooks down quite a bit and I would like more leftovers!
We followed the recipe exactly with both optional items, and it was delicious!!! Thank you!!!
Made this 3 days ago exactly as written. My whole family loved it so much they asked for it again tonight. We served it on Kings Hawaiian rolls. My new go to recipe for pulled pork.
Made this tonight. Followed the recipe and included the cayenne but not the hot sauce. I did add to the timing an additional 10 minutes making it 50 minute cook time and the ten minute natural steam release because my husband really likes his food on the flakier drier side. It came out super moist, flakey and absolutely delicious! Fell right apart, easy shredding! I’ve used a packet of seasoning in the past… no more! This was so yummy! Next time I’ll get a bigger piece of boneless pork. Maybe 4 or even 5 pounds. There was a lot of liquid left so more pork would have been just fine We ate it on rolls and some of us more health conscious had on romaine lettuce leaves. Keeper for sure!
I had a 6lb bone-in pork butt, I cut 3 lbs off for another recipe and then used the remaining 3 lbs to try this recipe. It was a hit! 4 adults and two kids taste tested, made delicious sandwiches on French steak rolls from our local grocery store with cole slaw cause we love the combo. Made a lot of meat, if we had not had my parents in town this would have been enough for 2-3 meals for our family of 4. We will use what’s left to make nachos. We like spicy so this was great as written for us. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Made this dish tonight. It was delicious!
I didn’t add much of anything after it was cooked. Small amount of BBQ sauce, but the meat was so tender and seasoned, I honestly didn’t need to smother it in sauce.
My kids, who generally don’t love anything new ate this meal quicker than I’ve ever seen them eat.
We don’t put pulled pork on buns. I make mashed potatoes and it tasted great together.
I had a 4 lb bone-in pork butt roast. I cut off what I could from the bone and cubed it. I browned the cubes and the bone with remaining meat. I didn’t change any amounts of anything else. I have a Power XL pressure cooker, not an Instant Pot, so I set it for 50 minutes to be sure, 10 minute natural release, then quick release. I removed the meat and poured the liquid into a large measuring cup. I shredded the meat and returned it to the pot, stirred in the 1 cup of BBQ sauce and then added enough of the cooking liquid to make it the consistency we like. I used the optional cayenne but not the hot sauce. Absolutely delicious!! We had enough for sandwiches tonight, and then tomorrow we’ll have pulled pork nachos!!
Next time, and there’ll definitely be a next time, I’ll make sure I have a boneless roast. It worked with the bone-in, but it was kind of a pain.
If I have 6 pounds of pork can I just double the ingredients and time ?
Yes on the doubling of ingredients. However, I think the cooking time is only dependent on the thickness of the meat so if you are cutting it to the same size as what the base recipe calls for, the cooking time should be similar. I am currently trying this recipe for the first time and put in 2 two pound pieces of pork without further cutting so I am increasing the cooking time significantly.
I had a pork shoulder roast in the freezer and some hoagie rolls and thought…”pulled pork” but also I’m in the middle of making Christmas cookies for gifts. I wanted to use my Instant Pot and came across this recipe. This recipe is perfect!
The perfect blend of spices (I used both optional ingredients as my husband & I love heat), easy preparation, and fantastic results! I had a 3 lb roast and cubed it up 1″ thick and 2-3″ wide. Used the time recommended including natural and quick release methods. Took the cubes out from the liquid and shredding was a breeze!
Regarding the liquid used for cooking the meat, it is very liquidy and I would not use it in the pulled pork but would only add some to gain the pulled pork consistency you prefer. My husband & I like a thicker sauce with our pulled pork so the added BBQ sauce at the end is the thickness we prefer but the liquid from the cooking cycle can be used to thin the sauce if you like the sauce to be more liquidy. Another reviewer used the liquid to make a dipping sauce which is a great way to reclaim the cooking liquid. I just used a bit to thin and tossed the rest.
A keeper recipe that has gone into my recipe book! Thank you for a great meal prep!
I have pork that is already precut into about 1inch cubes. How would you suggest I adjust the cook time for the instant pot?