Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
Directions
Add the brown sugar, smoked paprika, mustard powder, kosher salt, and pepper to a small bowl. Mix thoroughly.
Pat the pork shoulder dry with a paper towel. Trim the pork of any excess fat. Using your hands, coat the pork shoulder with the seasoning by rubbing the mixture into the meat. Then cut the meat into 6 pieces.
Set your Instant Pot's sauté function to high. Pour the vegetable oil into the Instant Pot. Once the oil is hot, place the pork into the pot. Work in batches to avoid crowding. Sear the meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch.
Turn the sauté function off and turn on the warm function. Using a pair of tongs, remove the pork from the Instant Pot and place it on a plate.
Pour the broth and apple cider vinegar into the pork drippings in the Instant Pot.
Using the tongs, place the pork back into the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and then close the sealing valve. Select the manual or pressure cook function and cook on high pressure for 1 hour.
When the pork is done, naturally release the pressure in the pot and carefully remove the lid.
Using tongs, transfer the pork to a large bowl, leaving the liquid in the pot.
Use 2 forks to shred the pork. Toss the shredded meat with your favorite barbecue sauce.
Supplies
- small bowl
- paper towels
- tongs
- plate
- large bowl
- 2 forks
Pulled pork is a tasty Southern concoction. Pork shoulder, the preferred cut of pork for this dish, is a tougher cut of meat, but the abundance of marbling in it keeps the meat from drying out during the slow-cooking process and produces savory and tender pulled pork. It takes five to six hours to prepare pulled pork using the traditional slow-cooking method. Using an Instant Pot will decrease the preparation and cooking times dramatically while delivering the same mouthwatering results.
How To Make Your Instant Pot Pulled Pork Your Own
Our Instant Pot pulled pork calls for a spice rub of brown sugar, smoked paprika, mustard powder, salt, and pepper. Feel free to experiment with your spice rub to achieve that perfect sweet and spicy balance.
- If you're a fan of spicy pulled pork, try adding some chili powder or cayenne powder to your spice rub.
- There are plenty of dried herbs and spices that you can add to your rub to produce unique flavors: cumin, thyme, rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, or even cocoa powder!
What To Serve With Instant Pot Pulled Pork
One of the most common ways to serve pulled pork is on a lightly toasted and buttered brioche bun. There are plenty of other ways to serve up this delicious dish, however.
- Serve pulled pork in a bowl of your favorite creamy mac and cheese.
- Top a massive platter of nachos with pulled pork.
- Serve your pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw, potato salad, or pasta salad.
- Munch on some crunchy homemade French fries while enjoying your pulled pork sandwiches.
However you decide to enjoy your pulled pork, preparing it in your Instant Pot is a quick and convenient way of making this flavorful dish.