Tools For Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
- Pyrex glass measuring cup
- Fat separator This is such a handy tool to have. Instead of scooping the fatty oil a little at a time with a ladle or spoon, you can quickly separate the fat/oil from the sauce with this fat separator.
- Optional Fun Tool: BEAR PAWS Shredder Claws If youre a fan of pulled pork or a Wolverine-wannabe ), get these claws to shred your meat! It makes pulling pork easier and FUN. Some users use them to pick up hot food too.
Pressure Cooking Pork Shoulder
*NOTE this recipe has only been tested in a 6 quart Instant Pot and I can’t say for sure if it would work in an 8 quart
The beauty of the Instant Pot is that it cuts the cook time down significantly when making pulled pork. 90 minutes is the perfect amount of time to break down the tough collagen fibres in the pork shoulder if your roast is on the smaller side, 60 minutes may suffice.
When cooked properly, the pork should become fall-apart-tender. If you find that your pork shoulder is not shredding easily, put it back into the Instant Pot and cook for another 20-30 minutes. The Instant Pot should come back to pressure quickly.
How To Make Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Avoid the Burn Notice
Ensure you scrape all of the little brown bits off of the bottom of the pot to avoid getting a burn notice.
Add a little bit of liquid and use a spatula or wooden spoon to get all of the bits!
Read Also: How To Cook Brown Rice In The Instant Pot
Here Are Just A Few Different Ways To Serve Your Pulled Pork:
- Layer with your favorite taco toppings in a taco shell
- Pair as a main dish with myCheesy Potatoes or Zucchini Crisps
- Toss on top of nacho chips with melted cheese & toppings
- Scoop onto a bun for a pulled pork sandwich
- Add to a cheesy pizza crust or flatbread
- Mix into a batch of Apple Jalapeño BBQ Sauce for BBQ pulled pork
- Toss with roasted veggies and top with gravy or balsamic glaze
How To Serve Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Classic sammie? Pulled pork hash? Instant Pot pulled pork onions combo? You have tasty options!
- Sandwich. A pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw is a classic, cant-miss option!
- Salad. Make your favorite salad extra hearty and flavorful by adding some pulled pork. Or, pair with a fresh Fruit Salad for a delicious meal.
- Quesadilla. Take a note from these Pulled Pork Quesadillas and turn your pork into a scrumptious new meal with tortillas and a sprinkle of cilantro.
- Hash. Adding this pulled pork to a hash would be delicious .
- Tacos. Give pulled pork a creative new spin by serving it taco style .
Read Also: How To Cook Frozen Hamburger In Instant Pot
Tips From The Pillsbury Kitchens
- tip 1 This pulled pork works well stuffed into tacos or pitas, served over rice or mashed potatoes, or piled on buns.
- tip 2 Cutting the pork in several large pieces allows the meat to cook quickly and evenly in the pressure cooker.
- tip 3 This pulled pork is super-versatile! Serve it on its own piled on buns or use it to add big flavor to your favorite tacos and mashed potatoes.
- tip 4 Cutting your pork shoulder into several pieces, rather than placing in the multicooker whole, ensures the meat cooks evenly and quickly.
- tip 5 When releasing pressure naturally, its always a good idea to set the pressure valve to VENTING after the float valve drops down, just to be sure all of the pressure has been released.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe Tips:
- We like to toast the burger buns before serving with the pulled pork.
- Leftover pulled pork can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cooked pulled pork can also be frozen for up to 2 months, wrapped airtight.
- To reheat pulled pork, heat the pork and sauce together, covered, in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Or, you may place the pork and sauce in a microwave-safe dish and warm in your microwave.
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How To Reheat Pulled Pork In The Oven
If you dont want to wait 2-4 hours, you can reheat pulled pork in the oven. Here are the steps:
You can also always reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until heated through.
Easy Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
» You might also like this Easy Instant Pot Shredded Buffalo Chicken and this Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe.
Theres no need to heat up your kitchen to braise a pork shoulder anymore. The Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting for this perfectly tender pulled pork.
We make this pulled pork nearly every week and use it to make dinners like the pulled pork sandwiches pictured below. Its one of the easiest things to make and since it can be made in large quantities, its possible to make multiple meals from one pot.
Our favorite things to make with shredded pork are BBQ pulled pork sandwiches , pulled pork gnocchi, and cabbage bowls with pulled pork heaped over the top.
All of these dishes can be made with this Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe. Im telling you, its incredibly versatile.
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How To Make Pulled Pork In The Instant Pot
We are going to start by trimming the pork butt. Since we are not cooking low and slow, like in smoking, the fat will not render all the way down. The last thing you want in your pulled pork is a big chunk of jiggly fat. Gross.
Trim as much of the white fat that you can from the outside of the butt. Then cut the meat down into 3 inch chunks. If you come across more fat or connective tissue within the meat, cut that out as well.
In a small bowl mix together your dry rub seasoning. Coat the pork butt pieces completely with all of the seasoning.
Pour 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar into the Instant Pot. Place the metal trivet over the liquid. Put the seasoned pork pieces on the trivet.
Close the pot and set to cook for 40 minutes.
Do a natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
How To Reheat Pulled Pork In The Slow Cooker
A slow, but successful way to reheat pulled pork is to use your slow cooker. Yes, it takes a few hours but the pulled pork is delicious and exactly how it was before you stored it in the fridge or freezer. It will take 2-4 hours but the pulled pork will be perfectly heated through and tasty as can be. Heres how to do it:
Also Check: How To Make Chili In An Instant Pot
How To Shred The Meat
The BBQ pork chunks will be very tender, making it simple to shred the meat. You can pull the pork on a large cutting board or in a mixing bowl. I find the mixing bowl to be less messy.
The pork might look a little dry at this point, but dont worry. Were going to fix that next!
The braising liquid from the instant pot is perfect for adding moisture to the bbq pulled pork tenderloin, but before you just ladle it out, you want to thicken it a bit.
Adding a cornstarch slurry will make the braising liquid saucy enough to cling to the pulled pork. Thats what were looking for.
How To Make Instant Pot Pulled Pork Tenderloin
Also Check: How To Saute In Instant Pot
Pulled Pork Roast Instant Pot Recipe
Jodi / /
Instant Pot Pork Roast is tender, flavorful, and oh so simple. Its an instant pot pork shoulder recipe thats ready in under 2 hours and makes enough to freeze for many meals to come. Gluten-free, dairy-free.
If you are looking for a delicious & simple meal, you will want to try my Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe ASAP! This recipe only uses a few ingredients and doesnt require a lot of effort BUT it makes a flavor-bursting dish that everyone in your house will love. What more could you ask for from a recipe?!
Instant Pot Barbacoa Tacos With Salsa Verde
Last but by no means least, we have these Instant Pot Barbacoa Tacos with Salsa Verde.
Made with shredded barbacoa beef and a delicious homemade salsa verde, these Instant Pot Tacos are perfect for Taco Tuesday dinners. Get the recipe.
This post contains affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
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Shred It And Serve It
Take the pork out of the Instant Pot and let it sit without the liquid for about 10 minutes. This will dry it up a little, so its not wet, which is ideal for uses like pulled pork sandwiches. The meat should fall apart quite easily when you shred it with a fork.
Now you can use it to make whatever you want!
How To Make Pulled Pork In A Pressure Cooker
Ok, so weve all heard how amazing Instant Pots are but how do you make pulled pork in an Instant Pot?
For a traditional pulled pork recipe, you are required to cook the meat slowly to allow the pork protein to break down properly and achieve that juicy tenderness pulled pork is known for. However, since well be making an Instant Pot pulled pork recipe theres no need to stress about this part. The Instant Pot takes care of it.
All you have to do is
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How To Use Leftover Pulled Pork:
Looking for a little leftover inspiration? Leftover pulled pork can be used as a base for all kinds of family-friendly meals!
- Mix with pasta for a quick ragu-like meal .
- Make pulled pork tacos!
- Still in the mood for Tex-Mex? Add leftover pulled pork to enchiladas, burritos, or quesadillas.
- Have a make-your-own pizza night and use leftover pulled pork on top of individual pizzas, pitas, or naan bread.
- Heat up leftover pulled pork and use it to top baked potatoes.
What Kind Of Barbecue Sauce Do You Use For Pulled Pork
My husband and I really like KC Masterpiece Original BBQ Sauce in this pulled pork recipe. Its smokey and sweet, with just a little kick. However, you can use your favorite brand of barbecue sauce in your pulled pork with no change to the water content.
If you prefer homemade, my friend Alyssa has an awesome homemade BBQ sauce recipe.
When serving those with dietary needs , you can even make the pulled pork without using any BBQ sauce in the pot. Id probably add some spices or liquid smoke to the meat before cooking to infuse some flavors. Then, just remove a portion of the meat and stir in the barbecue sauce to the remaining portion.
As far as which spices, the sky is the limit! Keep things simple with a teaspoon of onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Like a spicy barbecue? Then add some cayenne pepper or chili powder.
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What Is The Best Cut Of Pork For Pulled Pork
The best cut of pork for pulled pork is a boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, also called Boston butt. These cuts of pork have plenty of fat marbled throughout for flavor, and they become fall apart tender after pressure cooking.
You can also use a pork loin to make pulled pork. I have tested this recipe both with pork shoulder and with pork tenderloin. My family enjoyed the pulled pork made with both cuts of meat. A pork shoulder or pork butt creates a slightly more flavorful pulled pork because it is a fattier cut of meat. Pork tenderloin makes a healthier pulled pork because it is a leaner cut of meat.
More Instant Pot Pulled Pork Faqs
My Pulled Pork wasnât cooked, where did I go wrong? you didnt go wrong, you simply need to cook it a little longer. Just like cooking this on the grill or in the oven you need to check it after the initial cook time and if its not fully cooked then simply put the lid on and cook for about 10-15 minutes longer, or until you can pull it apart.
How long do you cook pulled pork in an instant pot? It depends on what cut of meat you use and how large it is that determines the cook time rather than the weight. For a large 2-3 lb piece of pork shoulder it usually takes about 60-75 minutes at pressure.
Can I double the recipe? It depends on how large your pressure cooker is. I was able to cook one half of a large pork butt in my 6qt model. You need to ensure that you dont pack the pressure cooker full or go past the maximum fill line.
Can I use Pork Loin instead? Yes you can, but it will not take as long to cook. It will probably take 35 40 minutes and its a much leaner cut of pork so do not overcook it or it may dry out.
Can I use frozen Pork? Its better if you can defrost it first for best results. But you can use frozen pork just know that it will take longer to come to pressure and if the meat is a large piece it may not fully defrost in the middle. Cook time remains the same.
Can I Slow Cook it instead? Sure, you can add it to a slow cooker or Crockpot and cook for 6-8 hours on low.
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To Sear Or Not To Sear
Searing your pork shoulder before pressure cooking it can help develop deeper flavor and and give the outer layer of the pork shoulder a great texture. This is certainly something you can do if youd wish, however this recipe skips that step in favor of quick prep as we find it to have plenty of delicious flavor without the browning step.
To sear the pork shoulder, select the sautee function of the Instant Pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sear until all sides are browned. You will want to make sure to deglaze the Instant Pot with ½ cup of water or stock to make sure nothing is stuck as this can trigger a burn warning.
Why Use An Instant Pot
The Instant Pot is one of the most useful kitchen appliances you can buy, because it drastically cuts down on the cooking time for developing flavors in soups and stews, getting tough cuts of meat tender, and even baking a cheesecake. And there are many accessories that will help you get more out of your Instant Pot.
If you dont have one yet, check out our guide on which one to buy. Also see our guide to How to Use an Instant Pot for more information.
- Dont Have an Instant Pot Yet?This guide can help you choose the right one.
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