Buy Now → Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
This hearty, crowd-pleasing instant pot pulled pork is perfect for game day or a quick and easy dinner on a busy weeknight! The best thing about this BBQ pulled pork recipe is that it utilizes a pressure cooker, so the pork shoulder is fall-apart tender in just over an hour with very minimal prep work!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Natural Release Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2.5 lb. boneless pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1.5 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 oz. beer or chicken broth
- 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Serve with:
- brioche buns
- coleslaw
Instructions
- Combine brown sugar, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
- Season the pork roast on all sides, gently rubbing the seasoning into the roast.
- Add oil to the instant pot and turn it to sauté.
- Once hot, sear seasoned pork roast for 2-3 minutes on all sides, until a dark golden-brown crust forms.
- Combine beer/broth, BBQ sauce, and vinegar in a large measuring cup and pour it over the roast in the IP.
- Seal the lid on the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Allow to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then press the quick-release button to allow the remaining steam to escape.
- Shred pork with two forks, discarding any fat or grizzle.
- Serve on a toasted brioche bun, drizzle with BBQ sauce, and pile on the coleslaw!
- If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating and review below!
Notes
- Season the pork thoroughly and evenly. Be sure to coat every inch of the pork shoulder with that delicious seasoning mixture or dry rub.
- Give it time to sear. The sear is going to make a huge difference in the overall flavor of the shredded pork. Allow the pork the time to adequately create a dark golden brown crust on the outside of the meat.
- If your pork shoulder is too big to get a good sear in the Instant Pot, cut it into chunks and sear it in batches. Searing the pork introduces a lot of those complex flavors that good BBQ is known for, so don’t skip it!
- You might be tempted to skip the natural release and just manually release the steam to save time – don’t do this! The natural release gives the meat time to rest and will allow it to become more tender and stay juicy.
- If you like crispy edges on your pork, spread the shredded pork across a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle it with a bit of the cooking liquid, and broil it for a couple of minutes.
