Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
by Chungah
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The easiest and quickest BBQ pulled pork made in the Instant Pot in just 1 hour! So smoky, so tender, so juicy! An absolute crowd-favorite!
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Why you’ll love this bbq pulled pork
- Made in a fraction of the time. The Instant Pot® takes care of all the hard work and time, infusing all the flavors into the most tender, juicy, smoky-sweet shredded pork in less than 90 minutes.
- Freezer-friendly. This recipe yields a generous amount of pulled pork, perfect for freezing up to 3 months for a quick and easy lunch or weeknight dinner down the road.
- Versatile recipe. The beauty of pulled pork is that it goes well with anything and everything – we’re talking sandwiches (with slaw, pickles, and brioche buns), nachos, tacos, quesadillas, and burrito bowls. The possibilities are endless!
What is pulled pork?
Pulled pork is a traditional American dish made from pork butt (Boston butt) or pork shoulder, cooked low and slow until it becomes tender enough to shred easily. It can be served in so many different ways – as sandwiches, with BBQ sides (baked beans or macaroni and cheese), or to fill tacos, burritos, or quesadillas.
Why make pulled pork in the instant pot?
- One pot convenience. With the convenient sauté function of the Instant Pot, this recipe comes together in a single pot start to finish for the easiest clean up ever.
- Lightning speed. Traditional pulled pork requires 6-12 hours of cook time. But the Instant Pot can get it done in just 40 minutes, coming in super handy when you’re short on time.
- Fall-apart, tender goodness. The juicy, ultra-tender pork tastes as if it’s been cooking all day long, infused with all the warm, smoky flavors.
How to make Instant Pot BBQ pulled pork
- Prep the dry rub. Stir together the brown sugar, salt, paprika, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, mustard, cayenne pepper, cumin, and pepper.
- Season the pork. Generously season the pork pieces with the dry rub, rubbing in thoroughly on all the sides.
- Sear the meat. Set the Instant Pot to the high sauté setting and sear the pork chunks, in batches, until evenly browned.
- Deglaze the pot. Add the chicken stock and vinegar, scraping up any of the browned bits (fond) stuck to the bottom of the pot. This is to maximize flavor and to prevent the dreaded burn error on the Instant Pot.
- Pressure cook. Close and seal the lid, cooking on high pressure for 40 minutes, quick releasing when finished and carefully opening the lid.
- Shred the pork. Shred the pork using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Stir in the remaining vinegar and season one last time with salt and pepper. Pro tip: if the meat is tough and not shredding easily, place the pork back into the Instant Pot, cooking on high pressure in increments of 5 minutes as needed.
- Serve. Serve warm with your favorite BBQ sauce, freezing any leftovers up to 3 months.
which bbq sauce is best?
This is really dependent on personal preference – sweet, spicy, tangy, etc. – but we personally love a sweet BBQ sauce for this recipe, particularly Stubb’s and Sweet Baby Ray’s. Honorable mentions include Trader Joe’s BBQ Sauce and Bachan’s.
what to serve with instant pot bbq pulled pork
Tools For This Recipe
6-qt Instant Pot®
Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork: Frequently Asked Questions
Use a tough, well-marbled cut of pork such as pork butt (Boston butt) or pork shoulder. The high fat and collagen keeps the meat juicy and moist.
Yes! A minimum of 1 cup liquid (ex. chicken stock) is required for the Instant Pot to come to pressure (and to prevent the burn error).
This can happen if the pork is not cooked long enough. Place the pork back into the Instant Pot, cooking in increments of 5 minutes as needed.
Leftover pulled pork can be repurposed in so many ways – from salads, quesadillas, burritos, nachos, tacos, potstickers, and sliders to name a few!
Yes! Let cool completely and portion into plastic freezer bags in individual servings, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. Lay the bags flat in a single layer in the freezer (this will help them freeze quickly). To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating over medium heat with leftover cooking liquid (to prevent the pork from drying out), stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or the freezer for 3 months.
Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
Video
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 pounds pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed and cut into 3-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided
- 1 (18-ounce) bottle favorite bbq sauce
Instructions
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, paprika, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, mustard, cayenne pepper, cumin and pepper. Season pork with brown sugar mixture.
- Heat canola oil; working in two batches, add pork and cook until evenly browned, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in chicken stock and 4 tablespoons vinegar, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 40 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Remove pork shoulder from the Instant Pot® and shred the meat using two forks; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste, if needed.
- Serve immediately with your favorite bbq sauce.
Equipment
Notes
- Cut the pork into 3-inch chunks. Using smaller pieces of pork will keep the cook time to a minimum and allow even cooking, ensuring juicy, tender, fall-apart pulled pork.
- Sear the pork. Searing the pork first will add all the extra, deeper flavors here, sealing all the juices inside.
- Work in batches. An overcrowded Instant Pot® can lead to uneven cooking and poor browning. Work in batches to maintain high heat for a good sear and crispy crust on each pork piece.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your pulled pork. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Freeze without the sauce. For best results with leftovers, freeze the leftover shredded pork without the BBQ sauce to preserve the texture and prevent sogginess, adding BBQ sauce when reheating.
Did you make this recipe?
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Is it possible to make this recipe using a crock pot? If so, what directions would you suggest?
Hi April! We have a similar recipe that’s made in a slow cooker that you could either use instead or use as a reference point for slow cooker instructions.
https://damndelicious.net/2014/10/10/slow-cooker-pork-carnitas/
Let us know if you have any other questions. Happy cooking!
These hamburger buns were incredibly easy to make…..and then wonderful to eat with many different ingredients,
Goodonya Chunga! You are doing a great job. Loved them..
Did anyone make this in a crockpot? If so can you share your cooking method, time, etc.
Thanks!
Hi Chris! You could use this other recipe of ours as a cooking reference and alter spices and ingredients as needed to reach a similar flavor profile: https://damndelicious.net/2014/10/10/slow-cooker-pork-carnitas/. 🙂
Can this be made in a slow cooker ?
I don’t have an instapot.
Hi Lynn! We have this recipe that you could use instead: https://damndelicious.net/2014/10/10/slow-cooker-pork-carnitas/ – it is not quite the same but you could use it as a reference as far as cooking instructions go. I hope that helps!
You’re opening sentence “ The easiest + BEST pulled pork ever!” was just proven in my kitchen to be absolutely true! I actually told my husband after dinner, “this is the best pulled pork I’ve ever had, not made but had.”
That is the best! Thank you so much for sharing, Jessy! 🙂
I never leave a review. Typically I smoke my butts for pulled pork. But this was fantastic and way less work.
I made this tonight, exactly following the recipe, and it was delicious! My wife has dental issues and can’t chew, but using shredding forks, this easily tore apart into tiny pieces, which was perfect for her. I added cornstarch after pouring off half of the liquid, sautéed and whipped with a whisk, and it really topped it off with amazing flavor!
Chungah, I have made so many recipes of yours over the years and they are all sooo good! Tonight is probably the 20th time I’ve made pulled pork and it’s always amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with everyone.
This was absolutely delicious, even without BBQ sauce!!! Still getting familiar with my instant pot, and was so happy when the 40 minute suggested cooking time turned out to be perfect. The meat just fell apart. Will be doing this on a more frequent basis now and I’m glad it can be frozen, always nice to pull leftovers from the freezer, heat it, fix a side or two and dinner’s ready. Thank you!
We just finished eating supper with this dish as the star. I followed the directions except for measuring (who measures spices with a meat dish?) and used yellow mustard instead of ground. To say it was delicious is an understatement. My husband, who does NOT like BBQ anything had 2 helpings. Will I make it again? That’s a big fat yessireebob!
What toppings are in the picture? They look fantastic and I want to use the same thing.
Coleslaw and pickles
So amazing, we love this pulled pork!!!
Was an absolute hit for a little 4th of July get-together with my mom and my husband! Easy and delicious! We have so much left over, we’ll be eating it for days, lol!
What are instructions for Crockpot?
Can you use brisket or chicken instead of pork? Has anyone tried and how did it come out?
What would be the cooking directions if using a crock pot instead of an InstaPot?
Thank you!
I’m wondering the same re using a slow cooker. how long? Any other changes? Thanks!
This is a family favorite! Thank you so much for sharing!
I have to make pulled pork sliders for a party of 50. Does anyone know how many times I need to multiply the recipe?
HELP
to be safe x 5
This is a good base. My recommendation – add liquid smoke and consider a strong “sear” on a propane grill. This will add the BBQ flavor of midwestern and Texas pulled pork.
Tried this recipe for the first time. This is now my go to recipe for BBQ pork. I cooked the pork for 45 minutes in the Instant Pot and it came out so moist and tender. Thankyou for sharing.