Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
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The easiest + BEST pulled pork ever! Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce. So smoky, so flavorful, so juicy, and SO SO GOOD.
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why i love this recipe
- 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 + 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!
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.
tips and tricks for success
- 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.
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
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.
Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
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, we love Stubb's
Equipment
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.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
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Excellent!! Honestly, the best I’ve ever had. I used fresh pressed Fuji apple juice instead of chicken broth. The pork fell apart and was absolutely perfect. I used a barbecue sauce called Sweet Bay Barbecue by Schlotterbeck and Foss (S&F) sold at whole foods. But, I also love it with Stubbs sweet heat. Make this!
These were so simple and so good! I made two batches for a gathering and they were all gone.
This came out great for us. We used pork tenderloin instead of pork shoulder because it was what I had on hand; the pulled pork came out quite well still.
The base rub for the pork is excellent, and adding the barbecue sauce just before I serve (or reheat and serve since this makes great leftovers) is a great way to change the taste of the meal a bit, too.
Just made this recipe in the crockpot and it was delicious! I only did the dry rub on the pork shoulder. No vinegar or additional liquid. Cooked on low 8 hours and it turned out so tender. Cayenne does add a bit of a kick, which I love. Served it on potato rolls with cole slaw. Sooooo good…thanks for the great recipe!
This recipe looks delicious! Are their other types/cuts of meat that can be substituted if you don’t want pork?
yes I’d love to know as well, pork is hard to come by where I live.
This was outstanding! I’ve made pulled pork before but it usually gets its flavor from the bbq sauce. This one is excellent even without the sauce. It far exceeded my expectations!
This was excellent! I agree about the choice of Stubb’s too. I’d sure like a version of this recipe for beef if you can manage it.
We made the exact same recipe, only with beef and I liked it even better than pork. Came out PERFECT!
Do you have a recipe for the slaw?
would love the slaw recipe too!
This is our go to recipe and the family loves it! My family raves about it!
Is there a recipe for the slaw?
Thanks!!!
This sounds great. Question: ingredients list says 1/2 cayenne pepper. Is that supposed to be 1/2 tsp? Thanks! Can’t wait to make this.
This recipe sounds delightful! Unfortunately, I don’t have an Instant Pot but I do have a crockpot. Do you have an recommended cooking times for the pork in a crockpot? Thanks!
Hi Kitty! We don’t have an exact slow cooker version but we have these Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas that you can adapt from.
As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications. Hope that helps!
I haven’t tried this yet. But I intend to very soon. This is the first recipe I’ve seen that doesn’t require cooking the pork in the bbq sauce. Can’t wait to try.
Just curious as to what the slaw is and if there is a recipe for that too.