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.
Hello, summer. Please don’t leave us just yet. I’m not ready for the Chiberia snow. (FACTS ONLY – it snowed Halloween day in 2019.)
No, but really, let’s get back to the best part of summer days: Pool parties. COVID honeymoon boat trips. And now, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches.
That’s right. PULLED PORK SAMMIES. Smothered with your favorite BBQ sauce ever.
The instant pot takes care of all the hard work and all the time, infusing all the flavors into the most tender, juicy shredded pork in less than 90 minutes.
When ready, drizzle with desired BBQ sauce (we recommend Stubb’s!) and serve with slaw, pickles and brioche buns. The pork also keeps VERY WELL so these can easily be prepared ahead of time for all the socially-distanced-get-togethers.
Stay safe and stay cool, friends. And eat some pulled pork sammies immediately.
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.
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Incredibly simple and easy… INCREDIBLY delicious! A recipe I keep coming back to time and time again.
Hi…
This recipe looks delicious! If I am tripling it and using 14lbs of pork…..
I tripled the ingredients….questions:
Should the broth cover the pork?
Do I still cook for 40 min?
What do the cut up chunks look like? Cut in cubes or 3 inch straps?
Just checking in because I was surprised that this calls for quick release. My understanding was that quick release can toughen meats. Or do I have it backward? It’s in the pot now so I guess I’ll have to see…
I wondered about this too. I did quick release and it wasn’t so fall apart as I would like. I’m wondering if my cut of meat was tougher or if the quick release is a bad idea. Did you try?
This is the EASIEST way to make pulled pork and it is insanely delicious! I have to admit that I was very skeptical about this one as it read as way too easy and cooked so quickly. I really did not think a big hunk of pork would cook through and would be tender. Not only did it cook well but the entire thing fell apart and was so tender! Hubby went crazy for this and is now a regular item on our dinner menu. Making it this weekend for a family gathering and cannot wait for the rave reviews!
Made this for the first time today and it will be my go to recipe. Loved the seasoning, and cooking it in the instant pot made for very tender pork. Perfect.
Amazing, tender, fall-apart pulled pork! I’ve made this twice in 2 weeks since finding the recipe, it was so good. The first time I doubled the recipe and upped the cooking time to 60mins in the instant pot and doubled all the ingredients. The 2nd time, I did the normal serving size (for just the family) and switched to smoked paprika and a touch less vinegar. They were both fantastic but my crew said they liked the one with the smoked paprika more. I made pulled pork quesadillas on corn tortillas, covered in mashed avocado, some cilantro (chopped) and sour cream for a non-bread option. This is a keeper!
Best pulled pork I’ve ever had. Im never going out to eat for BBQ again. I shared it with family and coworkers and everyone was very impressed.
I’m going to try this recipe with chicken thighs next.
I did this with a 2 pound pork loin roast, halved the recipe and cooked it for 25 minutes. Outrageously good. My husband and I used our respective Kansas City and North Carolina barbecue sauces. Happy family. A keeper.
I’d like to double this recipe for a family function. What would you suggest as the cook time? Keep at 40minutes?
What are you supposed to do with the fat that I cut into 3 inch chunks? Thank you
Watching the video clarifies this. Apparently you are to cut the pork, not the fat, into 3” pieces.
Delicious! Whole family beloved it!
If I’m making this in a crock pot, at which heat setting, and for how long do I cook,it?
Can this pulled pork recipe be made in a crock pot?
This is so delicious!! The pork came out so incredibly tender and moist. It makes a big portion, and we froze the excess pulled pork, and that worked very well too heating up perfectly in a pan! I also froze all of the excess juice/broth and we’ve used it for ramen, which was delicious! We’re keeping this recipe in rotation
Just made this last weekend and it was a huge hit! So easy and flavorful. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
The flavors in the rub are great and the pork turns out so tender. This is a recipe on repeat at my house
I’d sure love to now the conversion for slow cooker for this recipie!
I love this recipe, it is delicious.
Best pulled pork I have made and I have tried 4 different recipes. This one is the best and I will be sharing the recipe.