Instant Pot Pulled Pork is so juicy and tender, it tastes like it cooked all day! Serve pulled pork with or without BBQ sauce as an entree, or make the best pulled pork sandwiches.
Pressure cooker pulled pork for the win!
This Instant Pot pulled pork recipe is sure to become your go-to for mouthwatering pulled pork when it's party time. Compared to other methods, it's a quicker way to cook pork butt or shoulder and get the same juicy results.
Pressure cooker pulled pork is as easy as seasoning, searing, pressure cooking, and shredding – and watching everyone devour it. It's as juicy as slow cooker pulled pork, but cooks in fractions of the time.
Oh, and you better believe it makes the best pulled pork sliders and pulled pork sandwiches for summer BBQ's and super bowl food! Of course, you'll also want to grab these classic pulled pork sides!
Key ingredients
- oil - use any cooking oil
- pork butt or pork shoulder - pork butt is recommended for fall-apart results; use bone-in or boneless
- salt - use sea salt or kosher salt
- smoked paprika - or classic paprika
- garlic powder
- black pepper
- chicken broth - or preferred broth or stock
- Worcestershire sauce - This adds a beautiful subtle umami flavor and could be considered a secret weapon ingredient.
Pork butt vs pork shoulder
The Instant Pot takes an inexpensive, tough cut of meat like pork shoulder or pork butt, and turns it into a masterpiece that tastes and feels like it cooked all day! If you're wondering which one to use, there are some differences, but either will work for this recipe.
Pork butt, or Boston Butt, has more fat marbling that benefits from slow cooking and pressure cooking which tenderizes and falls apart when it's pulled or shredded.
Pork shoulder, or picnic shoulder, has less fat marbling, so it's a leaner cut that doesn't fall apart as easily as pork butt, but will still work for this recipe.
How to season pulled pork for the Instant Pot
The dry rub for this pressure cooker pulled pork recipe consists of paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. There's NO sugar and it’s not spicy at all, so it’s family-friendly and super versatile to use any way you like. Of course, you can make it spicy by adding cayenne pepper or chipotle powder to the dry rub.
How I make this recipe
Pulled pork is super easy to make in the Instant Pot and turns out the juiciest, crowd-pleasing, delicious grub in a few simple steps.
To start, trim the pork and cut into pieces if it's too large for your Instant Pot like I did in these photos. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Then combine the dry rub spices and coat the pork on all sides.
Sear all sides of each piece of pork using the 'Saute' setting in the Instant Pot. Deglaze the pot by adding a splash of broth and scrape the brown bits off the bottom. This is "liquid gold").
Pressure cook the pork on HIGH for 45 min pressure cook with 15 min natural pressure release (NPR).
Transfer pork pieces to a tray or bowl. Shred the pork into smaller, bite-sized pieces with meat claws or two forks. Serve warm.
Pork roast pressure cooker time per pound
According to the Instant Pot cooking time chart, pork roast gets 15 minutes of pressure cook time per pound. My recipe uses 3 lbs of pork and pressure cooks for 45 minutes, which yields perfectly cooked, delectable pork that melts in your mouth.
How to serve Instant Pot pulled pork
Serve pulled pork piled up on sandwiches with homemade BBQ sauce and quick coleslaw.
Or, serve it as shredded pork without BBQ sauce next to Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. I recommend adding a side of au jus (leftover pulled pork cooking broth) for dunking.
Can I freeze this recipe?
Yes! Freezing pulled pork is a great way to stretch your dollars and your time! Allow the shredded pork to cool completely and package into airtight freezer-safe containers. Freeze up to 3 months, or longer if vacuum sealed. To thaw, transfer to the refrigerator for an overnight stay, then heat and serve.
Side dishes you'll love with this recipe
- Garlicky Roasted Mushrooms
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Smashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Red Potato Salad with Dill
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
- Macaroni Salad
Instant Pot Pulled Pork (With or Without BBQ Sauce)
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 pounds Pork Butt (bone-in or boneless), or pork shoulder
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 ½ cups Chicken Broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions
- Sprinkle SALT on all sides of PORK.
- Combine PAPRIKA, GARLIC POWDER, and BLACK PEPPER in a mixing bowl and generously coat PORK.Note: At this point, you can proceed with cooking OR cover and refrigerate pork overnight.
- Add OIL to the Instant Pot and press “Saute”.
- When the display reads “Hot”, sear both sides of PORK pieces and transfer to a plate.
- Pour CHICKEN BROTH and WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE into the pot, scraping the browned bits off the bottom to deglaze.Increase broth to 2 cups if using 8 or 10 quart pressure cooker.
- Add the seared PORK pieces back to the cooker, secure the lid, and press “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” on HIGH for 45 minutes.
- When pressure cook cycle is done, allow a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR). Flip the pressure valve to the "venting" position and release any remaining steam.
- Transfer pork to a plate or tray. Use two forks to pull the pork into smaller pieces.
- Serve warm scooped onto sliders or sandwiches, nachos, tacos, pasta, you name it!
Storage and Freezing Instructions
- Allow pulled pork to cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days, or freeze up to 90 days (longer if vacuum sealed). To thaw, transfer pork to the refrigerator for an overnight stay, then heat and serve.
RECIPE VIDEO
Traci's Recipe Notes
- as a topping for nachos, tacos, enchiladas, or poutine
- alongside our cheesy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- piled up on Pulled Pork Sliders with
Equipment
- serving platter
- two forks or other utensils to shred the pork
NUTRITION
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
Shannon says
Thank you, Great recipe!
The Kitchen Girl says
You're so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Amelda says
OMG…this is the best recipe. Making ahead and freezing for a family vaca of 17. Cooked 2 batches of 6#’s each. Had to taste..amazing flavor. I am also freezing some of the liquid for reheating.
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayy! You are so very welcome. I love this idea of cooking ahead for (wow!) 17 people. I want to be in your family lol. Have so much fun and thank you for making my recipe part of your family event. I'm honored 🙂
John says
Wow! This is fantastic! I usually do pork butt on the smoker so this kind of feels like cheating but in the middle of winter here on the borders of MN, ND and Canada, it’s better than standing outside! Thanks!
The Kitchen Girl says
Nice! I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipe. We love it smoked too, but the convenience of cooking pulled pork in the Instant Pot wins LOL. Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback. Cheers!
Lisette says
We love this recipe. I've made it twice now. Tonight we had it on poutine with fried onions, mushrooms and peppers. Next time, we will have it on a baked sweet potato. My husband loves it in sandwiches.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayyy Lisette! So glad to hear it 🙂 Pulled pork on poutine = decadence! I'm simply honored Thank you!
Jeff says
Hands dowwwn one of the best recipes we've made in the Instant Pot Makes the best tacos, sandwiches, mac and cheese, and delicious straight outta the pot with a fork. Will make again and again!
The Kitchen Girl says
I'm so glad you love this pulled pork as much as I do! I can't decide which one of those things I like the best. Whichever one I'm eating at the time...that's my favorite
Lisalia says
Yummy! Love it! Thanks for this delicious and easy to make pulled pork!
The Kitchen Girl says
You're so welcome, Lisalia! Thanks and enjoy 🙂
Nathan says
Wow, fantastic! Huge fan of pulled pork and I love the convenience of doing it in an instant pot!
The Kitchen Girl says
Thanks, Nathan! Glad you love pulled pork too 🙂 So easy in the Instant Pot!
Cate says
These sound so simple and delicious, thanks for this recipe can't wait to try it!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Cate...enjoy!
Dannii says
This looks amazing. Perfect in a sandwich with loads of slaw.
The Kitchen Girl says
Glad to hear it, Dannii! We love pulled pork with slaw too! And BBQ sauce
veenaazmanov says
This is so well cooked. Moist and juicy and truly mouth melting and flavorful.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay Veena! So glad to hear it! Instant Pot Pulled Pork is the juiciest way to cook it
Michelle says
Love it! Super easy to make, and there's so many uses for it!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Michelle! Glad to hear it 🙂 And yes, soooo many great ways to use pulled pork!
Katie says
This looks wonderful!! Can't wait to try it.
The Kitchen Girl says
Glad you think so, Katie! Enjoy 🙂
Sharon says
Making this pork recipe in the instant pot is the key to making it so tender it just falls apart. Perfect for sandwiches or on it's own.
The Kitchen Girl says
Sharon ... yusssss! Thank you 🙂 It truly is my favorite way to make pulled pork, especially because it's basically hands-free!
Toni Dash says
A new favorite at my house! Everyone loved it!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayy! So glad to hear it Toni 🙂 It's a fav at our house too!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
Thank you for the recipe, it was absolutely delicious and we all loved it!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay Shadi! You're so welcome ... so glad to hear it 🙂