Recipes/Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork

Version 1 - Applesauce

Ingredients

• 2-3 lb boneless pork roast or shoulder cut into 3-4 inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons seasoning salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 cups unsweetened apple juice
• barbecue sauce - see Recipes/Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce

Directions

• Place your pork chunks in your Instant Pot.
• In a small bowl, combine seasoning salt, brown sugar and garlic powder. Sprinkle over pork and rub to coat, turning to coat all sides.
• Add apple juice in the bottom of the pressure cooker.
• Put the lid on, turn the valve to sealing, and select Manual or Pressure Cook on high pressure and set the cook time for 60 minutes. It will take about 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to build pressure and begin the countdown.
• When the cook time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally. This can take up to 15 minutes.
• When the pin drops, open the valve and remove the lid. Use two forks to shred the pork (you can do this right in the juice or on a cutting board) and toss with your favorite barbecue sauce. Serve.

Notes

• Use a pork roast or shoulder: Boneless pork roast or pork shoulder is the most widely used cut to use for pulled pork. Pork shoulder is inexpensive and relatively tough with a generous amount of fat, making it an ideal cut for pressure cooking or slow cooking.
• Smaller chunks > one large roast: cutting your roast into smaller 2-4” pieces ensures that our pork will be fall-apart tender in the 60 minute cook time. It will be juicier and more flavorful, because more of the pork is exposed to the seasoning and the cooking liquid.
• Give the pork a good spice rub before cooking: Make sure you rub the pork chunks with the dry ingredients before adding the juice to your Instant Pot. This will ensure flavorful, extra-tender pulled pork once the meat has finished pressure cooking.

Variations

• Experiment with your favorite dry seasonings and make a homemade pork rub or or try a commercial spice rub made specifically for pork. You can also substitute other types of juice, like in this recipe for Slow Cooker Pineapple Pulled Pork.
• Use a pork loin in place of pork shoulder or pork blade roast as listed here. It is not typically used for pulled pork as it is a leaner cut of meat, but I find it cooks up perfectly tender in the Instant Pot and is a great inexpensive swap if you can’t find pork shoulder.

Version 2 - Simmer Down The Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 4 lb boneless pork shoulder/butt
• 1 tbsp veggie oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup bbq sauce - see Recipes/Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce

Directions

• Trim off any large pieces of fat from the surface of the pork. Cut the pork into 4 pieces. Sprinkle the salt, sugar, and pepper evenly over all sides of the pork, then pat the seasonings into the meat.

• Turn an electric pressure cooker on to sauté. Once heated, add the oil. Working in 2 batches, add the pork and sear on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a plate. Turn off the sauté function, then pour in the water and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the barbecue sauce, then return the pork to the pot.

• Lock the lid into place and make sure the valve is set to seal. Set to cook on HIGH pressure for 60 minutes. The cooker should take between 10 and 12 minutes to come up to pressure.

• Open the pressure release valve (quick release) as soon as the cook time is up. Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board or rimmed baking sheet. Set the cooker to sauté to boil and reduce the sauce by about half, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, use 2 forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard any large pieces of fat.

• Return the shredded pork to the cooker and mix well with the sauce.

Related Recipes

• Recipes/Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce