Making pulled pork in your pressure cooker could not be easier! The deliciously tender pork can be served in so many ways and is a guaranteed crowdpleaser.
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I wish I could say that my two kids eat everything that’s put in front of them. You’d think that what with growing up with home-cooked meals, and a food obsessed mom, my kids wouldn’t be fussy… but sadly that’s not the case.
I keep waiting for them to get less picky about certain textures, spices and ingredients but in the meantime I have to rely on certain meals I KNOW they will love. And pulled pork is always received with big smiles 🙂
Why make pulled pork in your pressure cooker?
In order to achieve the melt-in-the-mouth texture, pulled pork has to be cooked low and slow. If you were making it in your oven, then cooking time would be several hours.
You can make delicious pulled pork in your slow cooker but the cooking time would be even longer, obviously.
Making pulled pork in your pressure cooker significantly cuts down the cooking time to just over an hour without compromising on the texture or taste.
How to flavour your pork
I have used my favourite spice rub combo here – usually reserved for barbecue ribs. It is made up of ingredients I always have in my pantry and it gives the pork a mildly spicy/smoky flavour which I love.
- sea salt
- mustard powder
- onion granules
- cayenne pepper
- sweet paprika
- ground coffee (not instant)
- brown sugar
Barbecue sauce from scratch
While you can easily use a store-bought BBQ sauce with your pulled pork – and indeed when in a hurry I often do – making it from scratch is easy.
For a real sweet n’sour note I like to use crushed pineapple and its juice along with apple cider vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and a little honey. If you dislike pineapple you can leave it out and replace the juice with vegetable or chicken stock.
How to make pulled pork in your Instant Pot
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
Step 1. Make the spice rub and then coat the pork with it. I like to use pork shoulder trimmed off large bits of fat and cut into a few large chunks.
Step 2. Add the oil into your Instant Pot and press ‘Sauté’ on high. Sear the pork on both sides for a few minutes until nicely browned. Set aside.
Step 3. Deglaze the pot with the rum and then add the pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, honey and minced garlic. Stir in the crushed pineapple and add the pork. Set vent to sealing and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow for 10-15 minutes natural release then manually release the pressure.
Step 4. Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and set aside in a bowl. Add the cornflour slurry into the sauce and Sauté on high for 5 minutes. Meanwhile shred the pork using two forks or these ‘meat claws*’ they are so much fun to use!
Step 5. Return the pork to the sauce and simmer until warmed through. Serve in buns piled with your favourite coleslaw, quick onion pickles or see above for more serving suggestions.
How to serve pulled pork
My favourite way is to serve it in milk buns (or you can use my quick brioche buns) with coleslaw and onion pickles. Messy but oh-so-yum!
Pulled pork is endlessly versatile though and making a big batch is a no-brainer. Here some serving ideas:
- over rice
- in wraps
- In tacos or tostadas
- In enchiladas or quesadillas
- In grilled cheese sandwiches
- Over nachos (soooo yum!)
HAVE YOU MADE MY INSTANT POT PULLED PORK RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram with @supergolden88 and the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
More Instant Pot recipes to try
- Pressure cooker balsamic beef brisket with smashed potatoes and carrots
- Pressure Cooker Lamb Dhansak curry
- Pressure cooker Vietnamese beef stew
- Pressure cooker Korean pork ribs
Pressure cooker pulled pork
Ingredients
For the spice rub
- 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp coarsely ground sea salt
- 1 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1 tsp onion granules
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or ancho chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground coffee (not instant)
For the pulled pork
- 1.6 kg | 3 1/2 pound pork shoulder
- 2 tbsp light olive oil
- 100 g | 3.5oz ketchup
- 60 ml | 2fl oz cider vinegar
- 200 g | 7oz crushed pineapple from a 400g/14oz tin
- 60 ml | 2fl oz of the pineapple juice
- 3 tbsp rum
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp cornstarch diluted in 1 tbsp cold water
To serve
- Milk buns
- Coleslaw
- Pickles
Instructions
- Make the spice rub and then coat the pork with it.
- Add the oil into your Instant Pot and press ‘Sauté’ on high. Sear the pork on both sides for a few minutes until nicely browned. Set aside.
- Deglaze the pot with the rum and then add the pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, honey and minced garlic. Stir in the crushed pineapple and add the pork.
- Set vent to sealing and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow for 10-15 minutes natural release then manually release the pressure.
- Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and set aside in a bowl. Add the cornflour slurry into the sauce and Sauté on high for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile shred the pork using two forks or ‘meat claws’.
- Return the pork to the sauce and simmer until warmed through.
- Serve in buns piled with your favourite coleslaw, quick onion pickles or see notes for more serving suggestions.
Video
Notes
- over rice
- Over Mac and cheese
- in wraps
- In tacos or tostadas
- enchiladas or quesadillas
- In grilled cheese sandwiches
- Over nachos
Elizabeth says
I’ve just got a pressure cooker (not an Instant Pot though) and I am really looking forward to trying this recipe out!
Lucy Parissi says
It works as well in all pressure cookers 😉
Kellie@foodtoglow says
That spice rub and sauce sound AMAZING! I can see why your kids love it. One day they’ll appreciate your other dishes too! Oh and those meat claws – wow! Like Julia said, very Wolverine. Which makes me think of Hugh Jackman. *Sigh* He’d love this too I’m sure 😁😁
Julia Frey says
I need to make this recipe asap! My entire family is huge on pulled pork although I don’t know who isn’t?!! I also need your meat claws. How awesome are they! I would feel like Wolverine!