Instant Pot Pulled Pork

With summer just around the corner, you may be craving some delicious cookout-types of foods!

For me, a juicy pulled pork sandwich is a classic summer meal, especially paired with a frosty cold drink.

But with the warm temps, comes my desire to be nowhere near a hot kitchen, let alone stand in one for an hour cooking dinner.

But with this amazing recipe, you don’t have to!

The pork cooks in the Instant Pot (no heating up your house!), and the cooking time is hands-off, so you can go put your feet up or catch an episode of your favorite show.

This pulled pork recipe uses a homemade spice rub (which can absolutely be made ahead of time), and your favorite bottled bbq sauce (saving you time)!

What do I need to make this recipe?

• Pork loin – even though it’s a relatively lean cut of pork, this has plenty of flavor, and isn’t dry at all.
• Brown sugar – the sweetness pairs nicely with all the savory flavors in the rub.
• Kosher salt – salt enhances all the other flavors, and I much prefer kosher versus table salt since it has a lower sodium content.
• Black pepper – adds a hint of spice.
• Smoked paprika – this adds a beautiful deep smoky flavor.
• Garlic powder – adds a savory umami flavor.
• Onion powder – this adds savoriness, and the onion flavor pairs nicely with the pork.
• Ground mustard – adds a bit of tang.
• Cayenne pepper – the heat added here isn’t a crazy amount, it just adds balance.
• Ground cumin – cumin has an earthy smoky flavor.
• Vegetable oil – this neutral flavored oil has a high smoke point, so it can be heated to a high temperature which is perfect for searing.
• Apple cider vinegar – the tangy flavor balances the other sweet and savory flavors.
• Chicken broth – this is a somewhat neutral cooking liquid, we prefer reduced sodium.
• Hot sauce – this doesn’t really add heat, more of a zippy flavor.

How to make pulled pork in the instant pot?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Combine rub seasonings. If you’d like, you can double all of the seasonings and keep the rest of it on hand for other pork or chicken recipes.
2. Rub into pork. Really massage it in with your hands.
3. Sear. Searing adds extra flavor.
4. Add liquids. The pressure cooker needs to have liquid, and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen browned bits from searing the pork.
5. Return pork and pressure cook.
6. Shred. I like to do this in a bowl.
7. Moisten. Add some of the cooking liquid, as well as a small amount of bbq sauce.

Variations of this recipe

• Pork – if you can’t find or don’t have a boneless pork loin, you can also use a boneless pork shoulder (may be labeled as a boneless pork butt).
• Onion and/or garlic – for an extra oomph of flavor, try chopping a yellow onion and/or a few cloves of garlic and adding them in with the pork.
• Rub – if you’d like to tweak the amounts of the spices used in the spice rub, please feel free.
• Liquid – if you to use a different liquid for this recipe, instead of chicken broth, try your favorite beer, apple juice, soda, or even water.
• Slow cooker – prefer using your crockpot? No problem, check the “chef tips” section below the recipe for the full details.
• Smoking – if you love smoking pork, check out my smoked pork recipe – it’s definitely a reader favorite!

Making pulled pork ahead of time

While this recipe certainly doesn’t take much time to throw together, you can make it entirely ahead of time.

Reheat the shredded pork gently on the stovetop or in the slow cooker on low until hot throughout. You may want to add a splash of water, chicken broth, or additional bbq sauce as it reheats.

Freezing

The thing I love so much about shredded or pulled pork is that is freezes perfectly!

Just make sure it’s completely cooled, then transfer to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3-6 months.

Storage

Leftover pulled pork should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 4-5 days.