Apple Butter Pulled Pork ~ Instant Pot or Not!
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 33 mins
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Pressurizing and Release Time
15 mins
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Total Time
2 hrs 3 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
557 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Apple Butter Pulled Pork ~ Instant Pot or Not!
Description
This recipe uses a 6-pound pork shoulder, seasoned generously with salt and fresh cracked black pepper, then browned in butter to develop a crust. Onions and garlic are sautéed in the same pot before adding hard cider and chicken stock along with bay leaves. The pork is pressure cooked in an Instant Pot for about 60 minutes or braised in a 325°F oven for 4 hours until the meat is tender enough to shred easily.
The end product is moist pulled pork with a balance of savory meatiness and the slight sweetness of apple butter mixed into barbecue sauce. The apple butter barbecue sauce brings a fruity, smooth finish that complements the pork’s richness.
This dish works well served as a main course for gatherings or meal prep, suitable for sandwiches, tacos, or served over rice or potatoes. The recipe’s flexibility means you can adapt cooking methods according to equipment available.
The notes provide instructions for stovetop or slow cooker alternatives and information about meat shrinkage during cooking, helping gauge serving size. Bone-in pork shoulder produces slightly less yield than boneless.
Ingredients
- 6 pounds pork shoulder See notes about choosing a pork shoulder, bone-in
- salt fresh cracked
- black pepper fresh cracked
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion peeled and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 cup hard cider or apple cider
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 3 bay leaf
apple butter barbecue sauce
- 1 cup apple butter
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Season your meat generously on both sides with salt and pepper. If your meat is too big to fit in one layer in your Instant Pot, then cut it into pieces so it will fit. You can trim off excess fat if necessary to get it to fit.
- Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot to its high setting (MORE) Add the butter to the pot and wait until the pot is hot. Brown the meat for 5-8 minutes on each side. Don't try to move the meat until it is nice and browned. Remove the meat to a plate.
- Lower the SAUTE button to normal and add the onions and garlic to the pot. Sauté for a couple of minutes, gently scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the hard cider and allow it to bubble for a minute more. Press CANCEL to turn the Instant Pot off.
- Add the meat back into the pot, along with the stock and bay leaves. Lock on the cover and set the vent to SEAL. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 60 minutes. When the machine signals that it is done, let it sit without touching for 15 minutes. Then turn the vent to VENTING and wait for the pressure to come down completely.
- Carefully remove the meat from the pot (it will be extremely tender) and put on a plate to rest.
- Meanwhile strain the juices from the pot and discard the solids. Let sit to allow the fat to rise to the surface. Skim off as much of the fat as you can. (It's ok to leave a little bit.) After straining and defatting you should be left with about 2 cups, more or less.
- When the meat has rested about 10 minutes, remove the bones and excess fat. Then shred the meat with two forks. Put back in the Instant Pot.
apple butter sauce
- Put the strained stock in a sauce pan and bring up to a boil over high heat. Boil for about 10 minutes to reduce it down a bit, then add the apple butter and barbecue sauce. Stir to combine, and then reduce heat and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook until it is a thick as you'd like. Keep in mind it doesn't have to get super thick, and you want enough to really drench your shredded meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add enough sauce to thoroughly coat the meat in the Instant Pot, reserving any leftover to serve on the side. Press the SAUTE button to bring the meat up to a simmer, then press the KEEP WARM button to keep everything hot until you're ready to eat.
- Serve the shredded pork on soft buns, topped with homemade coleslaw.
Notes
- If your pork shoulder is too large for the Instant Pot, cut into pieces to fit and trim excess fat as needed.
- Alternative cooking methods include braising in the oven at 325°F for approximately 4 hours, or slow cooking on low for 6-8 hours after stovetop searing.
- A 6-pound bone-in pork shoulder will yield about 3 pounds of shredded meat; plan for approximately half a pound per serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 557 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 557kcal | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 56g | 112% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 197mg | 66% |
| Sodium | 813mg | 34% |
| Potassium | 1177mg | 25% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 20g | 40% |
| Vitamin A | 200IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 65mg | 7% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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