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Asian-Style Instant Pot Pulled Pork
5 from 18 votes

Asian-Style Instant Pot Pulled Pork

Asian-Style Instant Pot Pulled Pork features pork shoulder browned and pressure cooked with a savory sauce of soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic, ginger, and spices. The resulting meat is tender and infused with a combination of sweet, salty, and aromatic flavors, perfect for shredding and serving over rice or in buns.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 422 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 1 (3.5 to 4 lbs, 1.6 kg to 1.8 kg) pork shoulder cut into 3 to 4 pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instant Pot
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce or soy sauce, light
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (or soy sauce0
  • 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 ginger sliced, thumb-sized piece
  • 6 garlic smashed, cloves
  • 1 tablespoon cumin powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
  • 1 onion , chopped
Slurry
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Thoroughly pat dry the pork with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
  2. Add oil into the Instant Pot. Swirl to coat the bottom. Turn on the Saute function of the Instant Pot and wait until it shows as hot. Add the pork. Cook until all sides are golden brown, about 10 minutes. You might need to cook the pork in two batches. Add more oil, if needed. Transfer the browned pork to a big plate. Immediately add the water. Use a spatula to scrape off any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot. Turn off Saute function.
  3. Add the remaining Instant Pot ingredients. Stir to mix well.
  4. Transfer the cooked pork back into the Instant Pot. Cover the pot and seal the pressure valve. Use Manual mode on high pressure for 1 hour. Use natural or fast pressure release when done.
  5. Remove the pork from the pot and transfer to a big plate.
  6. Turn on the Saute function again to bring the sauce to a boil. Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Slowly add half of the mixture into the pot. Stir to mix well to thicken the sauce. If the sauce is still thin, slowly add the cornstarch slurry while stirring, until the sauce reaches the desired thickness. Turn off the Saute function immediately and transfer the sauce to a big bowl.
  7. To serve, shred the pork using two forks. Serve hot with the sauce, on top of steamed rice, or stuff into dinner rolls to make a sandwich with homemade Chinese coleslaw.

Notes

  • Substitute tamari or coconut aminos for soy sauce and dry sherry for Shaoxing wine to make the recipe gluten-free.
  • Browning the pork pieces before pressure cooking enhances flavor and texture.
  • The cornstarch slurry thickens the cooking liquid into a sauce after pressure cooking.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 422kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 3.3g (1%) Protein 31.3g (63%) Fat 30.8g (47%) Saturated Fat 10.9g (55%) Cholesterol 119mg (40%) Sodium 363mg (15%) Potassium 475mg (10%) Fiber 0.4g (2%) Sugar 1.9g (4%) Calcium 30mg (3%) Iron 2.2mg (12%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 422

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 422kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 3.3g 1%
Protein 31.3g 63%
Fat 30.8g 47%
Saturated Fat 10.9g 55%
Cholesterol 119mg 40%
Sodium 363mg 15%
Potassium 475mg 10%
Fiber 0.4g 2%
Sugar 1.9g 4%
Calcium 30mg 3%
Iron 2.2mg 12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.