Instant Pot Pulled Pork 2.0
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5
98 reviews
Excellent
Instant Pot Pulled Pork 2.0
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Instant Pot Pulled Pork 2.0 is a flavorful recipe using pork shoulder cubed and coated with a dry rub of brown sugar, chili powder, spices, and salt, then cooked under pressure with a homemade barbecue sauce. The pork becomes tender and shreddable, infused with sweet, smoky, and tangy flavors from the balanced BBQ sauce made with onion, garlic, maple syrup, honey, vinegar, mustard, ketchup, and optional liquid smoke. The recipe includes steps for sautéing aromatics in the pot and thickening the sauce for a rich coating of pulled pork.
Description
This recipe uses 4 pounds of pork shoulder cut into cubes and rubbed with a spice mixture including brown sugar, chili powder, black pepper, onion and garlic powders, cinnamon, salt, cumin, fennel, and cayenne pepper to build warmth and complexity. After marinating, the pork is cooked in an Instant Pot along with a homemade BBQ sauce made by sautéing onions and garlic, deglazing the pot with chicken stock, and mixing in sweeteners like maple syrup and honey, tangy elements like apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard, and ketchup for a tomato base. A few drops of liquid smoke can add smokiness if desired.
Pressure cooking quickly tenderizes the pork, which is then shredded and combined with the thickened sauce to coat each piece well. The resulting pulled pork has a tender texture and a balanced flavor profile combining sweet, savory, tangy, and mild heat notes. It can be served on buns, tacos, or alongside sides like coleslaw.
Practical tips include storing leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 5 days and adjusting cayenne pepper for desired spice level. Using bone-in pork shoulder adds flavor, and homemade rub and sauce can be substituted with store-bought versions if preferred. Keeping some skin and fat on the meat helps retain moisture though it can make the BBQ sauce oily.
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Ingredients
- 4 pounds (1730g) pork shoulder cut into 2 - 2¼ inches cubes, aka pork butt meat
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil or vegetable oil
Pulled Pork Dry Rub:
- 2 tablespoons (25g) brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons (5g) chili powder
- 2 teaspoons (4g) black pepper ground
- 1 teaspoon (2.4g) onion powder
- 1 teaspoon (2.8g) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (2.3g) cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (1g) cumin seed , ground
- ½ teaspoon (1g) fennel seed , ground
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon (0.25g - 0.5g) cayenne pepper (see notes)
BBQ Sauce for Pulled Pork:
- 1 (200g) onion sliced, medium
- 1 tablespoon (12.5g) brown sugar
- 3 garlic minced, cloves
- ¾ cup cup (188ml) chicken stock unsalted
- ⅛ cup (31ml) maple syrup or honey
- ⅛ cup (31ml) honey
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) Dijon mustard
- liquid smoke optional, 3 drops
- 1 cup (250ml) ketchup
Thickener
- 4 tablespoons (32g) all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- ¼ cup (63ml) water cold tap
Instructions
- Rub Pulled Pork Dry Rub: Mix all Dry Rub ingredients, then rub it all over the cubed pork. Put pork in fridge for 30 minutes up to overnight.
- Optional – Saute Onion and Garlic: Heat up Instant Pot using “Sauté More” function. Wait until it says “HOT” on the screen (roughly 8 mins).Add 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil or vegetable oil in Instant Pot. Make sure the oil coats the whole bottom of the pot.Add in sliced onions and 1 tbsp (12.5g) brown sugar, then saute for 3 minutes.Add in minced garlic, then saute for another minute.
- Deglaze Instant Pot: Add ¾ cup (188ml) unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot. Then completely deglaze the bottom of the pot by scrubbing the flavorful brown bits with a wooden spoon.
- Pressure Cook Pork Shoulder: Add ⅛ cup (31ml) maple syrup, ⅛ cup (31ml) honey, 2 tbsp (30ml) apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp (30ml) Dijon mustard, and 3 drops liquid smoke to the Instant Pot. Give it a quick mix.Place all cubed pork in Instant Pot.Amy + Jacky’s Pro Tips: Try to keep the pork's skin side facing up and make sure they’re at least partially submerged in cooking liquid.Layer 1 cup (250ml) of ketchup on top of the pork. Do not mix.With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 35 minutes, then Natural Release for 15 minutes. Open the lid carefully.
- Check Pork Shoulder’s Tenderness: Check if the pork is tender enough. If the pork is still tough, Pressure Cook at High Pressure for another 10 minutes.Then, place pork in a large container.
- Thicken BBQ Sauce: Bring BBQ sauce to a simmer with “Saute” function.In a container, mix 4 tbsp (32g) all-purpose flour with ¼ cup (63ml) cold water. Make sure to mix it really well.When BBQ Sauce is simmering, mix the flour mixture into the BBQ sauce one-third at a time until your desired thickness.
- Season BBQ Sauce: Taste BBQ sauce and add more brown sugar or kosher salt as needed. For reference, we added 2 pinches of salt and 2 tsp brown sugar at the end to balance flavors.Taste test once more to make sure everything is perfectly seasoned.Option 1: Shred pork, place pulled pork in BBQ sauce, then serve BBQ pulled pork.Option 2 (proceed to next step): You can place the whole pork cubes in oven to further enhance the flavors.
- Optional Flavor-Enhancing – Crisp Pork Shoulder: Coat pork cubes generously with BBQ Sauce.Place pork under a broiler or the top rack of a preheated 450°F toaster oven until the surface is crisped (roughly 8 to 10 minutes).Flip the cubed pork, brush each piece with more BBQ sauce, then place them in oven again until the surface is crisped.
- Shred Pork & Serve: Shred BBQ Pulled Pork with 2 forks.If you like a saucier Pulled Pork, place pulled pork back in BBQ sauce. Then serve it in sandwiches, sliders, or with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy~
Equipments used:
Notes
- Bone-in pork shoulder can be used, rubbing bones as well to add flavor; bones can be cooked with the meat.
- If short on time, store-bought dry rub and BBQ sauce can substitute homemade versions.
- Adjust cayenne pepper for desired spice level; ¼ tsp for medium, ⅛ tsp for mild heat.
- Store leftover pulled pork in the fridge up to 3–5 days; reheat thoroughly before serving.
- Keeping skin and fat cap on pork keeps meat moist but may make sauce oily; a fat separator can reduce excess oil in the sauce.
- Pork butt meat or char siu meat labeled at Asian markets can be cost-effective choices.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
307kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
25g
(8%)
Protein
29g
(58%)
Fat
10g
(15%)
Saturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Cholesterol
93mg
(31%)
Sodium
729mg
(30%)
Potassium
674mg
(14%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
19g
(38%)
Vitamin A
332IU
(7%)
Vitamin C
5mg
(6%)
Calcium
55mg
(6%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6- 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 307 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 307kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 25g | 8% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 93mg | 31% |
| Sodium | 729mg | 30% |
| Potassium | 674mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 19g | 38% |
| Vitamin A | 332IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 55mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
98 reviews
Excellent
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