Instant Pot Pulled Pork

5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Pulled Pork cooks perfectly tender, melt in your mouth meat in under an hour.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 244kcal

Use a sharp knife and a cutting board to cut the pork into 3-4 large pieces and trim off any large pieces of fat.
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
Place the pork shoulder on a large plate and rub in the seasoning mix onto it, evenly on all sides.
1.6 ounces package BBQ pulled pork seasoning mix
Heat the avocado oil in the instant pot using the saute function and then sear the pork on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. You don’t need to cook it long, just enough to give it some color and flavor.
1 tablespoon avocado oil
Turn off the instant pot and whisk together the tomato sauce, dark brown sugar and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl.
½ cup tomato sauce, ½ cup dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
Pour the sauce over the pork and then put on the lid and seal the instant pot.
Cook using the meat/stew function for 60 minutes or until the pork easily pulls apart.
Once the pork has finished cooking, release the steam using the quick release function and pull apart the pork on a large plate, using two forks or a fork and a large prong.
Mix the pork back into the sauce and serve on buns, optional.
Optional garnishes: barbecue sauce, Buns and potato chips for serving

Storage:

To Store: Instant Pot Pulled Pork should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eaten within 3-4 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze this dish in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 2-3 months.
To Reheat: Reheat your pulled pork in a saucepan over low heat, in a slow cooker on low or in the microwave. If you are reheating from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge first before reheating.

Tips:

I used a 3-3.5 pound cut of pork. You can use a 2-2.5 pound cut if you wish but I would reduce the sauce slightly or your pulled pork may have a runnier sauce.
You can reduce the sugar to ⅓ cup if you like your pulled pork to be less sweet.
I do not recommend using a leaner cut of meat (like pork loin roast or pork tenderloin) with this recipe. The pork shoulder will release a lot of juices and fat, so your meat will be extra tender and flavorful.
Don’t skip the searing step. Searing is essential for locking in the juices and melding the flavors together in the meat.