Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork is the easiest and best-pulled pork recipe you’ll ever need! Made with pork shoulder that is perfectly seasoned, this tender as hell dish is ready in just over an hour!
I received a Pressure Cooker years ago as a gift. And I left it unopened in the basement for years. Then, one day I decided to give this handy kitchen gadget a whirl, and I have never looked back. Seriously, your girl is hooked on this thing! With three hungry toddlers and a 6’5″ grown man in the house, I need this in my life because when my family wants to eat, they want to eat now, and a pressure cooker is a perfect way to get a quick and delicious dinner out on the table in no time!
This pressure cooker pulled pork recipe is a play on my absolute favorite smoked pulled pork recipe. Pork shoulder is rubbed in a perfect blend of spices and then pressure cooked in a luscious subtly sweet, slightly savory liquid that produces tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork that is irresistible!
And while many other recipes call to sear the meat before adding to the pressure cooker, I’m here to tell you that this step is unnecessary! No need to waste your time since the meat is shredded and enjoyed in that thick, rich liquid after cooking. Therefore, you won’t even notice a sear, so don’t waste your time. You can thank me later.
So, when you’re craving a hearty and oh-so-delicious pulled pork, whip up this easy instant pot pulled pork recipe. In a little over an hour, you’ll have one tasty dish on the table that the whole family will enjoy!
Ingredients
Pork Shoulder
Boneless pork butt or pork shoulder is best to use for this recipe. However, if you can only find bone-in, feel free to use it as it will be easy to remove at the end of the cook-time.
Cola
Coca-Cola adds the sugar and liquid needed for the recipe. The sugars that are found in cola slowly caramelize while the pork slowly cooks, giving this dish that beautiful, subtly sweet flavor. When paired with the beer, Worcestershire sauce, and spices, it makes this pork irresistible.
Beer
I used a craft brown ale that has dark fruity, slightly burnt caramel notes that paired well with the other smoky flavors of this recipe. However, feel free to use your favorite stout, Belgian ales, winter ales, amber, or dark lagers in this dish as well!
Worcestershire
Adds the needed umami to the sweetness of the sauce.
Additional Spices
- Salt
- Pepper
- Smoked Paprika
- Garlic
- Butt Rub BBQ Seasoning or Season Salt
How to make instant pot pulled pork:
- Add pork shoulder and the rest of the ingredients to the Pressure Cooker.
- Set the manual timer or meat timer to 1.5 hours.
- When the cooking period has ended, safely release the pressure.
- Take two forks and shred the meat. If the pork has a bone, remove it.
- Enjoy as-is, or top on your favorite bun with fixings!
Ways to eat pulled pork
Pulled pork is a versatile dish that can be repurposed throughout the week! All I do is add the tender meat to my favorite dishes to create something new. Here are some of the ways that I prepare it in different dishes for my family:
- As a sandwich on your favorite bun, drizzle with BBQ sauce and favorite toppings
- Use as a stuffing for tacos
- Top a homemade pizza with it!
- Top baked potatoes (or sweet potatoes) for a loaded potato
- Omelets
- Serve over a bed of rice or cauliflower rice
Storage and Reheating
- Storage – Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing – Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze up to 2 months.
- Reheating – To reheat refrigerated leftovers, place in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. If reheating frozen pulled pork, first allow the meat to thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature for a few hours. Once thawed, place in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
FAQs
The amount of time your pork will need to cook, depends on how many pounds you purchase. The general rule of thumb is 20 minutes per pound. So, if you have 3 pounds of meat, you will cook for 60 minutes.
Absolutely not! By the time it’s done cooking, you will have even more liquid than when you started due to the fat rendering off.
For fork-tender pork, I recommend you use a natural release, which will take anywhere from 20-30 minutes to release after the cooking time. The natural release does take a substantial amount of time but is totally worth it. I have found that using a quick release produces tougher pork that is more difficult to shred.
Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 4 –5 lb pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 tbsp salt
- ½ tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ½ tbsp BBQ seasoning blend of choice e.g., Butt Rub
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 12 oz beer such as non-alcoholic Corona
- 16 oz Coca-Cola
Instructions
Prepare the Meat:
- Place the pork shoulder in the pressure cooker insert.
Add Seasoning & Liquids:
- Sprinkle the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and BBQ seasoning evenly over the pork.
- Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, beer, and Coca-Cola.
Pressure Cook:
- Seal the pressure cooker and set it to Manual or Meat/Stew mode for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Release Pressure Safely:
- Once cooking is complete, allow for a natural pressure release for about 10–15 minutes, then carefully perform a quick release to vent any remaining pressure.
- Shred the Pork:
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat. Remove and discard any bones and excess fat if present.
Serve:
- Serve the pulled pork as-is or pile it high on buns with your favorite toppings and sauces.
Additional recipes to try:
Pressure Cooker Vegetarian Sweet Potato and Corn Chowder
Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
Easy Instant Pot American Goulash
Have you tried this recipe?
If you have tried this recipe, please take a moment to rate it 5 stars below. Also, please leave a comment to let me know your thoughts on this recipe. You can also stay in touch with me on Instagram (that’s where I hang out the most). Tag me @RosalynnDaniels or #RosalynnDaniels if you post a photo of your dish, and I will share with my audience through Instastories.
Originally posted on 10/16/2019, updated 03/13/2022
[…] Another reason to love a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. […]
[…] Another reason to love a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. […]
I have been searching and searching for a pulled pork recipe. This was absolutely amazing. I did mine in the slow cooker instead of instapot and it is just what I have been searching for! Thank you!!
OMG this recipe is so easy as Rosalyn says its a dump and walk away never had made pulled pork before and I don’t want to do another recipe after this one.
It was just as easy as it looked, and it was nice and tender!
Awesome! Thank you so much for giving it a try and for leaving a review. I genuinely appreciate you!