This Instant Pot pulled pork recipe makes pulled pork that is ready in less than an hour!
Get juicy, tender results when you cook pulled pork in an Instant Pot with seasonings, onion, and root beer! Drizzle with your fave BBQ sauce for the perfect bite.
Perfect for pulled pork sandwiches or to scoop over coleslaw or even on top of mac and cheese!
An Instant Pot Makes Great Pulled Pork!
- An Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker and it’s both safe and easy to use.
- Pork needs to cook low and slow (and usually takes a long time!). Cooking it in a pressure cooker is fast, it’s ready in less than an hour!
- Instant pot pulled pork is melt-in-your-mouth tender and has a great slow-cooked flavor in less time than slow cooker pulled pork.
- Prep ahead and reheat or pull the pork and keep it warm in the Instant Pot so your guests can serve themselves.
We’ve got you covered with everything you’ll need for serving from coleslaw to homemade buns and a side of potato salad!
Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
Pork – The best cut of meat is either a boneless shoulder roast or butt roast. Other cuts of meat to look for are blade roast, pork butt, or Boston butt. We prefer more marbled pork roast over pork loin for both flavor and texture.
Frozen pork can be used as long as it is cut before freezing. Skip the searing in step 2 and add 5-7 minutes to the cooking time.
Seasoning – Pre-made pork rub will work in a pinch, but the easy pork rub in the recipe is next-level and uses spices you likely have on hand!
Liquid – You’ll need a bit of liquid to create pressure. We love the subtle flavor of root beer adds (and it slightly sweetens the pork as it cooks). Dr. Pepper or cola will work too! Don’t have soda? Use chicken broth, water, or apple juice in place.
BBQ Sauce – Pick your favorite or make homemade barbecue sauce. If not using homemade, we love Sweet Baby Ray’s.
How to Make Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Season & brown big 2-inch chunks of pork in oil in the Instant Pot. Remove and set aside.
- Add water and scrape the brown bits from the pot. Add root beer and garlic.
- Return pork to the Instant Pot, seal, and pressure cook on HIGH (per recipe below). Natural release for 15 minutes.
- Remove and shred the meat. Add ½ cup of juices from the Instant Pot and stir in the BBQ sauce. Drizzle with extra bbq sauce if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Serve pulled pork on hamburger buns, brioche buns, or hoagie rolls. PRO TIP: Toast the rolls cut-side up under the broiler with garlic butter.
Pulled pork can also be spooned over mac and cheese or rice.
PRO TIP: Toast the rolls cut-side up under the broiler with garlic butter.
Add some creamy coleslaw, some pickled red onions, quick pickled jalapenos, and some bread and butter pickles.
Don’t forget a picnic-perfect pasta salad and a pitcher of tangy lemonade!
Storing Leftover Pulled Pork
Keep leftover pulled pork in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve as sandwiches again, or make a wrap with coleslaw for an energizing workday lunch!
Freeze portions for up to 4 months in zippered bags labeled with the date.
Perfect Sides for Pulled Pork
Did you love this Instant Pot Pulled Pork? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 ½ to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
- 3 tablespoons pork rub or use rub recipe below
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup water
- 1 can root beer or Dr. Pepper or cola
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce or to taste
Instructions
- Cut pork into large cubes, about 4" each and season with pork rub.
- Turn Instant Pot onto sear and add oil. Brown pork in batches until browned (or in a pan).
- Add water to the bottom of the Instant Pot and be sure to scrape all of the brown bits off (to avoid a burn notice). Add root beer and garlic.
- Add pork and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes (according to your product manual). Natural release for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and using two forks, shred the meat. Add ¼ cup juices from the Instant Pot (discard remaining juices). Stir in BBQ sauce.
- Serve on toasted rolls with coleslaw.
Notes
Pork Rub
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt, black pepper
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Entree, Main Course, Pork
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This was so easy and so delicious. I did use the dry rub recipe and the Root Beer in the PC stage. I did not add the BBQ sauce as I planned on sharing this shredded Pork with our little fur babies.
I made a gravy from the juice in the pot and put the gravy over mashed potatoes. Excellent dinner. PS: The furbabies loved it too. I had a hard time getting their empty plates from them to wash as they were still licking every last drop.
It’s quick, easy, and good to eat. My kind of cooking
For NON OWNERS of the INSTANT POT—
How can these recipes be converted to a SLOW COOKER or even Stove Top?
Hi Sally, you can find our slow cooker pulled pork here!
It was easy and delicious, thank you so much
You are so very welcome Janet!
I haven’t tried this yet but I wonder if I can cook this with sauerkraut? My mom used to make a roast with sauerkraut and I never watched her do it. Of course the recipe was in her head. What do you suggest?
I haven’t tried it but that sounds delicious! I would suggest setting the sauerkraut on top of the pork as it cooks (and not mixing it in). Let us know how it goes!
I’ve made this and it is a huge family hit! Can I double the recipe for a party? Same time?
It should work to double as long as your Instant Pot is large enough. You can also try this crockpot pulled pork recipe if you have a larger crockpot. Hope that helps!
Make this everytime with your colesaw recipe love love the flavor and the tenderness of the meat. 10 out of 10 YUM
That is such a yummy pairing! Glad you enjoyed it.
First time, I made pulled pork in Crockpot. Then a few days ago my mom sent me this recipe and omg…. We love it!!! Still got some left, will be adding it to brown rice tomorrow.
Brown rice is the perfect side!! Glad you loved it!
Really simple and came out great. I used diet root beer because that’s what was on hand. Hubby had no idea (he hates diet anything) and went back for seconds. Will make this again and again.
Normally I like to do pork butt on the smoker and it always turns out great. However this recipe is awesome and at a fraction of the time. Great job. Will be doing this many times over the cold winter days.
Thank you David, so happy you love this pulled pork!
This was my first time working with pork (I’m Jewish), my first time using my Instant Pot (it’s been living in the garage since my sweet husband gave it to me years ago), and my first time making a traditional BBQ sauce. Everything turned out beautifully. Your recipes are so easy to follow and are so good! I’ve been steering my daughter toward your recipes ever since she moved into her own apartment because you have so many great staple recipes. We have never been disappointed. This pulled pork turned out tender and flavorful. I used your basic BBQ sauce recipe (using Dr. Pepper, great excuse for buying some) and when added I added it to the pulled pork it was like magic. I will make your red cabbage slaw tomorrow when we have this for dinner. Your pork rub was also easy and delicious! Thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing Rachel! It makes my day hearing that everything turned out so well for you. You are so welcome!!
Freaking awesome
Could I make this amount in my Mini Duo (3 qt Instant Pot)? Or should I scale back the recipe by 1/3? 1/2? – thanks.
The recipe should work just fine in a smaller IP, I would suggest that you check the manual for the quantities to see how much to scale back. Let us know how it goes!
can this dish be cooked in slowcooker
It sure can. I follow this method for crock pot pulled pork.