Instant Pot Pulled Pork

4 from 4 votes

I'm still dreaming about this Instant Pot Pulled Pork! Fork tender pieces of meat, big flavor, and the best homemade BBQ sauce ever. I've even included detailed instructions on how to make this recipe in your slow cooker.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bbq sauce, instant pot, pork, pulled pork

Servings:

Calories: 374kcal

Author: Nicole Beaulieu

Ingredients

Pulled Pork

4-6 lbs pork shoulder aka pork butt, cut into 1"-2" cubes
2 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp pepper freshly ground
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried mustard
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or as much/ little as you like
2 tbsp olive oil
12 oz beer*

BBQ Sauce

1 3/4 cups ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp water
1/4 cup brown sugar packed
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper or to taste

Instructions

Toss the pork with the salt, pepper, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, dried mustard, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Add all the BBQ sauce ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.
Turn your Instant Pot on to the Sauté function. Once the pot is hot, add the olive oil, Sear the pork on all sides, working in batches as to not over-crowd the pot. Set the seared pieces aside in a bowl.
Pour the beer into the pot and whisk well to get all the bits off the bottom. Add the pork back to the pot, along with the prepared BBQ sauce. Give everything a quick stir to combine.
Secure the lid of your Instant Pot and set the valve to SEAL. Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before quick-releasing the remaining pressure.
Remove the pieces of pork with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a baking sheet. Turn the sauté setting on your Instant Pot, and let the sauce reduce for 10-15 minutes, or until it has reached your desired consistency.**
Use two forks to shred the pork, removing any large pieces of fat during this process. OPTIONAL: Broil the pork in the oven for 5 minutes or so to crisp the edges.
Pour about 1 cup of sauce over the pork and toss well to combine. Leave some sauce on the side to serve.

Notes

*I used a scotch ale. It's best to use beers that are lighter on the hoppy side like lager, brown ale, amber ale, porter, wheat beer, or pilsner.

**Keep in mind the sauce will continue to thicken further as it cools down.

Slow cooker instructions:

Follow steps 1 and 2 as per the recipe.

Add the oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides. Work in batches, and add the finished pieces to your slow cooker.
Pour the beer into the skillet and whisk to get all the bits off the bottom. Pour this, along with the BBQ sauce, into your slow cooker. Give everything a good mix.
Cook on high pressure for 5-6 hours or low pressure for 8-10 hours.

Follow the rest of the recipe as usual. Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and reduce it over medium to medium-high heat.

Keep in mind nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the ingredients you use.

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Nutrition