Best Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Perfect for meal prep, our Instant Pot Pulled Pork is one of our family’s favorite recipes because it gives us so many dinner options at a great value!
Add bbq sauce to a pork butt to make shredded pork or pulled pork for sliders, making loaded baked potatoes and nachos. These are all regular items in our meal rotation.
We also love the way soda pop uniquely flavors our Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings!
An Easy Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
The Instant Pot makes the most tender and juicy shredded pork. Soda, red wine vinegar and BBQ seasoning flavors are pressured cooked into the pork. Using a pork shoulder to make pulled pork is one of my go-to family meals!
We like to eat sandwiches the first time. Then we use extra pulled pork in BBQ Pulled Pork Crescents, BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders or Loaded Baked Potatoes. We freeze any extra meat right away in a freezer safe container.
Pulled pork makes some of the best party foods like Easy Pulled Pork Nachos, Pulled Pork Quesadillas, or Loaded Waffle Fries. With so many easy recipe options we always keep pulled pork in the freezer.
My favorite pulled pork sandwich has one slice of a good quality bread, a layer of pulled pork, a drizzle of our Farmhouse Barbecue Sauce and a slice of Havarti cheese!
Our favorite way to make pulled pork in the slow cooker is Margarita Monday Shredded Pork or Soda flavored Pulled Pork.
Ingredients Needed to Make Pulled Pork in the Instant Pot with Soda
- Pork Butt – bone-in or boneless, any piece of the pork shoulder that fits in your Instant Pot works well! As it pressures cooks and tenderizes it will fall off the bone and fat will seperate making the meat easy to shred.
- Soda – also called pop, we like a dark colored soda like cherry Coke, Pepsi or Dr. Pepper for a little hint of sweetness that infuses the meat while cooking.
- Chicken Broth – an optional liquid that ensures there’s plenty of moisture in the pot to aid in pressure cooking.
- Red Wine Vinegar – we like to use balsamic vinegar for an extra special flavor. Since vinegar is acidic it really interacts well with the protein to help tenderize the meat. Sometimes red wine vinegar is easier to find than balsamic, so either will work fine.
- BBQ Seasoning – the McCormick applewood seasoning is our favorite, but using your favorite BBQ rub or a lesser amount of seasoned salt is fine too.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Most pork roasts fit in a 6 quart pressure cooker, but they typically fit more easily into an 8 quart model.
- Take care not to fill past the maximum fill line. This allows the lid to seal and pot to pressurize properly.
- Allow plenty of time to make a big hunk of meat as it will take the pot longer to pressurize. If a natural release is performed and the meat is not tender the pot needs to pressurize, cook and naturally release again until all meat is fork tender. Tender meat can be removed from the pot and eaten. The outside of the roast will cook faster than the inside that touches the bone.
- The pork typically does not overcook, but will stay tender even if the pot is allowed to natural release for an hour or two.
- There’s plenty of fluid which helps the pork stays tender and warm in an Instant Pot. This allows the meat to be served right out of the pot over a longer time period.
We love adding some bbq pork to Baked Grilled Cheese Sandwiches too!
How to Make Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Add liquids to Instant Pot. Mix up seasoning and rub on pork roast. Add to Instant Pot.
Seal Instant Pot lid in the locked position. Pressure cook for 25 – 30 minutes per pound.
If meat came straight out of the refrigerator pressure cook for 30 minutes per pound.
If meat sat on the counter (following food safety guidelines) to decrease chill, pressure cook for 25 minutes per pound.
Allow Instant Pot to natural release for 20 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Remove lid.
Pork should shred easily with two forks. If it doesn’t return the lid to lock position and pressure cook for another 20 minutes. Continue to do so until the roast is done and shreds easily.
Stir in BBQ sauce or serve on the side. Enjoy!
More Easy Meal Ideas
Zucchini Hamburger Casserole uses simple ingredients to blend meat and vegetables into a flavorful meal.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup soda we like cherry Coke or Pepsi
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- 1 to 2 ounces BBQ seasoning or seasoned salt we like the 2 ounce McCormick applewood seasoning
- 4 to 7 pound pork shoulder or pork butt
Instructions
- Pour liquids in Instant Pot. Rub seasoning on pork shoulder roast and add to Instant Pot.
- Seal Instant Pot lid in the locked position. If meat came straight out of the refrigerator pressure cook for 30 minutes per pound. If meat sat on the counter (following food safety guidelines) to decrease chill, pressure cook for 25 minutes per pound.
- Allow Instant Pot to natural release. Remove lid. Pork should shred easily with two forks. If it doesn’t return the lid to lock position and pressure cook for another 20 minutes. Continue to do so until the roast is done and shreds easily.
Notes
- All cooking appliances and conditions are different, so you should test these times and guidelines first in your own appliance to determine what adjustments may be needed!
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Rate This Recipe Pin This RecipeRecipe originally shared on December 14, 2018 with updates made on August 28, 2024.
Do you leave the bone in on the pork butt?
Hey There! Yes, I leave the bone in, but if you cut it up a bit and/or debone it will cook a bit more quickly.