Basic Instant Pot Pulled Pork (No BBQ Sauce!)

This easy Instant Pot pulled pork recipe boasts all the savory smoky flavors of a smoked pork shoulder... BUT this tender juicy pressure cooker pulled pork is ready to serve in a fraction of the time! Made with just 3 simple ingredients, it's the perfect basic shredded pork to use in all of your favorite pork dishes.

You guys - I am sincerely SO excited to share this amazing pulled pork recipe with you!! It's super versatile and ideal for weeknight dinners, especially if you're prone to forgetting to put your roast in your slow cooker early enough in the day. Not that I do that often...

Who am I kidding? Yes, I absolutely do this ALL. THE. TIME. Which is why my Instant Pot reigns as my all-time favorite kitchen appliance. It's almost magical the way an electric pressure cooker can transform a tough cut of meat, like a pork butt, into fall-apart tender meat in under an hour.

Pulled Pork Ingredients

I'm a big fan creating approachable Instant Pot basics recipes that make putting an easy meal on the table almost effortless. To that end, each ingredient in this recipe was chosen to minimize prep while maximizing flavor.

I highly encourage you to read through my ingredient notes and prepare the recipe as written the first time. That said, I'll still provide some substitution suggestions that you can use in the future!

• 🐖 Boneless pork butt: Cubing the pork roast is an essential step in this recipe, which makes a boneless pork butt the logical best cut of meat to use. A boneless roast makes cutting the pork into large chunks quicker and easier.
  
  Of course, a bone-in pork butt will work in a pinch! You'll just need to spend a few extra minutes cutting out the bone before cubing it.
• 🥓 Thick cut bacon: Bacon is my secret for infusing this pork roast recipe with lots of savory, smoky flavor. I prefer a good sliced thick cut bacon to render plenty of fat for browning the pork butt chunks. Regular sliced bacon can be substituted, if desired. Add an additional slice or two if there doesn't appear to be much bacon fat left after sauteeing them.
• 🧄 Garlic cloves: While it might seem like a lot at first glance, I use 6 cloves of garlic in my pulled pork. Sometimes even more! I promise the garlic notes are not overwhelming. Coarsely chopping the cloves allow the pieces to stand up to the pressure cooking treatment. What's left will mellow into sweet, nutty-flavored bits that pair beautifully with the savory profile.

• 🧂 Kosher salt: Here's my PSA for the day - not all kosher salt is is the same!! If you weren't aware of this, don't sweat it. I was just like you for far too long.
  
  Basically it comes down to a wide variance in the size and weight of the salt crystals in different brands. So a tablespoon of a lighter weight kosher salt is significantly less salty than the same volume of a brand with heavier crystals.
  
  America's Test Kitchen published an excellent article that goes into more detail on this topic. But what you really need to know is that Diamond Crystal kosher salt is the brand I used when testing this recipe. If you use Morton kosher salt, which has heavier, denser grains, you'll want to reduce the amount you use.
• 🌶️ Black pepper: In my experience, not all ground black pepper is the same either. Some brands are fairly coarse, and some are more finely ground. I tend to use freshly ground black pepper most often, but to maintain a standard, I use Tone's ground black pepper, which has a coarse grind similar to freshly ground.
• 💧 Cooking liquid: Cold water is my standard for this recipe, but there are many possible liquids you can substitute. Beer is a great option, as is chicken broth or stock. If you opt for stock or broth, I'd suggest using a low sodium variety or consider cutting back on the kosher salt a bit.
• You could also add a dash of Worcestershire sauce or apple cider vinegar to any of these liquids. Oh, cola's another popular choice! I'd recommend checking out my Instant Pot Dr. Pepper pulled pork recipe if you want to go that route.

You might be wondering: Where's the dry rub? It's really not a necessity for achieving great flavor with this easy recipe. Plus it limits the versatility quite a bit.

But if you insist on adding one, this homemade dry rub is chef's kiss amazing! The sweet and spicy blend of dark brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, mustard, and smoked paprika is perfect for pork. I'd season the pork cubes all over with it, and then pop them in the fridge for about 30 minutes before browning them in the bacon fat.

Boneless Pork Roast Notes

Why cut the pork shoulder into cubes? It's a simple and effective way to create more cooking surfaces.

This equals more umami flavor when we sear them on all sides before pressure cooking. You could skip the searing step if you're in a tremendous hurry, but the flavor boost makes it worth the time spent.

Beyond flavor, the cubes allow for more heat circulation. Since I've reduced the cook time to the bare minimum, this helps ensure that the connective tissues break down sufficiently. The result is fall-apart tender and juicy pork meat every time!

How To Make Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork

Are you ready to pressure cook some pork shoulder? Here's the quick and dirty overview to scan. Then gather up your ingredients and head to the recipe card for detailed instructions.

My goal is to help you make your best pulled pork EVER!

That's it - all that's left is pulling the pork! Transfer the cooked pork pieces and bacon to a platter or rimmed baking sheet. A pair of these shredding claws is a fun way to make quick work of this task, but honestly, a pair of forks will get the job done just as well.

Wet Vs Dry Pulled Pork Serving Options

While I think we can all agree that the best pulled pork is tender, juicy, and flavorful, there are definitely two distinct camps when it comes to how wet or dry it should be served. Never fear - this recipe can satisfy both sides of the debate!

If you ask me, both serving styles are equally delicious. So I change it up depending on my current mood/craving!

Printable Recipe ↓