Instant Pot Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
When it's your turn to host the game day crowd and you have NO idea what to make, I've got you covered with this tender, juicy, and absolutely delish spicy Dr Pepper pulled pork recipe!
Servings: servings
Ingredients
- 1 (5.5-pound) bone-in pork butt, bone removed, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-3 inch chunks
- 1 (12-ounce) can Dr Pepper soda
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dry ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt, or 1 tablespoon Morton kosher salt
- brioche sandwich buns, for serving
- barbecue sauce, (optional)
Instructions
- Place the onion wedges in the bottom of the Instant Pot insert.
- Trim any visible fat from the pork butt. Remove the bone and then cut it into 2-3 inch chunks.
- Make the pork rub by whisking together the dry ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and kosher salt. Toss the pork cubes with the seasoning.
- Pour the whole can of Dr Pepper and the apple cider vinegar over the onions. Arrange the pork chunks on top of the onion wedges, and dump any leftover rub over top.
- Lock the Instant Pot lid into place and make sure the valve is set to the sealing position. Using the Pressure Cook setting, cook the pork at high pressure for 40 minutes. The cooker should take between 10 and 12 minutes to come up to pressure.
- When the pork is done cooking, press the Keep Warm/Cancel button to turn off the cooker. Allow the pressure to release naturally (NPR) for 20 minutes, then use the pressure valve to quick release any remaining pressure.
- Transfer the cooked pork pieces and bacon to a platter or rimmed baking sheet. Using two forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard any large pieces of fat.
- Pour the remaining juices into a fat separator. Add about one cup of the juices to the pulled pork and toss to combine.
- Drizzle with your favorite BBQ sauce as desired, and serve on lightly toasted brioche buns.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 6 months.
Substitution suggestions + other tips and ideas:
• No bone-in pork roasts available? » Use a 3-pound boneless pork butt instead.
• Reserve some of the cooking juices using a fat separator » use them to keep leftovers moist when reheating.
• Want to tone down the spice? » Omit the cayenne pepper or consider using this basic pulled pork recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 5ounces pork only | Calories: 522.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.8g | Protein: 37.3g | Fat: 38.1g | Saturated Fat: 13.9g | Cholesterol: 149.1mg | Sodium: 596.3mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3.2g
