Easy Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
If you have BBQ sauce and pork shoulder, you can make this awesome Easy Instant Pot Pulled Pork! Fall-apart tender pork is pressure cooked and served on a bun with a smoky-sweet barbecue sauce. You get all the flavor of slow cooked pulled pork in a fraction of the time.
This is a pressure cooker twist on a popular slow cooker recipe. The recipe has only three ingredients—vegetable oil, pork, and barbecue sauce. Plus, it takes very little prep time and comes together in a fraction of the time of making it in the slow cooker, with the same delicious results and set-it-and-forget-it ease.
Pulled pork is great because it makes enough to feed a crowd!
However, if you don’t have a crowd to feed, it freezes well too. I like to freeze it in individual portions so I have extras to take for lunch or for when I need a quick dinner.
Making Easy Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork in an Instant Pot
An Insta Pot is one of the most popular brands of electric pressure cookers. They are easy to use and your Instant Pot can help you create these delicious Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork!
Since this is such an easy recipe, I’ve gotten a number of repeat questions over the years. Here’s what you need to know:
What Kind of Meat to Use to Make Pulled Pork
I prefer pork shoulder because it has a little more fat to it. Pork shoulder is also an inexpensive cut of meat, which is nice when you need to feed a crowd. However, any pork that is good for braising would be a good fit for this recipe. (See my Pressure Cooker Kalua Pork recipe for a more in-depth discussion on selecting a cut of pork.)
Why Do You Brown the Pork?
I browned the roast to bump up the flavor. (See all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan in this picture? Those are automatic flavor boosters.)
However, if you’re if you’re cooking from frozen, you’ll want to skip this step. (Frozen meat doesn’t brown as well.)
You can also skip it if you are in a hurry or feeling a bit lazy. (Some days are just like that.)
Use an instant-read thermometer to verify your pork is at least 205°F in the thickest part after cooking.
What Kind of Barbecue Sauce Do You Use for Pulled Pork?
My husband and I really like KC Masterpiece Original BBQ Sauce in this pulled pork recipe. It’s smokey and sweet, with just a little kick. However, you can use your favorite brand of barbecue sauce in your pulled pork with no change to the water content.
If you prefer homemade, my friend Alyssa has an awesome homemade BBQ sauce recipe.
When serving those with dietary needs (gluten-free or even just picky kids), you can even make the pulled pork without using any BBQ sauce in the pot. I’d probably add some spices or liquid smoke to the meat before cooking to infuse some flavors. Then, just remove a portion of the meat and stir in the barbecue sauce to the remaining portion.
As far as which spices, the sky is the limit! Keep things simple with a teaspoon of onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Like a spicy barbecue? Then add some cayenne pepper or chili powder.
What Kind of Pressure Release to Use for Instant Pot Pulled Pork?
With long cooking meats, a natural pressure release is always best to lock in the flavor and prevent the meat from drying out. If you are in a hurry, I’ve found that a 10 minute natural release, followed with a quick release gets similar results.
Learn more about natural verse quick pressure release in my post.
How to Cook Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork from Frozen
If you didn’t have a chance to defrost your pork, you can cook from frozen. You will need to add 5 minutes per pound. Note that it will take longer to come to pressure.
How to Shred Pulled Pork
Can add some more time if the meat isn’t shredding easily?- meat should shred easily after the cook time. Leaner cuts may not shred as well. If this is the case, you can try adding increments of 10 minutes onto the cook time.
I used my stand mixer to shred the pork instead of forks. It’s quick and easy, but be sure and remove as much fat from the pork as possible before shredding it in the mixer.
How to Double or Half the Recipe for Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
I have gotten a number of questions about doubling our reducing the size of the recipe. You can increase the meat without adding more liquid, just be sure not to fill the pot more than 2/3 full and make sure there is space around the sides of the pot so that it can come to pressure.
If you are using a smaller piece of meat, you will still want to use the same cook time, but just use half the barbecue sauce called for when cooking.
How to Cook Easy Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork in an 8-quart Pressure Cooker
This recipe was developed for a 6-quart pressure cooker. If you are using a larger piece of meat, you may want to use a larger pressure cooker. Just be sure to add enough liquid to have the minimum for the pot to come to pressure. For an 8-quart, that would be a half cup of additional water.
How to Serve Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork?
Pulled pork is a classic barbecue dish, it makes great sandwiches or sliders. I’ve even had readers use it to make pulled pork nachos.
What is your favorite way to serve pulled pork?Makes great sliders- serving option, could be excluded
Here is a quick video to show you how easy this recipe is.
Easy Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
If you have BBQ sauce and pork shoulder, you can make this awesome Easy Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork! Fall-apart tender pork is served on a bun with a smoky-sweet barbecue sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into two equal pieces
- 2 cups barbecue sauce, divided, plus more for serving
- 1/2 cup water
- Toasted rolls, for serving
Instructions
- Select Saute to preheat the pressure cooking pot. When hot, add the oil to the cooking pot. Brown pork on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Brown each half of the roast separately. Remove to a platter.
- Add 1 cup barbecue sauce and 1/2 cup water to the cooking pot. Stir to combine. Add browned pork and any accumulated juices to the pot.
- Lock lid in place. Select High Pressure and set the cook time for 75 minutes.
- When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker allow the pressure to release naturally (approximately 20 minutes).
- When the valve drops carefully remove lid. Carefully remove the meat from the pressure cooker and shred with two forks, discard excess fat as you shredded. (You can also use your stand mixer to shredded the pork.)
- Strain cooking liquid, reserving 1/2 cup. (Optional: Use a fat separator to separate fat from the juices.)
- Place shredded pork in the cooking pot with remaining 1 cup barbecue sauce and reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.
- Serve on toasted rolls with additional barbecue sauce, if desired.
Notes
Don't substitute a leaner cut of meat with this recipe. The pork shoulder will release lots of juices and fat, and your meat will be extra tender and flavorful. If you're making it in a stove top pressure cooker or in a 8 quart or larger electric pressure cooker, you will likely need to increase the water.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 545Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 136mgSodium: 587mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 16gProtein: 36g
Nutrition information is calculated by Nutritionix and may not always be accurate.
More Great Pressure Cooker Pork Recipes:
Pressure Cooker BBQ Baby Back Ribs, Pressure Cooking Today
Pressure Cooker Country Style Pork Ribs, Pressure Cooking Today
Pressure Cooker Greek Tacos, Pressure Cooking Today
Instant Pot Low-Carb Green Chile Pork Taco Bowl, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Instant Pot Apple Cider Pork Loin, Copykat Recipes
All our Pork Recipes, Pressure Cooking Today
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How do you keep the pork and sauce from burning during the cooking? I use an Insta-Pot and nearly always burns during the cooking cycle.
Thanks!
Hi Kim – often when things burn you’re not getting a good seal and lose too much liquid when it’s coming to pressure and cooking. Are you seeing steaming coming out around the sides of the lid or does the pressure cooker seem to be struggling to come to pressure? Another possibility is you’re using an 8 quart which requires more liquid. You can also try not stirring in the BBQ sauce and just layering it on top of the pork pieces.
I have a frozen 6lb pork loin how would you recommend using that? Waiting for the thaw isn’t ideal.
Hi Heather – pork loin isn’t the best choice for pulled pork, pork shoulder, picnic or butt are better choices, but it will work. First, check to make sure it will fit in the inner pot. If it fits, you can cook it from frozen, it will just take a long time to become fall-apart tender so it shreds easily. My guess is about 3 hours from frozen. If you need it cooked more quickly, after about an hour you can cut it into 2 lb. pieces.
i have a pressure cooker but it is not an instant pot and does not have a saute button should i brown it on the stove and also i bought a 7 lb pork loin by mistake
Hi Teri – you can select one of the pressure cook settings to saute. The pork loin will work, it just won’t be as juicy. Cut it into 3 pieces and it should fit just fine.
I cooked two of these this weekend along with 3 batches of your potato salad to take to 3 families with COVID. Everyone is raving – thank you so much for taking the time to post your wonderful recipes.
Wow – what a thoughtful gift Brenda. I’m so glad it was so well received. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for thinking of the gluten free members of our families. No need to worry about BBQ sauce. The majority of brands are gluten free.
Best Ever!! I used 3/4 cup of Chicken Broth instead of water. So delicious!!
That’s awesome – thanks Dave!
Hi, I am going to try this today, but my piece of meat is 8lbs.
Will that go in the instast pot?
How long would I have to cook it?
Thanks so much,
This looks so yummy.
Thanks Audi! If you have an 8 quart pressure cooker, 8 lb.s will fit. Cut the meat into four approximately 2 lb. pieces and use the same cook time. Enjoy!
Pork is for real gourmands!Nice recipe. .
I used a 4 litre stove top pressure cooker with a 2.25 lb. roast and it wound up over cooked big time @ 75 minutes, yet the flavor was amazing. I think that 30-35 minutes of cooking time would have been perfect for this type of cooker. I will try again tomorrow and am looking forward to some great grub!
The smaller/less thick the pieces of pork are, the faster it will cook. The pressure cooker really is a great way to cook pulled pork. Enjoy!
I had a roast that same size and cooked it for 45 minutes… it was perfect. (I adjusted the other ingredients accodingly but used more liquid at the end and also more BBQ sauce than called for.
Hi. I’m planning to cook a 4.8 lb. Boston butt in my 8 qt. Instant Pot today. I was going to cut in half and cook for 75 minutes with 2 cups of liquid per your instructions. Some questions:
1. Is 75 minutes enough? I saw that the Kalua pork recipe is 90 minutes.
2. After selecting pressure, do i just add the time or do i also select less, normal, more?
3. Could i add onions to the cooker with the bbq sauce? This is what i do with my slow cooker?
Thanks!
Hi Julie – yes, 75 minutes should be enough, but if it isn’t as tender as you’d like (it doesn’t shred easily with a fork, just lock the lid in place back in place and cook it for a little longer.
– Press the Pressure Cook button and the light below High Pressure should light up – that’s the default. If you press Pressure Cook again it will switch to low, normal and more – but those just change the time it will cook on High Pressure. So all you need to do is plug it in, press Pressure Cook and use the + button to adjust the time to 75 minutes. (Those are the IP Duo instructions, other models may be slightly different but similar.) Here’s more info on what button to use https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/instant-pot-duo-and-smartcooker/
– Yes, you can add onions with the liquids. That would add a nice flavor.
Enjoy!
Thank you so much for the quick answer! This is my first time using the pot so I was a little skittish, but I’m going for it! Happy 4th!
Happy to help. I’ll look forward to hearing how it turned out. 🙂
I purchased a Pork Half Butt roast…a little over four pounds…from Aldis. I’m planning on using it for this recipe. I wasn’t sure if it would work with this recipe, but I purchased it because it looked good and I didn’t want to make another stop. It does have a noticeable fat pad, and it is bound together with some string. Should I remove the string to look at what I have before I split it in half to brown it? Should I leave the string on and just split it…then brown each half? I’m not sure what I’m going to get when I take that string off. Also is this something I can just leave in one piece with the string on and make in a dutch oven–slow and long? It looks like a good recipe. I hope I have good results.
Hi Janet – you can cook it without cutting off the string, it will just take longer to cook – I’d try 90 minutes. You can brown it with the string on as well if you prefer. I’d probably just cut the string off and cut it in half, or it may already be in pieces and that’s why they used the string. Pork butt comes from the shoulder, so they’re very similar cuts. You could cook it in the dutch oven slow and long until it’s fall-apart tender.
Thank you! I’m cooking it today, so wish me luck!
Can I use frozen boneless pork chops instead? These were from Costco which are so large and I cut them in half. Do I need to change the time or keep it the same?
Hi Lou Ann – I cut the Costco pork chops in half as well. Pork chops are pretty lean and not the best choice for pulled pork. You can use them if you like, but you will need to reduce the cook time. My guess is 15 minutes will give you shreddable pork from frozen chops if they’re not frozen together in a big clump.
Thanks Barbara! It’s all I have right now, which I froze them separately. Will give it a try!
Hi, Barbara! How did it go with the pork chops?
hello do you know about how many grams are in 1 serving? thank you we made this today and can’t wait to try it!!
Hi Cassie – I haven’t weighed it, but according to a pulled pork calculator I found online, a portion is 5 ounces or about 140 grams. https://www.vcalc.com/wiki/AndrewBudd/Pulled+Pork+Calculator Enjoy!
Tried this tonight using Country Style Pork Ribs (raw, unseasoned) from Costco which I believe is sliced pork shoulder. Normally, I buy this for making Char Siu since is a good mix of meat and fat but not as fatty as pork belly. It was a big pack, my guess is about 8 Lbs, so I set aside half for the Char Siu (which to date, I still make in the oven) and half for the pulled pork. Since I normally marinate the Char Siu overnight, I decided to the the same for the pulled pork. 4 big strips of pork, 1 cup of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce and a 1/2 cup of water into a ziplock and let it sit over night.
The next day (today) I dumped it all into the instant pot. The liquid seemed a bit low so I added another 1/2 cup of water and a couple of squeezes of sauce. After that, I followed the recipe as-is (75 min) and it was AWESOME!! Family loved it. It was so easy to prepare, easy to clean-up, and most importantly it was delicious.
Clearly, I skipped the browning part but maybe the overnight marination compensated. This is a keeper! Thank you.
Thanks for sharing your changes Rob – I’m glad you loved it. Thanks!
Hi Barbara, I have a small 1.36 lb pork roast, how long would I cook this?
Hi Tracey – I would do 60 minutes and then see if it’s as tender as you’d like. If not, cook it a little longer.
Thankyou for asking this!! My roast is also smaller!!
Which stand mixer attachment do you use to shred the pork?
The paddle 🙂
Thank you! Also – Your site is FABULOUS!!
Thanks!!
Can I do a “quick release” or does it have to release naturally?
Hi Megan – you could but I would do a natural release for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
Hi, can I use pork tenderloin?
Hi Rachel – people often confuse pork tenderloin with pork loin roasts. Pork tenderloin is a thin tender cut that is fairly lean and not a good choice for pulled pork. People do substitute pork loin for pork shoulder, it won’t be as juicy but you can get pork loin to be fall apart tender.
What cooking time for unfrozen 8lb shoulder
Hi Cory – cut it into 4 approximately 2 lb. pieces and use the same cook time.
Do I set it for low, med., or high temp. ?
Hi Larry – high pressure – what pressure cooker do you have?
How should I adjust the cooking time if I have four cuts of 1 lb meet? So still four pounds total but in four pieces instead of two. Thank you!
Hi Melissa – I would reduce the cook time to 50 minutes. Enjoy!
Does the cook time remain the same for a different cut? I only have a pork loin.
Hi Kristin – pork loin is a much leaner cut and isn’t as good a choice for pulled pork. However, lots of people do use it and use the same cook time. Just be sure and cook it until it shreds easily and then do skip the step where you add some of the cooking liquid with the BBQ sauce to help moisture to the meat.
Great recipe. I added some smoke flavor and shredded with my hand mixer.
Thanks Nick – a great way to shred it.
How long should I cook for a 2 1/2lb pork shoulder?
Hi Dave – Since the 4lbs of pork in the recipe is cut into two 2 lb. pieces, I would cook it for the 75 minutes and see if it’s fall-apart tender.
I got a burn error 5 minutes into the cycle. It’s funny because I have never had that happen before and didn’t know what that noise was! But, I kind of wondered about the amount of water when I put it in because it didn’t seem like enough. So, I added more water, took out the meat and oiled it up and it seems to be doing fine now.
Glad you got it working. Did you use pork shoulder or a different kind of pork? What size pressure cooker do you have?
It’s pork shoulder; I use the same cut for slow cooking. I refuse to use lean pork for this sort of thing out of sheer principle. 🙂
Even cut up, it has taken a while to cook. Still shorter than a crock pot! All good! I know for next time.
I have a 6 qt cooker.
I guess it may just be the difference in BBQ sauces then. Glad it worked out. Enjoy!
I’ve heard this happens if you don’t completely deglaze the liner after searing the meat.
I have a question- I am having a cookout for about 40 people There will be other food being served. Never made pulled pork in an electric pressure cooker. How many lbs of pork would you suggest I buy and can I make this the night before?
Hi Sandra – for 40 people I would triple the recipe and buy 12 lbs. of pork shoulder. You cut the pork into 2 lb. pieces so you may be able to fit 6 lbs. in the pressure cooker and just do two batches – 1.5 x the recipe. Just don’t fill the pressure cooker more than 2/3’s full and don’t jam the meat in together. If it doesn’t fit easily, do 3 batches. Yes, you can make it the day before and then just reheat it using the reserved cooking liquid and add the additional bbq sauce after it’s warm. You can reheat it in a big pot on the stove and transfer it to the pc to Keep Warm until serving it. It’s an easy recipe, that your guests will enjoy!
Barbara, I have made this for large groups. I used and would still use my electric roaster! You can fit very large pieces of meat into it, plug it in and let it go. Make it the day before or early the day you will be serving so the flavors have a chance to marry. Always nice to have a good arsenal of appliances!
That’s a great option.
how do you modify this for frozen meat?
Hi Abby – it depends on how big your pork shoulder is. If it’s already cut into two lb pieces, add 10 minutes when cooking from frozen. If it’s a 4 lb. pork shoulder then you’re going to need to cook it 90 minutes to get it fall apart tender, plus 5 minutes extra per pound because it’s frozen – so it may take 1 hour and 50 minutes if it is 4 lbs and frozen solid.
FYI – I tried this tonight for for one piece, bone in 4 pound pork shoulder. Though the flavor was good, the exterior was over cooked and the meat in the nooks of the bone was raw. Will try again with thawed meat because I love the idea of instant pot-ing pork shoulder!
So, so good! I have done this recipe so many times. The only way to pulled pork sandwiches! Thank you again Barbara.:)
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I had a problem with the 1/2 cup water in this recipe. My pot was counting down with no pressure. I opened it up and added more water and then it was fine. I think 1/2 cup water is not enough. Just saying… Jeanette
Hi Jeanette – if you have an 8-quart or larger pressure cooker, you will need more water. However, if you have a good seal and a 6 quart pressure cooker, then 1/2 cup of water is enough.
I have 4 lbs of Country Style Bone-in “Ribs” & a 10qt Pressure Cooker, how much time would set it for ? I want it shreddable but not mushy ? Thanks
Hi Lisa – I haven’t made pulled pork with country style bone-in ribs, but I cook my ribs for 20 minutes https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/sweet-and-sour-country-style-ribs/ I would add another 10 minutes for pulled pork and see if it’s as tender as you’d like.
I came home with a bone in shoulder. Think that’ll be an issue?
Hi Erin – not a problem. The bone makes it harder to cut into two pieces, but it will work well.
Do you have to remove the bone? Il
Hi Ann – no need to remove the bone until it’s time to shred the pork.
I have a question. I am wanting to use pork loin instead of the shoulder will this still create the same amount of juice? Also I didn’t want to add bbq sauce do I need to increase the water since I would not be putting the 2 cups of bbq sauce?
If you don’t want to use BBQ sauce, I would use root beer or apple juice or some other flavorful liquid. You’ll want to use at least 1 cup with a 6 quart or 2 cups with an 8 quart. You can use pork loin, it just won’t be as flavorful as using shoulder. Although lots of people do enjoy it with pork loin.
Love how simple this is for a quick dinner!
Cooking the pork goes so well in the pressure cooker. Great recipe!
This is so tender and juicy!! Love making it in the pressure cooker, so good.
This is so easy to make and tastes like it cooked all day! Thanks for sharing!
I was going to make my usual pulled pork recipe in the oven, but your version is just as delicious and so much faster!!
Wowww would be great for a weeknight dinner. Thanks for sharing
Hi. I saw that someone else had a question about increasing the amount of meat. I want to see if I can double this in my 6-quart IP. I making this for a crowd!
In addition to cutting the meat into 2-pound portions and keeping the same cook time, I assume I would double the water and sauce, correct? Sorry if that’s a stupid question! Have you doubled this before?
I wonder how many mini sliders I can get out of 8 pounds of this shredded pork? I’m using those little Hawaiian rolls.
Hi Jennifer – no need to double the water and sauce, the pork will release a lot of liquid as it cooks. I have not doubled it before. Just don’t fill the pot more than 2/3’s full because you need room for the steam. It makes 8 servings, so I think you’d get about 24 Hawaiian roll servings without doubling it.
Thank you! This is very helpful.
Although its been almost a year since the last comment was posted…your recipe for the pulled pork is still out of this world! Of course along with your help was that of the two packages of pork I bought were mispriced at .01/lbs! YES!!! It ran me $0.04 for both packages! So between your recipe and the sweet deal…dinner was outrageous!
Thanks again! Stephanie from Phx!
Wow now that’s a bargain! So glad it was a hit – thanks Stephanie.
I was going to make pulled pork in my slow cooker, then thought to make in my Instant Pot. I am so glad I found your recipe, it was so easy and good. Never will buy premade again and always will make in Pot. Thank you so much. Serving to the Amish craftsmen building our garage.
Thanks Marilyn – glad you found my recipe too. It’s the perfect way to feed a crowd. Good luck with the garage.
Did you leave the extra fat layer on the pork shoulder?
I just bought and deboned my first giant pork shoulder and accidentally tossed the thick fat layer 🙁
If you left the fat layer on in your recipe, is there anything I could do to make up for the absence of the fat layer I tossed?
Like could/should I add oil or maybe even bacon?
If so, what should I add and at what step?
And is there anything else about the recipe I would have to change as a result? (e.g. cooking time, water amount, etc.)
I’m sorry for all the questions.
Thank you so much and I hope to hear back soon. 🙂
Sincerely,
Elaine
Hi Elaine – Pork shoulder typically has enough fat / marbling in the meat that you should be fine to cook the recipe as described without making any changes. Enjoy!
Hi Barbara,
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
My wife and I found it in July of last year JUST in time for her birthday (July 25)
It’s so refreshing to find a recipe that doesn’t call for 8 million spices I’m most likely to not have in my kitchen.
BBQ sauce and water! That’s all you need to make this delicious!
After nearly a year I had to search all over to find the link (now it’s saved!)
Just threw in about 6lb of meat. T’was bone-in but I cut the bone out and put it in separately. Hoping 75 min will be enough.
Subbed a bottle of dark beer instead of the water and added about a dram of scotch for good measure 😉
Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks! Sounds like it will be delicious. If 75 minutes doesn’t get you the fall apart tender pork you’d like, just lock the lid and cook it a little longer.
As much as i would love to use BBQ sauce, there is a dieter in the house that cannot have any. Do i need to add more water when i cook it then?
Hi Cooper – if you have a 6 quart electric pressure cooker 1/2 cup water will be enough. You could add some spices and a little bit of liquid smoke to the water.
I noticed that the cook time for your Pulled Pork recipe in your pressurecookingtoday website states 75 minutes high pressure and the recipe on your Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook states 60 minutes. I used 60 minutes on a 3 1/2 lb roast and it was successful, but I am wondering if there is something I may have missed.
Hi Harold – the recipe in the cookbook I cut the pork roast into 4 equal pieces so the cook time is faster than this recipe where I cut the roast into 2 pieces. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
What size roast should I cook if I’m cooking for three people?
A 2 lb. roast should work well for three people with no changes in cook time. Use the same amount of water and reduce the BBQ sauce by half. Enjoy!
How long should I cook it if I am using a 3lb roast?
Hi Kelly – I would still cut it in half and shave about 5 or ten minutes off the cook time.
I tried this recipe as written with 4.8 lb bone in pork shoulder roast and found the time wasn’t long enough time. Only the meat on the outer edges would shred. I ended up putting it back in for another 30 min using the quick release when time was up. Meat shredded much better. Just a heads up for anyone wondering and a lesson learned for me. Bone in needs much longer. Otherwise, it tasted delicious.
Thanks for sharing Jan 🙂 Did you cut the pork shoulder into two pieces?
Can I substitute boneless pork ribeye chops?
Hi Grant – yes, but your cook time would be reduced. I’d try 25 minutes.
Can i use soaked woodchips in bottom under insert
Hi Cynthia – I’m not sure I understand the question. Nothing can go between the pressure cooking unit and the pressure cooking inner pot. If you’re wanting to put wood chips in the inner pressure cooking pot with a pot on top of the chips, I guess could, but you would have to use plenty of water to bring the pressure cooker to pressure and you’d have to put the wood chips in a closed container so they didn’t float up and cause problems. But I don’t think you’d get the smokey flavor that you were hoping for.
She could try using Liquid Smoke, perhaps in the shredded meat. I used 1/4 tsp in the liquid when cooking some Baby Pork Back Ribs.
That would be a good option. Thanks Jack.
What if I have 9.5 lbs do I need to increase the cooking time?
Hi Henry – cut the pork into 2 lb. sections and your cook time will be the same. However, you’ll need to have a large pressure cook to accommodate that much pork at one time. Enjoy!
Thank you!!!!!!!!
Can you make this with a frozen roast? How would cooking time and liquids be adjusted?
Yes, you can use a frozen roast. Add 5 minutes per pound and just keep cooking it until it’s as fall apart tender as you’d like. It will take longer to come to pressure as well, so give yourself lots of extra time.
I only have a pork loin. Would this work for pulled pork?
Hi Lauree – pork loin works in a pinch. It won’t be as succulent but it will shred and be tasty.
My pulled pork is tough. What did I do wrong? I can’t even shred it!
Hi Janie – just put it back in the pressure cooker and cook it longer until it falls apart.
Quick ? From beckey in FL. Do u have to let meat rest before u shred it? Thanks
No – there’s not need to rest the meat before shredding it.
I would like to try pulled pork in my instant pot – I’ve always used the slow cooker… But I just realized my pork butt roast is actually 3kg! Is this too big for the instant Pot? If not, how long should I cook it for? Thanks.
Hi Brittanie – just cut it into 3 pieces and it should fit and you’ll be able to use the same time as the time in the recipe. Enjoy!
I am new to pressure cooking. When making pulled pork in crock pot, I mixed coke, bbq & liquid smoke for my liquid. My question is, “Is it ok to use soda in the pressure cooker?”
Hi Patti – yes, it is okay to use soda in the pressure cooker. It sounds delicious!
I also have two Pressure Cooker,instant pot and a small brand BESTEK. Both works fine.One is to cook rice, spaghetti.I use anther one to do potatoes, stews and lately I cut up a whole chicken with a carrot, onion and celery and cook it for about 30 mins, then I take out the chicken and pick off the chicken for a big curry or sweet and sour dish and use the liquid remaining as a chicken stock for soups or stews.Pressure Cooker is a good choice for those who don’t like to use pan to cook.
I as well am looking to know how long I would cook it for if I only have about a 2lb cut of meat?
Hi Jennifer – the recipe calls for cutting the 4 lb. roast in half, so each piece is 2 lbs. So there’s no need to change the cook time. In the pressure cooker, cook time is determined more by the thickness of the meat, rather than the volume.
Would you half the sauce cooks in or leave same amount when only doing 2 pounds?
Hi Orlene – I’d probably half the bbq sauce and still use 1/2 cup water. Enjoy!
That looks so good! Thanks for the shout-out for my Instant Pot Green Chile Pork Taco Bowl!
Thankj you so much for this recipe . Love pulled pork.
Enjoy!
Tha nk you so much for this recipe .
Hi, If I wanted to make a larger serving, say 8 lbs of pork, would I only need to double the sauce and water quantities? From reading the manual book it make it sound like quantity didn’t dictated time since it will all be under pressure. Whats your recommendation/experience here? TIA
Hi Andy – If you cut the pork into 2 lb. pieces you won’t need to increase the cook time. Thickness of the meat does determine the cook time more than quantity, but be sure and don’t exceed the maximum fill line.
We used to use the slow cooker for this recipe, but am eager to try it in our IP. I put a layer of sliced onions on the bottom. Adds flavor and is an extra bonus on the sammie. Usually use Bullseye Regular barbecue sauce. Also, we use beer instead of water, because…..well, why not?:)
Thanks for all of your yummy recipes!
Thanks Barbara! A layer of onions sounds like a great addition 🙂
I have a FAGOR LUX Multi-cooker. It only has one release button. I do have a choice between pressure cooking on high or low. Should I alter the cooking times since my release will not take 20 minutes? Thank you!
Hi Lauren – here’s so info on natural pressure release that will be helpful https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/quick-pressure-release-or-natural-pressure-release/ No need to alter the time, just let the pressure release without pushing the release button for 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Hello Barbara…My name is Montana and I am a Certified Executive Master Chef, (31 yrs.), U.S. Navy Executive Master Chef-IV and a graduate of Buxton University, London with a Master’s Degree in Advanced European Culinary Arts. This is the first (electric) pressure cooker that I have ever purchased but I must say… I LOVE THIS DEVICE !!! I have since used it every single day for over two months and at least 3-5 times a day for various recipes and dishes. What a time saver as well as a much more healthy alternative to using my ovens or cooking pots and pans…. plus the energy AND convenience of ONE POT COOKING as Traditional stove-top pressure cookers are not only cumbersome but are also dangerous UNLESS you really know what you are doing… not so with this PC… I make over 30-40 items each week with my new, electric PC and as you have probably ascertained, it is by far one of my FAVORITE cooking appliances, bar none !!! Thanks for some of the recipes also that you suggest to your fans, me included…. I am looking forward to checking in from time to time and see if you come up with anything I can pass on to my culinary students.
Montana M. Jones, CEMC-IV
Certified Executive Master Chef-IV U.S.N. / MCPO / ret.
Hi Montana – so nice to “meet” you. It’s great that you’ve fallen in love with the electric pressure cooker. It was instant love for me too. Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourself. I’m sure I could learn much from you. Feel free to chime in on posts. 🙂
Would you suggest I use the rack that comes with the instant pot to keep it off the bottom?
Hi Ashley – no need to use the rack. Enjoy!
I made this today using a bone in Boston butt. I had to increase the cook time to about 110min but it was delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks Brian – glad you enjoyed it!
This sounds great, and I want to try it. I’m curious as to why you would release the pressure slowly. I’ve cooked lots of pressure cooker recipes and never seen or done this. Thanks!
Hi Anna – I wrote a whole post about pressure release that will answer your question https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/quick-pressure-release-or-natural-pressure-release/
Hi! This is a fantastic recipe!! I’m not surprised, though. EVERY recipe of yours that I’ve made has been delicious! 🙂
I was wondering if/how I would need to adjust the cook time for a 3 pound roast. Thanks!
Thanks so much Kara – that’s so sweet. For a 3 pound roast you could skip cutting it in half and cook it slightly longer, or cut it in half and cook it for slightly less time. With meat that you want fall apart tender, timing is quite as critical. 🙂
Barbara, I am going to do your pulled pork recipe for a potluck. It could be an hour or more after it is made until we will eat. I can take my Instant Pot pressure cooker with the glass lid. How do you suggest that I keep it warm and moist?
Hi JoAnn – I would reserve more of the cooking liquid and just add additional if it starts to get dry and use the Keep Warm setting. I’m sure it will be a hit.
Barbara! Another winner! I made this recipe tonight using a frozen 3.5 lb. pork shoulder, extended the cooking time to 90 minutes, and then followed the rest of the recipe as written. It turned out superb! The meat literally fell apart as I removed it from the pot, so no need to use my Kitchen Aid to shred it. I will be putting the meat on King’s Hawaiian Rolls as sliders for a Galentine’s Day Party I am hosting tomorrow. Thanks tons for this!
Thanks for sharing Deon! How fun 🙂
How would you adjust time and ingredients for 2 lbs of meat instead of the 4 lbs called for in your pulled pork and carnitas?
Your recipes seem to call for 4 lbs of meat. How would you adjust time and ingredients for 2 lbs?
Hi Carol – I cut the 4 lbs. into two 2 lb. sections, so you shouldn’t need to make any changes, except add less liquid back in at the end.
I have made bbq pork in the crock pot for years and years. I was hesitant to try it in my Instant Pot, but saw your recipe and decided to give it a whirl! I did everything you said, but I also added a whole, sliced onion in the pot before pressure cooking. It turned out equal, if not better than my tried and true! My family devoured it! Thank you!
Hi! Can I adjust this recipe to be made with a bone-in pork shoulder roast? Thanks in advance for any suggestions 🙂
Hi Kara – yes, there’s no problem using bone-in pork shoulder, just cut around the bone to cut it in half. Generally the bone is quiet small.
This was so yummy and easy! Thank you!
I’m using a power pressure XL is this enough liquid for a 4 pound Boston butt
Hi Gloria – yes, there is enough liquid for the Power Pressure XL. You’ll be surprised how much liquid the Boston butt releases as it cooks. Enjoy!
Looking for the link for the accessories from Amazon. Thanks
This post? https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/best-pressure-cooker-accessories/
Yes Thanks
I did the pulled pork a day ahead of using it and had no problems with it being moist. I wonder if I could do the same with ribs and wings. Thanks
Hi Ken – I’ve done it a day ahead with ribs. I assume it would work well with wings too. Enjoy! https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/make-ahead-bbq-baby-back-ribs-perfect-for-tailgating-parties/
Thank you
Hi! I can’t wait to try this tomorrow! I was reading through the comments and noticed someone asked about the amount of liquid smoke, but I don’t see liquid smoke listed in the recipe. Should I add it? Also, out of curiosity…what’s the difference in taste between this recipe and your root beer pulled pork? Do you have a favorite? I’ve been debating which one to try first. (I was leaning toward this because I have a four pound boneless shoulder roast.) Thanks so much for your help!!
Hi Kara – I add liquid smoke in my beef brisket recipe; you could add it in this recipe if you like, but I don’t think it’s necessary. The root beer pulled pork is a little sweeter. They’re both good. One day it would be fun to do a side by side comparison to see which I like better. Enjoy!
Tomm,
I tried your sauce recipe (Memphis style version) for some baby back pork ribs and it was truly amazing! Thank you so much for sharing it. This was the first recipe I have made with my new Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and what a fantastic way to start!! Best sauce on the planet!
Great recipe, but I’d like to add this caveat: if you decide to use your stand mixer as the shredding tool, watch it closely. I went this route, and found the meat was shredded much too finely. Will stickwith the two forks method next time.
Hmmmm… Well, I have a bit different take on PC-ing pork shoulder. But then, my pressure cooker is a 1947 era Presto model #60, so no fancy setting to confuse me.
I do usually sear the shoulder in a Lodge ribbed cast iron skillet, but it’s really more for looks than anything. I agree with the approximate 75 minute cooking time, but other than a dry rub, I don’t add anything to the liquid, especially not a corn syrup based ‘cue sauce. An old Kansas City geezer in a soiled T-shirt, a cigarette with 1″ ash on the end once told me as he flipped a brisket, “Ya lather ribs. Ya don’t cook pig in a swill of sauce!” So, I add the sauce once out of the cooker.
Speaking of sauce… Try this (My own recipe):
½ or so large Yellow Onion
3.5oz bottle Wright’s Liquid Hickory Smoke / Mesquite Smoke Seasoning
½ cup Soy Sauce
½ cup Worcestershire Sauce
½ cup Brown Sugar
½ cup Dark Molasses (wild) or Honey (mild)
36oz Ketchup (Brew your own if you’ve a mind to)
½ to ¾ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Throw chopped onion and a few of the liquid ingredients in a blender or food processor and reduce the onion to nothing. Put all the stuff in a saucepan and… over the lowest possible heat… cook off some of the vinegar and reduce to a nice consistency, stirring occasionally. If while stirring you notice a slight glaze on the side of the kettle, you’ve gone too far. Get it off the heat and let cool.
If you’re thinkin’ Texas Style; it wouldn’t hurt to throw in a dash or two of cayenne pepper just to give it a little extra kick for the ol’ brisket!
For Kansas City Style, I’d stick with the honey; Molasses for Memphis Style.
Just my suggestions. 🙂
Sounds like you know your BBQ. Thanks for sharing!
I can’t wait to try this. Running out the door to get some pork!
Is the amount of liquid smoke used correct? Just seems like a lot.
It is correct but if you’d rather use less, definitely change it up to suit your tastes.
The pulled pork was the best I’ve ever had…….my family really enjoyed it.
Thanks Deb! Pressure cooker pulled pork really is the best. 🙂
Just bought an Instant Pot. Made this today. Delicious. My son, who loves BBQ, suggested adding a little mustard and cider vinegar to the finish. Everyone loved it!
Thanks Dee – sounds like great additions. Have fun with your new Instant pot!
What Cup standard are you using? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_(unit)
Would be easier if you used the SI/metric system…
I use the standard American measuring cup – 8 ounces.
Just saw this on facebook. It looks perfect for dinner tonight, but my pork shoulder is still frozen. Do I need to thaw it completely first?
Welcome Shan – you can definitely cook pork shoulder from frozen in this recipe. It cooks faster if it’s cut in half, but it isn’t a must do. You may have to cook it for 90 minutes to get it to be fall apart tender and easy to shred. Enjoy!
I’m from Kansas City and would suggest that you try a real KC sauce, as KC Masterpiece is a poor excuse for BBQ sauce around here! Gates is a very good, pretty easy to find BBQ sauce. Give it a try!
Hi Amy – I’ll look for Gates, but don’t think I’ve ever seen it in my part of the woods.
Boy, do I ever agree with that!! Gates & Sons is the only “off the shelf” ‘cue sauce I would ever consider! Elsewhere here, I posted a ‘cue sauce recipe I concocted some years ago, but I came close to making the same… “‘he’p you p’eas!”… recommendation you did! 🙂
Just what I was looking for. Will try it out later today.
Hello, I live in Africa and have an old school pressure cooker with the floating valve on top. Can you break down how that would work for your recipe? Guests are here from the US and trying to make something familiar to them.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Nafi – the recipe is basically the same for a stove top pressure cooker, just lower the heat When pressure is reached and start timer to count cook time. Your stove top pressure cooker will cook at a higher psi so you may want to reduce the cook time by 5 minutes.
Thanks Barbara! One last question, the pork came from the butcher already cubed, not a solid roast as the recipe specifies. Should I tweak the recipe in anyway to allow for these chunks? Thanks! Nafi
Yes, if the meat is already cubed, use the cook time in this recipe https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/pork-carnitas-in-the-pressure-cooker/
Just got my Instant Pot on May 7 and made this today. Following the recipe resulted in excellent pulled pork. While the meat was cooking I had time to make hamburger buns using King Arthur’s recipe; they went perfectly with the BBQ. Posted some pictures on my website.
Thanks
Thanks Tom. So glad you enjoyed it. Your homemade rolls are the perfect addition.
Hey Barb – quick question – I want to use one of your pulled pork recipes for Mother’s Day lunch this wekeend. I noticed this one cooks for 75 minutes but the one with Root Beer cooks for 50. Does the Root Beer act as a tenderizer?
Thanks much!
Hi Brenda – this one I cut the meat in to 2 lb. pieces. The root beer one I cut the meat in to about 1 lb. pieces so it cooks faster. The root beer is just for sweetness and flavor. Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!
Got it – many thanks, and I hope you have a blessed Mother’s Day too.
Brenda
Hi. So if i have shoulder pork in slices 4 lbs worth, can I cook that in an hour instead of 75 mins?
Hi Pauline – if the slices are thin, you can use even less time. I only use 30 minutes for fall apart tender cubed pork in my carnitas recipe. https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/pork-carnitas-in-the-pressure-cooker/
They are about 1/2 inch thick, 5 slices to for 5.5 lbs. 30 to 45 mins maybe?
I’m using this recipe for my youth group. How many pounds of pork should I buy to feed 12 people? I have a 10 qt power pressure XL.
Hi Jennie – I usually figure 1/2 lb. per person. So I’d buy a 6 lb. pork shoulder and cut it in to 3 even pieces, then your cook time will be the same. Enjoy!
sorry its a almost 6 pound bone in pork shoulder butt can i use my pressure cooker
Hi Theresa – I would just cut it into 3 pieces and use the same cook time. Generally it’s a pretty small bone and easy to cut around. Enjoy!
i have a bone in can i still do this in the pressure cooker 5 pounder well just shy of 6
if i have 10 lb. of pork and it’s frozen would i have to cook it longer?
Hi Becky – yes, you’ll have to cook it significantly longer. Here’s a guide that could help. http://missvickie.com/howto/meat/frozenmeats.htm If it fits in the pressure cooker, I’d probably cook it until it’s thawed enough to cut and then cut it in to 2 lb. pieces until it’s fall apart tender.
I cooked this yesterday by the recipe and it turned out perfect. I shred mine with a meat cleaver. This is the second recipe I have used from this site and both were delicious with no leftovers. Thanks for taking a lot of trial and error out of using a pressure cooker.
Thanks Ken – glad you’re enjoyed my recipes! I’ve never thought to use a meat cleaver to shred pulled pork. Maybe I’ll have to buy one 🙂
What stand mixer attachment do you use to shred the meat?
Looks like a Kenwood Chef to me, as the picture seems to be showing the K beater attachment which is only from Kenwood.
It’s just the attachment/ flat blade for my Kitchen mixer.
I’ve a 6.5 lb pork shoulder and a 6 quart instant pot pressure cooker. I cut the shoulder in 3 equal pieces and it fits great in cooker. My question is , for a tender roast should I up my cooking time to 120 minutes or keep at 75 minutes. Or do you have any suggestions. Thanks
Hi Mike – if you’ve cut the pork shoulder in three pieces so they’re now thinner pieces of pork, you won’t need to increase the cook time. It’s the thickness of the meat that determines the cook time in the pressure cooker. Enjoy!
Just made this for the 2nd time! Amazingly easy, extremely tastes, total diet killer! I asked for a crock pot but my husband didn’t know the difference so he bought a pressure cooker. This thing has changed my life and your site is great. I can’t wait to try cheesecake!
Thanks Tina! Sounds like you lucked out 🙂 Enjoy the cheesecake!
I did everything the same (even used my Kitchen-aid to “pull”, except for I sprinkled 1/2 cup chopped onion over the shredded pork for the final simmer.
how do you use a stand mixer to shred pork?
Hi Deborah – I talk about shredding chicken in the stand mixer in this post https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/cooking-chicken-for-the-week-in-22-minutes/ Pork is just the same. So quick and easy.
Hello! I could only find a pork “shoulder blade Boston butt roast” at my grocery store. Will this work? If so, what changes, if any, need to be made? Thanks!
Hi Mikelle – I understand the blade is a little more lean, but I don’t think you’ll need to make any changes.
Great, thank you so much! I made it last night and it turned out perfect. I halved it, thinking we wouldn’t need that much and now I have to make the second half tonight because it went so fast!
Thanks Mikelle – it definitely goes fast at my house too 🙂
Hi Barbara
This worked great for me. I used a 8qt pressure cooker and pork steaks . I used 4 of them. it shredded perfect and so tender. Amazing thanks.
Thanks for sharing Michael – I haven’t tried pork steaks in the pressure cooker yet.
Pork steaks are generally just a pork shoulder cut to a steak size. They would work fine for pulled pork but the whole roast would work better. They are really great for grilling slow. They are incredibly popular in the Missouri but I’m not sure where else you can get them, although you really can just ask a butcher to cut them for you, s/he might not cut it just right.
Made this last night…I don’t even like pulled pork (but my family does)…but this was AMAZING!! I can’t believe how tender it was and how easily it shredded! And the leftovers today were even better!! My son already asked today when I am making it again!! 🙂
Thanks Lynne – so glad you loved it.
Thank you so much for this recipe I made it Sunday night OMG it was unreal first time I have made pulled pork it will not be the last cheers Meredith
I have an 8 pound pork shoulder. What measurements of water and BBQ sauce would you recommend for cooking and then for after the shredding? Also, how long should I cook it for (was thinking about 2 hours)? Thanks
Hi George – I’m not sure 8 lbs will fit in the pressure cooker without exceeding the max fill line unless you have a larger pressure cooker. If it will fit, what I would do is cut it in to 4 equal pieces Then your cook time will be the same. You may want to add 1 cup water because it will take longer to come to pressure but pork shoulder will release lots of juices so once it’s at pressure you’ll have lots of liquid. If you are using a 6 qt. pressure cooker you may want to cook it in two batches.
I now have a pressure cooker with a crust of burnt BBQ sauce on the bottom! Not very happy. There should have been a warning to check after 20 or so minutes and add more liquid.after readingothercomments, I see I am not alone.
Hi Marie – sorry you had troubles. Did you substitute a different cut of meat? Do you use a stove top pressure cooker? I’ve added additional information at the bottom of the recipe. Thanks!
Meat on trivet? Yes or no?
Hi Mary – no trivet.
Thank you Barbara. One more question. I have a 5 pound of pork, would the time still be the same? Thank you!
It make take a little bit more time for 5 lbs. It really depends on how tender the meat is to begin with. If it’s a pretty tough cut when you cut it in half, I’d give it an extra 10 minutes. If it seems pretty tender, try the 75 minutes, cut it in half and see if the center shreds easily. If it doesn’t just put it back in the pressure cooker for a little bit longer. When the meat and liquids are hot, it will come back to pressure very quickly. Enjoy!
Thank you!
What does it mean if outside of meat is tender but the inside is dry and tough? does that mean it needs more cooking time? or did i cook it for too long?
Hi Lesley – it’s hard to dry out pork shoulder by overcooking it, so it probably needed more cooking time. Unless you substituted a different type of pork.
Thank you for the reply! Yes , i used the pork shoulder. I cooked it in the electric pressure cooker for 1 hour only. I’ll try cooking it longer the next time. Many thanks!
I want to try this but thought I would use pork loin to reduce the amount
Of fat. Any suggestion on how to make pulled pork bbq using pork loin.
Hi Beth – I know it’s tempting to use a leaner cut, but you’ll lose a lot of flavor by doing so. I find most of the fat melts away from the pork shoulder and you can skim the fat off the juices. I haven’t tried it, but if you still want to use the pork loin, I’d reduce the cook time by half because it’s more tender and will taste dry if you cook it too long. Check it and if you can’t shredded it with a fork, pressure cook it a little longer.
I tried this dish with half the meat, half the BBQ sauce, but the same amount of time and water. The end result was part of the meat was very soft while the part half was still somewhat hard. Is this because part of the meat was not submerged in the cooking liquid?
BTW- This was my first time using a pressure cooker ever.
Thanks for the great website,
Tom
Hi Tom – glad you’re enjoying my site! Welcome to the world of pressure cooking. I wonder if the problem was you didn’t have enough liquid for the pressure cooker to come to pressure properly. When you reduced the BBQ sauce you probably needed to increase the amount of water you used.
Thanks for that tip. This site really is helpful for a beginner pressure cook like me. Quick question: If the whole time the cooker is on (75min+), there is no steam released does that mean it never reached pressure? My 5 liter Sanyo unit was the display model so it didn’t come with an instructions manual.
Thanks again!
Tom
Hi Tom – generally the pressure cooker will at least release steam initially as it reaches pressure then, depending on your model, you’ll occasionally see a little bit of steam being released as it cooks. I’d recommend trying a test run as explained here http://www.hippressurecooking.com/is-your-pressure-cooker-ready-to-cook-checklist/ so you’ll be able to see how your pressure cooker comes to pressure. I’d also recommend contacting the company to get a manual, or trying to find it online. Good luck!
I made this last week and it was so much better than I thought it would be, given the simplicity of the recipe. I used a 6 pond butt and it all fit into my Cuisinart pressure cooker. I set the pressure for 90 minutes because of the increased amount of meat, and left the house to take my kids to baseball. I got back about 2 hours later and shut off the warming feature to allow the steam to naturally release. The meat was falling apart! I used your idea of the stand mixer which was amazing. I separated the cooking liquid in a fat separator and put back about 3/4 to 1 cup and the cup of sauce (Sweet Baby Ray’s hickory and brown sugar) and heated it back up. I have to tell you that was 5 days ago and we’ve been eating it every day since! IT IS THAT GOOD. The sauce added a bit of smoky flavor. This came out so much better than most restaurants can do unless they smoke it for hours. IT IS INSANELY GOOD!
So, I saved the remainder of the cooking liquid after separating the fat out. Any ideas for using it? I have about a quart.
Thanks Jeff! I’m so glad you loved it. How about substituting the cooking liquid for the broth in this recipe https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/black-bean-sweet-potato-quinoa-chicken-chili/
Barb, I just received my first electric pressure cooker as a birthday gift. My daughter loves hers so she bought me one. I’m very excited about using it but rather afraid of it. Any suggestions as to how to jump right in and start using it. Not really sure about the liquid part in using it for meats, could you please shed some light on this subject for me. Thank you very much.
Tomi
Congratulations! I think the best way to get comfortable using it is just to practice bringing it to pressure with just water in the pot. Once you’re comfortable with how the pressure cooker works, start with some easy recipes. The recipes will have the correct amount of liquid you need to bring the pressure cooker to pressure. Once you’ve master some recipes, then you’ll get a feel for how much liquid you need. Have fun!
Hi there, I am wanting to make this recipe soon. If I only use 2 lbs of pork, do I still set it for the same amount of time?
Hi Melissa – it’s the thickness of the meat that determines the cook time in pressure cooking. Since I use 2 2-pound roasts, your cook time will be the same. Enjoy!
Thanks for your reply. I actually made it last night and set it for 75 minutes and it came out perfect. So easy to do and it tasted delicious! No issues with scorched BBQ sauce at all! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the stand mixer comment. I would have never thought about doing that to separate the meat. Neither did my wife. It worked amazingly well.
Thanks Chris! Glad it worked well for you.
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Barbara,
About that last step, where you cook the shredded pork, together with more BBQ sauce and some cooking liquid: I ended up with a scorched pot (lots of sugar in that BBQ sauce!), with shreds of pork stuck in the burnt bits.
Has this ever happened to you, and more importantly: what can I do to avoid it?
Hi Annette – I haven’t had that happen. Do you use an electric or stove top pressure cooker? To avoid it next time, instead of pressure cooking it, you can just combine the barbecue sauce, cooking liquid with the meat and saute it for a few minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
Hi Barbara – thank you for replying so quickly. I use a stove-top PC which rarely scorches IF I avoid the usual suspects (coating meat cubes with flour, for instance). But man! this scorch is a bad one: I had the pot sit overnight with a baking soda & water paste on the burnt bits, and I am STILL scraping off black stuff.
So, yes, in the future I will just sauté for a bit. And I am making this again. They were out of pork shoulder at the butcher’s, so they gave me something else that turned out to be a non-optimal cut of pork (quite lean, so a bit stringy in the end) but still delicious.
Thanks Annette – so glad you still enjoyed the pulled pork. Thanks for your feedback. Have you tried boiling water in the pan to remove the scorched bits? I updated the recipe with the new instructions to just bring the meat to a simmer at the end, so no one else will have the same problem. I wonder if the lean meat contributed to the problem as well.
Omg you burnt my stove top pc it’s ruined after about 20 min there was a bad smell after 30 min cooker was dry. This is horrible you must mix 1 cup water and 1/4 cup Bbq
Sorry you had problems with the recipe Jim. If you substituted a leaner cut of meat then you’d definitely need to add more water. You should never ignore a bad smell coming from your pressure cooker. As soon as you think something’s not right, remove it from the heat and open the pressure cooker. To clean your pressure cooker, fill it with water and simmer it. Scrap the bottom occasionally to loosen up the burnt on mess. You may have to repeat this several times and simmer the water a long time, but eventually I’ve been able to get pans clean that way.
Have done pork shoulders for pulled pork, but try using a chuck roast for beef lidia,
First saute an onion, then add garlic for 30 seconds, add the roast and brown on all sides. add enough water to go half way up the roast, cook on high for 45 minutes. Then natural release, when cool, pull. Save the juice, serve on pita bread
Been getting your emails recently, i asume you are using an electric PC vs stove top.
I’ve been PCing with stove tops for 20 years, currently use a Kuhn Ricon Turn Top and love it .. mostly do stock, soup, veggies occasionally meat,, cant decide whether to purchase an electric. Which electric do you use,…read alot about the current Duo Pot
I have only used my pressure cooker a hand FIL of times but so far I LOVE IT! Question though: what is the difference in a natural release and a quick release? (And how do I do them?)
Thank you!
Brittany
Hi Brittany – so glad your loving it. I describe the difference in my FAQ https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/faq/
I have a pork roast in my freezer. Do I need to let it thaw completely before putting in the pressure cooker or do I just add more time? I’m new to pressure cooking and am loving your site so far! Thanks.
It’s more difficult to get the timing right when you have a large frozen roast. I’ve had good results cooking frozen cubed meats and chicken pieces that are frozen. So I can’t tell you the timing, but i don’t see any reason you couldn’t. Maybe start with an extra five minutes and if it needs longer it will come back to pressure quickly. So glad you’re enjoying the site!
For the pulled pork in pressure cooker, do you really cook it for 75 minutes?
Yes – it’s cooked through before that, but for it to be as fall apart tender as I want for pulled pork, it takes longer.
Wonderful recipe. I made this tonight and it was a bit. I also separated the juices and saved the defatted juice to moisten up the leftovers. It’s a keeper!
Thanks Heather – glad is was a hit. It’s been too long since I’ve had pulled pork. Time to make it again.
Is there a reason you leave the pork in such a large piece(s) to cook? Why not much smaller pieces and far less time in pressure cooker? My cooker is an old, stovetop model and have never cooked anything for more than 25 minutes or left the room while it is on the stove. Do you think there is a flavour or texture difference with a larger piece?
The larger pieces are quicker to brown, you don’t have to spend time chopping the meat, you get shredded meat instead of cubed – so I think it’s easier doing the larger cuts of meat. But I do like cubing the meat and also have recipes for that.
With the electric pressure cooker there is no need to stay in the kitchen while the pressure cooker cooks. You just press the start button and go do other things. It automatically adjusts the temperature once it reaches pressure. So a little longer cook time isn’t a big deal.
Thanks for the question.
I’ve been hooked on my pressure cooker lately and use it a lot with my personal chef clients. It’s invaluable when I want to do a pot roast or stew on a tight time schedule. For some reason though I never used it to do pulled pork. Until today! I did a 7# whole bone-in Boston butt roast and it turned out perfectly! I cut it into 3 pieces, rubbed it with some salt and garlic and covered it with water. I did it for 65 minutes with natural pressure release – it came out perfectly. I pulled all the meat after it cooled and will portion it for the freezer (I reserved the cooking liquid to add to the ziploc bags). I kept the seasoning simple so I can use it for BBQ’d pulled pork sandwiches, burritos, chili, etc. Made me want to go back to the grocery store and buy another one since they were on sale for $1.79 a pound! Love my pressure cooker!
Thanks Deb for sharing your great idea. I love having meats in the freezer ready to use.
What a great idea for freezing the meat. There’s just my husband and I but we love pulled pork. Right now I make it using pork tenderloin. Using the Boston butt roast we can have our beloved pulled pork plus tacos, burritos even a ragu for pasta.
Your Welcome, and thank you for all of your recipes and the great blog and website. I’ve had my had my pressure cooker for a long time now, but never really used it till I got some health problems. Have to be in bed a lot so was looking for ways to cook a good meal without doing it all day long like I usually do, I love to cook. Almost a couple of years ago a girl I know online sent me a couple of recipes for the pressure cooker and I decided to try them out. These new computerized pressure cookers are really easy to use. I was and still am suprised how fast you can cook things and still get the flavor you want. One of the first things was a chicken in 20 minutes or so, with veggies, deboned it, threw the meat back in, made a little slurry, put it on the “soup” setting and had real chicken soup in under an hour, and it was so good. Been kinda hooked since, trying to find recipes I like, or recipes I can change and put in and make them faster in the pressure cooker. It’s just a lot easier, and only one pot to clean up. Thanks again for all the recipes to try out! “D”
Hi, I’ve been making pulled pork in my pressure cooker for a few years now, but different recipe. Equal parts chicken stock with apple cider vinager goes in, half of one of the small bottles of liquid smoke, a cup 1/2 or so of bbq sauce, and one bag of brown suger, or less, more to taste once you cook it a few times, see how much tag you like verses the sweet. I have a 7 quart pressure cooker so I buy anywhere between 4 to 8 lbs of pork shoulder with the bone in, more flavor. I have a rub I put on it the nigt before. The day of I put it on “Heat” on mine and brown the meat with the rub on it. Once it’s brown on all sides I put some bbq sauce on it, then add the liquids, however much I need to almost cover it. Cook for about an hour or so depending on how big it is. Take it out and it’s so tender it’s falling apart. Pull it apart with 2 forks, very easy to do, put in a large tupperware container, put some of the liquid from the pressure cooker on top to keep it moist. Put it on buns, add bbq sauce and serve. Taste almost like it was cooked outside with the help of the liquid smoke.
Thanks for sharing your recipe Darin. It sounds like a must try one day.
This looks absolutely delicious! I love pulled pork!
Pulled pork is one of my favorite things. I never would have thought to use my kitchen aid mixer to do the shredding! Thank you, thank you!!
Thanks Barbara-with the Super Bowl just around the corner-this would be a quick and easy way to make pulled pork for sandwiches.
Jeepers, ya learn something new everyday! As often as I use my pressure cooker, I have never thought to do pulled pork in it; I always thought the slow and low method was the only way. But, of course! Why not the pressure cooker way! Thanks, Barbara!
Whoa! Brilliant idea on how to shred pork! I NEVER would have thought of that, but am totally stealing it from you. Thank you for shining the light!
This looks yummy! I am intrigued with how you used the mixer for shredding. Do you just put chunks of the meat into the mixer bowl and use the flat beater?
Thanks! The roast is cooked in two pieces, and the meat is so tender, there is no need to cut it further, just use the flat beater.