Name: Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 3-4 pounds boneless pork shoulder; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 2 teaspoons salt; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon onion powder; ½ teaspoon cayenne; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup BBQ sauce

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Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork made with dry rub is the best easy recipe to cook pork shoulder. This tender, juicy meat just falls apart and will be great for a party!

Two hands hold a bowl with pulled pork and two woden spoons on a white table.

I love making multi-purpose dishes for meal prep. The ones you can make in a big batch and then use in different meals later.

This delicious BBQ Pulled Pork is one of them. After its done, you can refrigerate or even freeze it and use later with your meals.

Here are a few meal ideas you can serve pulled pork with:

Sandwiches
Sliders
Tacos
Mix it with pasta
Or as a side with mashed potatoes and cole slaw

If you want something lighter, you can make my Instant Pot Pulled Chicken.

Pulled pork with a wooden spoon in instant pot.

What is the best cut of meat for Pulled Pork?

The best cut of meat for pulled pork is the shoulder. It is high in fat and connective tissue, as well as it has the most flavor. In the store, you can find two different parts of pork shoulder, the Boston Butt and the Picnic Roast.

What is Boston Butt?

I like to use the Boston Butt for my BBQ Pulled pork. It has a good ratio of fat and lean meat, which gives the best flavor.

Despite its name, this type of cut comes from the upper part of the shoulder of the front leg.

But why it’s called “Boston Butt”?

Here is a quick history of this name. During the pre-revolutionary times and into the American Revolutionary War, New England butchers used to keep for themselves less desired pork cuts, like shoulders and keep them in barrels. These barrels were known as “Butt” and comes from a Latin word “Buttis”, which means “a cask” or “a barrel”. Later, this type of meat became popular as Boston specialty and was called “Boston Butt”.

As you see, the name has nothing to do with the part of pork body, but the way it was stored.

How to make dry rub for pulled pork?

I like dry rub to be very simple yet flavorful. There is no need to make it too complicated.

In this recipe I use only 5 ingredients:

Smoked paprika
Salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Cayenne

This mix brings out the best savor to the meat: smoky, sweet, and spicy.

A bowl with pulled pork and two woden spoons on a white table.

How to make BBQ Pulled Pork in Instant Pot

First, we need to rinse and pad dry the meat. Then cut in into 8 equal pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.

Mix dry rub ingredients (smoked paprika, salt, garlic and onion powder, and cayenne pepper) in a small bowl and sprinkle it over the meat.

Using your hands, rub the spices all over the meat, making sure it’s all equally distributed.

Set your Instant Pot to Sauté. Add oil to the pot and brown the meat in two batches not to overcrowd the pot (3-4 pieces at a time). Sauté for about 4-5 minutes each side or until it gets a golden/brown crust. Then remove the meat from the pot.

Then add a cup of water and scrub the bottom of the pot to remove burned bits and cancel the “Sauté” function.

Put the meat back to the pot and cover the lid. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes. Make sure that the venting knob is turned to “Sealing”!

When it is done, let it naturally release the pressure for 15-20 minutes. Then switch the knob to venting position and release the steam. Make sure the steam is fully released and the valve is completely down before opening the pot!

Take the meat out and put it on a plate. Using two forks, shred the meat. I like to remove any fat pieces, leaving only meat in the plate.

After it’s done, you can put shredded pork in a large mixing bowl or back to the pot. If you put it back to the pot, make sure you pour out the remaining liquid.

Add your favorite BBQ sauce to the meat and mix it until well combined.

How long does cooked pork last in the fridge?

You can keep the meat for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

In the freezer, it will last for up to 6 months.

How to reheat pulled pork?

To reheat the pulled pork, I like to cover it in foil but leave some room on top for air. Sprinkle a little bit of water on top, so it will steam while reheating. This way the meat will stay moist and won’t dry out.

Here is more recipes using Instant Pot:

Did you make this recipe?!? I’d love to know how it turned out! leave a comment and a rating below👇 thank you!

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