Easy Pulled Pork

Do you love pulled pork? This pulled pork recipe can be made in either a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. Either cooking method will give you flavorful shredded pork you will find hard to resist.

pulled pork taco and tortilla shells

 

Pulled pork is so easy to prepare with a pressure cooker. I love my Instant Pot. I use it for rice, beans, roast, short ribs, I have even made macaroni and cheese in my instant pot.

Pressure cooking is an excellent way to cook meat during the summer. By using a pressure cooker, you won’t heat up your kitchen by cooking in your oven. It also costs less in electricity to use an electric cooker.

For this recipe, I like to use a pork butt roast. They are meaty and do have some fat. You may want to trim some of the fat out. I like to trim only the surface excess fat before cooking. Then after cooking, I will trim out more fat. I think this way you get a better-flavored roast.

Other cuts of pork that this would do well with would be a bone-in pork roast, a shoulder roast, or a hind cut. I like to use cuts that have some fat and marbling. I do not think a pork loin would make a good cut of pork for pulled or shredded pork.

This recipe for pulled pork can be made mild or spicy. The simple marinade of soy sauce, garlic, and brown sugar brings out the wonderful flavors of roasted pork.

If you add a 7-ounce can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, you will have a wonderfully smokey seasoned shredded pork with a kick of heat. It is perfect for tacos. I have made this recipe many times at home with rave reviews.

When I make pulled pork tacos, I like to serve them with pico de gallo, limes, and fresh cilantro. This makes for a light meal. You could add shredded cheese and sour cream if you like. This could easily be a complete meal with some refried beans.

pulled pork on a tortilla shell

 

Love Pork? Be sure to try these recipes

pulled pork taco and tortilla shells

Easy Pulled Pork

Make the best pulled pork in an Instant Pot pressure cooker or Crockpot slow cooker with this easy recipe.
4.50 from 4 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Instant Pot Pulled Pork, Instant Pot Recipes, Pulled Pork, Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 271kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 pound pork butt roast
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 5 or 6 garlic cloves chopped
  • 7 ounces chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Instructions

  • Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the pork roast to the skillet and sear it on all sides until golden brown.
  • Prepare marinade by combining brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic.

Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Directions

  • Place seared pork butt roast, marinade, and chipotle peppers (if using) into the Instant Pot.
  • Pressure cook on high for approximately 60 minutes.
  • Release naturally and pull the pork apart with two forks.

Slow Cooker Directions

  • Place seared pork butt roast, marinade, and chipotle peppers (if using) into a slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for about six hours or until the meat begins to flake easily when pricked with a fork.
  • Pull the pork apart with two forks.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1433mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1.7mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Terri

    4 stars
    I use my pressure cooker for everything. I have never heard it called an instant pot. I wasn’t sure what you were talking about.

  2. James

    Hello, Stephanie.

    The pulled pork recipe looks great. I usually do it in a crock pot but want to try it with the Instant Pot this time. My question is do we still add the minimum one cup of water to the Pot before starting the cooking process, or is the marinade and subsequent juices from the pork serve in its place?

    Love your site. Thanks for all the work on it.

  3. frantasticfood

    Ok, you talked me into an Instant Pot. It’s on it’s way here. I hope to see it out of Customs this week. I’m looking forward to freeing up some pantry space now that I will be able to get rid of my rice cooker and slow cooker. I’ve got a buyer for my pressure cooker as well since I won’t need it now. I’ll have to get the ingredients to make something the night it arrives. Always in need of a quick weeknight meal, that’s for sure.

    • Stephanie Manley

      I hope enjoy the pot. It does yogurt too 😉 I am dying to try some saffron infused yogurt I have had at a restaurant recently. I need to get rid of a slow cooker now myself. I need to free up some space. Oh this also makes some lovely chicken curry.

  4. Lady Gourmet

    It’s been ages since I’ve had pulled pork. This looks wonderful…I love the idea of the using the slow cooker. How perfect and so much more convenient. Have a wonderful holiday weekend dear. xo, Catherine

  5. Cynthia Willis

    I grew up with a mom who used her Presto pressure cooker several times a week. She gave me one when I got married, and I now have both an electric and a newer stainless steel stove top version. Do you have a recipe for “ranch” style beans, the spicy pinto beans found in a can? I love beans cooked in a pressure cooker and would love to make these at home. Thanks! Love your You Tube videos.

    • Stephanie Manley

      I have done some refried beans in a pressure cooker, I think they are amazing done in a pressure cooker. I did a side by side same recipe, different cooking techniques, and the pressure cooker version wins. I will see what I can do about some Ranch Style beans soon.

  6. bastisraul

    That is the great thing about a shoulder roast, you don’t have to decide before hand what spice level you want. You make a small decision by your rub but just salt and pepper works just as good. When it goes in the ice chest for a couple hours, covered with bath towel is when you must pull the trigger on your BBQ sauce and heat level. We go medium spice at our house, to answer your question, finally. ha ha

      • bastisraul

        Ok Steph, here goes. 8lbs pork shoulder (oven cooked at 250 degrees) marinated overnite in 3/4 cup apple juice, brown sugar, kosher salt or powdered salt, 1/2 cup each and 2 tbl worcesteshire. Rinse.Sliver 4-5 garlic cloves and insert all around roast. Score roast on fat cap all the way down to the meat. Slather roast all over with yellow mustard and then with your mild, medium or spicy rub. Place roast on a rack and double cover with tin foil tightly. Cook till internal temp reaches 200 degrees. Turn the oven temp up to 550 degrees for 5 min. This step inflates the fat under the skin and gives it a crunchy and golden brown color. ( I always BBQ by temp not hours). Remove and open foil and slather with your favorite BBQ sauce. ( mild, medium or spicy). Reseal tin foil and place it in an ice chest covered completely with bath towels for 2 hours. Don’t worry in will remain nice and warm. Now pull apart and add more sauce if desired. I always do. You are looking for that secret number of 205 degrees which you will achieve in the ice chest. Roast fat side up.

      • bastisraul

        I don’t believe you will be disappointed at all. One key ingredient is using powered salt, if available. It penetrates so much better than any other salt. I always use powdered salt when I fry chicken or fish.

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