Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
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Super juicy and tender, fall-apart tender Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork with slow cooker option. Easy to make and totally delicious, this is the perfect year-round recipe for bbq pork lovers!
In the mood for sandwiches? You’ll go crazy for these Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches. Loving your instant pot but can’t decide what to make? Here are some of my absolute favorites: Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos, Instant Pot Honey Teriyaki Chicken, and Instant Pot Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy.
For some reason pulled pork just screams Summer to me, but honestly I make this easy Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork all year round, it’s SO GOOD.
Today I’m going to teach you how to make super juicy and tender bbq pulled pork in your Instant Pot or pressure cooker. And I’ve even got instructions for you if you’re still loving on that slow cooker and haven’t made the leap to a pressure cooker just yet!
This recipe is so family-friendly, even the pickiest of eaters will down this ultra tender bbq pork. My toddlers even had some and that is saying something because I have the toughest time getting them to eat anything but mac and cheese some days!
First things first, the bbq sauce. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of bbq sauce. Feel free to make your own bbq sauce from scratch (been there, done that, LOVE IT) if you’re feeling up to it.
But if you just want as quick and easy as possible, go ahead and use your favorite store bought bbq sauce. I do this all the time!
My favorite secret when using store bought bbq sauce in this pulled pork, is to choose two different, but complimenting bbq sauce flavors. Usually a sweet paired with smoky, spicy, or something tangy like a Carolina-style sauce. Using two kinds of bbq sauce really kicks up the flavor.
This recipe also calls for one can of Coca Cola. You can swap this out for Dr. Pepper, or Root Beer! Use your personal preference or whatever you’ve got on hand. The main purpose is to tenderize the pork and any of these will work great.
How do you Make Pulled Pork in an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker?
- Cut pork roast into 4 equal pieces. Combine in pressure cooker with Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper, or Root Beer.
- Stir together bbq sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder and pour over pork.
- Cover and set to pressure cook setting for 45 minutes. Use natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
- Uncover pressure cooker and shred pork. Transfer pork to a bowl, discard juices, and stir bbq sauce into pork.
- Serve on hamburger buns.
Can I use Frozen Pork Roast?
Yes! For results, use thawed pork that has been cut into four sections. If you want to use a frozen pork roast, you will need to increase cooking time by about forty minutes to yield really tender pork.
Can I use a Slow Cooker?
Absolutely! Instead of pressure cooking, you can slow cook the pork in a crockpot for 6-8 hours on low for really juicy, tender pork.
Expert Tips
- I love to use this Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork in salads, tacos, wraps, and sandwiches!
- For sandwiches, I like to use hamburger buns spread with mayo. You can take it to the next level by adding extra bbq sauce and topping the pork with a heap of prepared coleslaw – I love that crunch!
- This is an easy recipe for bbq pulled pork, made super tender and juicy in your Instant Pot/pressure cooker, or even in your slow cooker. So full of flavor and easy to customize, this dish will satisfy your bbq cravings all year long without heating up your oven or dirtying a bunch of dishes.
More Popular Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Pork Chops and Gravy
- Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
- Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
- Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
Did you make this Instant pot BBQ Pulled Pork recipe? FANTASTIC! Please rate the recipe below!
Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 3 pound pork shoulder cut into 4 large chunks
- 1 can coca cola, may sub dr pepper or root beer
- 2 ½ cups bbq sauce, see note
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 6 hamburger buns, for serving
Instructions
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
- Add pork to a lightly greased pressure cooker/instant pot. Pour coca cola over the pork.
- Stir together 2 cups bbq sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pour over pork.
- Place lid on the pressure cooker, sliding into the locked position. Set to pressure cook for 45 minutes. Do a natural release for 10 minutes, then turn valve to the vent position. Once float valve has dropped, remove lid.
- Use two forks to shred pork into small chunks. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pork to a bowl (discard liquid from pressure cooker) and stir remaining 1/2 cup bbq sauce with shredded pork.
- Serve pulled pork on hamburger buns. Optional sandwich toppings to take your pulled pork to the next level: mayo, extra bbq sauce, and cole slaw.
Slow Cooker
- Follow the instructions for preparation for Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, but to use a slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 6 hours before shredding pork.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So good! I made it with chicken breadts and it also Came out great.
Yum! I bet that was great!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This was super yummy! Thank you!
Glad that you loved it! Thanks for your feedback, Linda!
Hi. How many hrs to slow cook on HIGH (instead of low) ?? Should I put it on High for 3 hrs since you mentioned 6ths for Low temp ????
I haven’t cooked this on high before so I’m not sure how tender the meat will become but it would probably be done in 2 hours on high.
WOW!! First, thank you so much for answering all my questions, even the stupid ones. I made this for dinner tonight and since i had a larger (5 LBS)pork shoulder i had to add more of everything. This was worth every minute that went into making it. Thank you for the amazing recipe, its been added to my IP cookbook.
So glad it turned out so good for you! 🙂 Thanks for your feedback, Holly!
This is fantastic! Thank you for a great recipe. My husband loves it!
So glad to hear that! Thank you! 🙂
WHEN you say lightly greased do you mean WItH cooking Oil? Thank you, i plaN tO make this on monday. Im new to thE IP AND I AM STILL TRYING TO FIND RECIPES.
Hi Holly! Either cooking oil or spray! Either will work out fine!!
I didnot see thiS posted so i emailed you with a few more questions. Im making this for dinner tonight and was confused on a few things. Also, im doing this on my phone and so i that is what is causing the weird capitalization errors.
ActuAlly, i cou po th email Here since i can see them n f s reason.
I just got back from the store and all they had was a 5 pound pork shoulder. I know the cooking time doesn’t change but if I double the ingredients that would be for a 6 lb pork shoulder, so how much do you recommend I use? And when you say set to pressure cook for 45 minutes, do I put it on high or just normal? Thank you So much
With that big of a cut of meat you are going to need to increase the cooking time for sure! When using the Instant Pot for this, I am speaking of using the high setting for sure! So , set yours to high pressure! The recipe calls for 45 minutes for a 3 lb, however with it being a 5 lb you will probably need an additional 20-25 minutes or somewhere near there! If you take the lid off and it’s not pull apart tender, it needs to cook longer.
Oh, i thought that the cooking time would stay th same! Would i double the ingrediEnts 8 tbs apple cider vinegar, 4 tsp onion powder, 2 cans of coke, 5 cups of bbq sauce , etc? I’m sorry for all the questions 😐 even th it is 5 and not 6 pounds. I think thats all my questions. Sorry!
I DID A ~5.5 LB PORK BUTT LAST NIGHT. I SLICED IT UP INTO 6 OR 7 CHUNKS AND SET THE PRESSURE FOR AN HOUR. I USED 16 oZ OF SODA, DOUBLED THE SPICES AND VINEGAR IN 3 CUPS OF bbq SAUCE (FOR THE POT). everything WORKED OUT WELL. I HAD TO SCOOP THE MEAT OUT OF THE POT AS IT WOULD BREAK UP IF I TRIED TO USE A FORK. I THINK THAT AS LONG AS YOU KEEP THE CHUNKS ON THE SMALLER SIZE THERE’S NO NEED TO INCREASAE THE COOK TIME AS MUCH.
Sounds like you did a fantastic job! Thanks for your input, Keith!
This looks amazing! Unfortunately I don’t eat pork, so wondered What you would recommend for a beef roast.
The cook time will be the same for both types of meat!
Sorry it sent tWice. Thank you! I will definitely try that.
What kind of beef roast would you RECOMMEND for SOMeone WHo DOESn’t Eat PORK?
Probably some type of chuck roast!
Most excellent recipe! I followed as written and it turned out great! Will be making this many times to come. thank you!
So happy you love it Jennie! I even love the leftovers for a sandwich the next day!! Thanks for the great feedback!
wow!! This is my favorite. And thanks to this article I can do it myself
Sounds great. Can you use diet soda in this .
Thank you
Hi Nanci- You can totally use diet soda for this! Hope you love it! 🙂
The recipe calls for a 13 pound roast….Should that be 1 3 pound roast?
Hi Sandra- the recipe is calling for 1, 3 pound roast. Sorry for the confusion!
You should update the recipe to show 1.3 lbs.
Hi Tony- the recipe is correct as is. It calls for one 3 lb roast, not a 1.3 lb roast. 🙂
I read it 3 times then just went to the comments to see someone else said anything. as it stands to a lot of people it say 13. maybe take out the 1 and just put 3lb pork roast? it is really confusing.
I’m late to this party, I know… all writing style guides recommend separating the numbers by spelling the quantitiy of units and writing numbers for the volume or weight. So yes, “one 3-lb roast” would be correct and remove confusion.
I will eventually make 13 lbs’ worth of this, though… yum yum!
Excited to hear that you enjoyed this recipe 🙂