How long does Instant Pot pulled pork take?

Pressure cooking takes 60–75 minutes depending on pork size, plus natural release time. Total time is roughly 90–120 minutes from start to table.

Can I make this pulled pork ahead of time?

Yes. Cook fully, cool, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on low heat or microwave.

What cut of pork should I use?

Pork shoulder (pork butt) is ideal because its fat content keeps the meat juicy under pressure. Avoid lean cuts like pork loin.

Can I scale this recipe for more people?

Yes. The Instant Pot can handle up to 10 pounds of pork; increase cooking time by 15–20 minutes per 2 extra pounds.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

The dry rub and basic recipe are gluten-free. Check your BBQ sauce label for gluten; use a certified gluten-free brand if needed.

Instant Pot Pulled Pork with Dry Rub and BBQ Sauce

Name: Instant Pot Pulled Pork with Dry Rub and BBQ Sauce
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 pounds (1730g) pork shoulder (pork butt meat) (, cut into 2 – 2¼ inches cubes); 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil or vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons (25g) brown sugar; 2 teaspoons (5g) chili powder; 2 teaspoons (4g) ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon (2.4g) onion powder; 1 teaspoon (2.8g) garlic powder; 1 teaspoon (2.3g) cinnamon powder; 1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt; ½ teaspoon (1g) cumin seed (, ground); ½ teaspoon (1g) fennel seed (, ground); ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon (0.25g - 0.5g) cayenne pepper ((see notes)); 1 (200g) medium onion (, sliced); 1 tablespoon (12.5g) brown sugar; 3 garlic cloves (, minced); ¾ cup cup (188ml) unsalted chicken stock; ⅛ cup (31ml) maple syrup or honey; ⅛ cup (31ml) honey; 2 tablespoons (30ml) apple cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons (30ml) Dijon mustard; Optional: 3 drops liquid smoke; 1 cup (250ml) ketchup; 4 tablespoons (32g) all purpose flour or cornstarch; ¼ cup (63ml) cold tap water

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Instant Pot Pulled Pork with Dry Rub and BBQ Sauce | CookOS

Ingredients

4 pounds (1730g) pork shoulder (pork butt meat) (, cut into 2 – 2¼ inches cubes)
1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons (25g) brown sugar
2 teaspoons (5g) chili powder
2 teaspoons (4g) ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (2.4g) onion powder
1 teaspoon (2.8g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (2.3g) cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (1g) cumin seed (, ground)
½ teaspoon (1g) fennel seed (, ground)
⅛ - ¼ teaspoon (0.25g - 0.5g) cayenne pepper ((see notes))
1 (200g) medium onion (, sliced)
1 tablespoon (12.5g) brown sugar
3 garlic cloves (, minced)
¾ cup cup (188ml) unsalted chicken stock
⅛ cup (31ml) maple syrup or honey
⅛ cup (31ml) honey
2 tablespoons (30ml) apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons (30ml) Dijon mustard
Optional: 3 drops liquid smokeoptional
1 cup (250ml) ketchup
4 tablespoons (32g) all purpose flour or cornstarch
¼ cup (63ml) cold tap water

24 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Rub Pulled Pork Dry Rub: Mix all Dry Rub ingredients, then rub it all over the cubed pork. Put pork in fridge for 30 minutes up to overnight.
2
Optional – Saute Onion and Garlic: Heat up Instant Pot using “Sauté More” function. Wait until it says “HOT” on the screen (roughly 8 mins).Add 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil or vegetable oil in Instant Pot. Make sure the oil coats the whole bottom of the pot.Add in sliced onions and 1 tbsp (12.5g) brown sugar, then saute for 3 minutes.Add in minced garlic, then saute for another minute.
3
Deglaze Instant Pot: Add ¾ cup (188ml) unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot. Then completely deglaze the bottom of the pot by scrubbing the flavorful brown bits with a wooden spoon.
4
Pressure Cook Pork Shoulder: Add ⅛ cup (31ml) maple syrup, ⅛ cup (31ml) honey, 2 tbsp (30ml) apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp (30ml) Dijon mustard, and 3 drops liquid smoke to the Instant Pot. Give it a quick mix.Place all cubed pork in Instant Pot.Amy + Jacky’s Pro Tips: Try to keep the pork's skin side facing up and make sure they’re at least partially submerged in cooking liquid.Layer 1 cup (250ml) of ketchup on top of the pork. Do not mix.With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 35 minutes, then Natural Release for 15 minutes. Open the lid carefully.
5
Check Pork Shoulder’s Tenderness: Check if the pork is tender enough. If the pork is still tough, Pressure Cook at High Pressure for another 10 minutes.Then, place pork in a large container.
6
Thicken BBQ Sauce: Bring BBQ sauce to a simmer with “Saute” function.In a container, mix 4 tbsp (32g) all-purpose flour with ¼ cup (63ml) cold water. Make sure to mix it really well.When BBQ Sauce is simmering, mix the flour mixture into the BBQ sauce one-third at a time until your desired thickness.
7
Season BBQ Sauce: Taste BBQ sauce and add more brown sugar or kosher salt as needed. For reference, we added 2 pinches of salt and 2 tsp brown sugar at the end to balance flavors.Taste test once more to make sure everything is perfectly seasoned.Option 1: Shred pork, place pulled pork in BBQ sauce, then serve BBQ pulled pork.Option 2 (proceed to next step): You can place the whole pork cubes in oven to further enhance the flavors.
8
Optional Flavor-Enhancing – Crisp Pork Shoulder: Coat pork cubes generously with BBQ Sauce.Place pork under a broiler or the top rack of a preheated 450°F toaster oven until the surface is crisped (roughly 8 to 10 minutes).Flip the cubed pork, brush each piece with more BBQ sauce, then place them in oven again until the surface is crisped.
9
Shred Pork & Serve: Shred BBQ Pulled Pork with 2 forks.If you like a saucier Pulled Pork, place pulled pork back in BBQ sauce. Then serve it in sandwiches, sliders, or with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy~