You want pulled pork and you want it ASAP. Break out your Instant Pot to make quick work of that pork butt and you’ll be chowing down on tender, flavorful pulled pork in less than 2 hours (including prep and cook time!).
Hello fellow pork lover! The pork butt is one of my favorite cuts of pork for oh so many reasons, and I hope it’s a favorite of yours too. It’s one of those relatively inexpensive cuts that has great flavor and is super versatile. It’s also more forgiving to cook than other cuts (looking at you pork chops).
The default way to cook pork butt is to toss it in a slow cooker and let it get tender and delicious the low and slow way. No doubt this is a default pork butt cooking method for a reason, but sometimes a shortcut is desirable. Especially if you had a busy morning and didn’t get the opportunity to start your pork butt on it’s slow and low cooking journey.
This Instant Pot Pork Butt recipe uses simple ingredients to yield a tender pulled pork that has great flavor but is versatile enough to be used for everything from sandwiches to tacos. It has a subtle earthiness to it (thanks to oregano and cumin) rounded out with hints of onion and garlic (thanks to the respective powdered seasonings). Whether you add a little barbecue sauce or a little hot sauce after the fact, this pulled pork recipe makes a perfect base to get dinner started.
Jump to:
Instant Pot Pork Butt Ingredients
This Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe will give you the delicious results you want in a fraction of the time a slow cooker requires. You will need the following ingredients:
- pork butt, cut into 4 large chunks
- vegetable or olive oil
- salt
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- cumin
- paprika
- oregano
- chicken or beef stock
- apple cider vinegar
See recipe card for quantities.
Instant Pot Pork Butt Instructions
Add all of the seasonings (salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano) to a bowl and stir to combine.
Drizzle vegetable or olive oil over each pork butt chunk, making sure to coat the exterior evenly so the seasonings stick.
Sprinkle the seasoning all over each pork butt chunk, making sure to coat the exterior evenly. You should use all of the seasonings.
Add the seasoned pork butt chunks to the Instant Pot, then add the chicken (or beef) stock and apple cider vinegar.
Put the lid on and set your Instant Pot to High Pressure for 60 minutes (I also select the Keep Warm setting). The Instant Pot will take around 10-12 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking.
When the pork butt has finished cooking, let the pressure naturally release. If you opt for a quick release, I can’t promise the meat will be as tender as this rapid air expulsion tends to dry meat out. This will take around 20 minutes. The steam release valve will fall when the pressure has naturally dissipated.
Transfer the cooked pork to a large bowl and use two forks to shred it into smaller pieces.
I like to add some of the liquid remaining in the Instant Pot back to the shredded meat to keep it juicy - 2-3 tablespoons - and then save the rest of the liquid for another use.
Use the shredded pork butt for tacos, sandwiches, and more! The flavor is neutral enough for many different applications, plus you can add hot sauce or barbecue sauce to take it to another level.
Hint: While the Instant Pot Pork Butt is cooking, prep some sides!
Substitutions
Here are some substitutions you can make in a pinch.
- Onion powder - You can absolutely toss in some fresh onion instead, try adding 1 cup of thinly sliced onion of choice.
- Garlic powder - Like above, you can use fresh garlic. Toss in 3-4 finely minced cloves.
- Paprika - Try using equal amounts of Smoked or Hot Hungarian.
- Oregano - Use Mexican or Italian oregano interchangeably.
- Chicken or beef stock - Beer or a soda like Coke or Dr. Pepper work as well.
Spicy Instant Pot Pulled Pork Variations
This Instant Pot Pork Butt recipe isn’t spicy at all, but if you want to add some zing here are a few ingredients to add to the mix. My advice would be to add ¼ - ½ teaspoon of the dry spices, 1 - 2 tablespoons of the sauces, and 1-2 fresh peppers if you want the heat present but agreeable to most palates.
- Cayenne pepper
- Hot Hungarian paprika
- Chili powder
- Chipotle chili powder
- Chipotle en adobo sauce
- Hot sauce (like Tabasco)
- Jalapenos, serranos, or other fresh hot pepper
Equipment
I have an 8-quart Instant Pot, this exact model:
This recipe also works with 6-quart models.
Storage
As someone who cooks for two, I LOVE having leftover pulled pork to repurpose throughout busier weeks! Like in these Pulled Pork Tostadas. Store leftover Instant Pot Pork Butt in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or freeze in an airtight container for 3-6 months.
Top tip
Reuse the juice! You know, the cooking liquid that gets left behind after the pork butt has finished cooking.
One of my favorite store-purchased barbecue sauces is Sweet Baby Ray’s, but it’s definitely on the thicker side. I like to add 1 tablespoon of juice to every 2 tablespoons of Sweet Baby Ray’s to achieve a lovely, drizzle-worthy pulled pork sauce.
FAQ
Either bone-in or boneless work just fine! For bone-in pork butts simply remove the bone after cooking, which is what I did here.
I have SO MANY ideas! If you're taking dinner a taco route, rice and refried beans are a great idea. Thinking about pulled pork sandwiches? Try a complementary salad. See below for additional suggested pairings 🙂
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Give these a whirl:
Instant Pot Pork Butt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-3 ½ pounds pork butt (cut into 4 large chunks)
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ½ tablespoon oregano
- ½ cup chicken or beef stock
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Add all of the seasonings (salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano) to a bowl and stir to combine.½ tablespoon salt, ½ tablespoon onion powder, ½ tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon paprika , ½ tablespoon oregano
- Drizzle vegetable or olive oil over each pork butt chunk, making sure to coat the exterior evenly so the seasonings stick.3-3 ½ pounds pork butt, 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- Sprinkle the seasoning all over each pork butt chunk, making sure to coat the exterior evenly. You should use all of the seasonings.
- Add the seasoned pork butt chunks to the Instant Pot, then add the chicken (or beef) stock and apple cider vinegar.½ cup chicken or beef stock, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Put the lid on and set your Instant Pot to High Pressure for 60 minutes (I also select the Keep Warm setting). The Instant Pot will take around 10-12 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking.
- When the pork butt has finished cooking, let the pressure naturally release. If you opt for a quick release, I can’t promise the meat will be as tender as this rapid air expulsion tends to dry meat out. This will take around 20 minutes. The steam release valve will fall when the pressure has naturally dissipated.
- Transfer the cooked pork to a large bowl and use two forks to shred it into smaller pieces.
- I like to add some of the liquid remaining in the Instant Pot back to the shredded meat to keep it juicy - 2-3 tablespoons - and then save the rest of the liquid for another use.
- Use the shredded pork butt for tacos, sandwiches, and more! The flavor is neutral enough for many different applications, plus you can add hot sauce or barbecue sauce to take it to another level.
Osman says
Your recipes Looks delicious , For more visitors to your food blog and more followers to instagram ,please check http://www.yummyrecipe.co site.
Registration is completely free, after completing the registration process, members can add their recipes to the site. Recipes on the site lead directly to the full recipe on the site where they are posted. All the details of the recipe do not need to be included. similar to foodgawker