Instant Pot Pulled Pork

Instant Pot Pulled Pork, learn to make pulled pork in an Instant Pot in less than one hour! Pork tenderloin makes this easy, delicious, and lean and perfect for BBQ, sandwiches, salads, tacos, and more quick meals.

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You might not believe me, but you can have pulled pork in less than an hour. Amazing, right?! So this Instant Pot Pulled Pork requires very little prep, ready in no time, and perfect for a wide range of meals. Lots of ideas for you below!

Pulled pork is one of my favorite things to make. It’s SO super duper easy to make with very little prep AND comes in handy for a wide range of recipes. I use it for more things than I can think of at the moment. 

I generally make pulled pork in my slow cooker and let the pork slow cook for 6-8 hours on low. However, after trying it in my Instant Pot and having it ready in an hour, I may never go back to slow cooking. 

What is Pulled Pork?

If you’ve never had pulled pork and have no idea what it is, it’s pork that has been shredded into strands. Popular in the south with BBQ sauce. The best way to make it, in my opinion, is with a smoker or slow-cooked on a grill, BUT that can be a lot of effort for everyday cooking, I like to make pulled pork in a slow cooker or now an Instant Pot (pressure cooker). 

Most pulled pork is made using a pork shoulder (Boston butt or picnic roast). I’ve started using pork tenderloin, which is leaner and a smaller cut of meat so it cooks up quick.

When making pulled pork in a slow cooker or Instant Pot you really don’t need a lot of ingredients or prep so it’s simple to make even for beginners!

You can sauté the pork before pressure cooking or slow cooking, but I don’t, and really not necessary in my opinion. Not to mention who really wants extra cleaning?!

Only a few quick and easy ingredients needed…

Instant Pot Pulled Pork Ingredients

• Pork tenderloin
• Beef broth (or liquid of choice such as vegetable or chicken broth, soda, or water)
• Seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, and/or onion powder)

How to Make Pulled Pork in an Instant Pot

• Pour beef broth (or liquid of choice) into the bottom of your Instant Pot.
• Add the pork tenderloins to the bottom of the Instant Pot over the broth to form a single layer of pork as best you can. Sprinkle desired seasonings on top of pork such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Close Instant Pot. Select manual setting for high pressure for 40 minutes.
• When 40 minutes is done, let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure for about 10 minutes. Then carefully manually release pressure until done.
• Remove lid from Instant Pot. Using tongs or a large slotted spoon, remove pork and place on cutting board. Using two forks, shred pork as desired.

(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)

Uses for Pulled Pork

• Add some BBQ sauce for BBQ pulled pork
• Add to your favorite sandwiches
• Serve with some tortillas and toppings for easy tacos or it’s also great for enchiladas, burritos, and other Mexican dishes
• Mix with pasta and tomato sauce along with some vegetables
• Place on top of a salad with your favorite dressing
• Mix with your favorite Asian or ethnic sauces and make lettuce wraps
• Add to soups, stews, or chilis
• Spoon on top of pizza for a fun pizza topping
• Eat it plain right out of the Instant Pot with a side of vegetables for a quick meal

Quick Tips for Best Results

• Different types of pressure cookers may have different results. I’d suggest the first time you try to make this to leave yourself some extra time just in case you need it.
• The beef broth really gives a nice flavor to the pork and more so than water. Use it if you can.
• Don’t overcrowd the Instant Pot and make sure you have enough liquid in there.
• If you’re not familiar with your Instant Pot or pressure cooker, be sure to read the directions and try it out first.
• If you are new to the Instant Pots or use yours for a wide range of recipes. I’d suggest getting more silicone rings if you haven’t already. The pork does leave a smell in the bands and if you are planning to make any non-meat recipes (such as desserts like cheesecake…) extra rings come in handy so your desserts don’t taste like pork or other strong flavors.

Instant Pot Pulled Pork FAQ

How should you store leftover pulled pork?
You can store it in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze any leftover pork. Be sure it’s in an airtight container.

Can you freeze pulled pork?
Yes! I think it freezes quite well BUT I think the pork freezes best if mixed with a sauce first (such as BBQ sauce…) then placed in a thin layer in a resealable bag. Get out as much air as possible, seal the bag, and freeze flat. You don’t have to add a sauce, but I think it tastes a lot better and doesn’t have that freezer (burn) taste that some cooked meat can get. Personal preference though.

How should you reheat the pulled pork?
For best results, I would not reheat from frozen. I would make sure the pork is defrosted and from the fridge. You can microwave the pork, heat in the oven, or even in a skillet or pot. Personally, I think it reheats better with a sauce mixed in it first but personal preference.

What can you substitute for the beef broth?
I think beef broth works best and gives the beef a nice deep flavor but you could try using water, soda (like Dr. Pepper, Coca Cola or Pepsi, or even Root Beer), chicken broth, or even vegetable broth.

Can you use a different cut of pork?
Technically you can, however, you will need to make sure it fits into your Instant Pot or pressure cooker AND adjust the cooking time. Different cuts will cook differently.

What else can you add to the pork?
You can add your favorite seasonings or dried herbs to the pork. Seasoning mixes would be great as well.

What should you serve with the pulled pork?
It really depends on what you want to do with it. Most people I know like to mix the pork with BBQ sauce and make sandwiches. In that case, you could serve with your favorite BBQ dishes like Mac & Cheese, coleslaw, potato salad, pasta salad, green beans, corn on the cob, etc. If you are looking for a quick meal, you can eat the pork plain and serve over rice and/or vegetables.

How much pulled pork per person?
Well, it’s hard to say. It depends on what you’re planning on doing with the pulled pork, how hungry everyone is, and how much leftovers you’d like. I would recommend at least 1/4 to 1/2 pound of raw pork per person or more if you want leftovers or be on the safe side. The meat does shrink down a bit while cooking so it won’t look like quite so much after you cook the pork in the pressure cooker.

Other (similar) Recipes You May Enjoy

• Sweet & Spicy Root Beer BBQ Pork – Slow cooked pork with an easy homemade root beer BBQ sauce!
• General Tso’s Slow Cooked Pork Tacos – twist on the Chinese takeout dish with pulled pork.
• BBQ “Cupcakes” – fun recipe with cornbread muffins stuffed with BBQ pulled pork and cheese “frosting”.
• Cranberry Chipotle BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders – easy BBQ sauce with cranberry sauce and pulled pork!
• Pulled Pork Salad – my kind of salad for sure!
• Pulled Pork Enchiladas – because everything is better stuffed in a tortilla, haha!

Hope you enjoy this Instant Pot Pulled Pork. Tell me in the comments what recipes you used the pork for!

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Looking for some things to serve with this Pulled Pork? Try my Easy Pasta Salad and S’mores Bars for a great meal!

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5 from 5 votes

Instant Pot Pulled Pork

Homemade pulled pork tenderloin ready in less than an hour!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Resting & pulling time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Yield 5 -10 servings

Author Lisa Huff

Ingredients

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 (2.5 pounds) package pork tenderloins
• Optional seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder)

Instructions

• Pour beef broth into the bottom of your Instant Pot.
• Add the pork tenderloins to the bottom of the Instant Pot over the broth to form a single layer of pork as best you can. Sprinkle desired seasonings on top of pork such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Close Instant Pot. Select manual setting for high pressure for 40 minutes.
• When 40 minutes is done, let Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Then carefully manually release pressure until done.
• Remove lid from Instant Pot. Using tongs or a large slotted spoon, remove pork and place on cutting board. Using two forks, shred pork as desired.

Notes

SNAPPY TIPS: You can cut the pork before putting it in the Instant Pot or after for smaller pieces of pork. Or you can also chop the pork instead of pulling.

SNAPPY SUBSTITUTIONS: Use your favorite seasonings or seasoning mixes on top of the pork. Instead of beef broth you could use chicken or vegetable broth, water, or soda (like cola, root beer, or Dr. Pepper).

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keywords: Instant Pot recipe, pulled pork tenderloin

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