My pulled pork recipe is so tasty and delicious – it’s made with bone-in pork shoulder, and is ready in just over an hour via the Instant Pot. It’s perfect for feeding large groups at a BBQ or potluck with crowd-pleasing pulled pork sandwiches, and the best part – it’s SO easy to make but tastes like you’ve been roasting all day!

I’ve mentioned this before, but I love using my Instant Pot for braising tough cuts of meat into tender, crave-worthy meals like my easy Instant Pot ribs or Instant Pot shredded beef tacos. Pork shoulder is an inexpensive cut of meat and can be chewy, but when seasoned well and cooked properly, it transforms into a luscious, savory and satisfying entreé. Bone-in pork shoulder can be found in most big-chain grocery stores, and is less expensive than boneless pork shoulder. You’re going to LOVE how tasty this recipe is, and how easy and stress-free it is to make.
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Ingredients & Notes
Pork – I’m using a bone-in pork shoulder. The extra bone infuses a bit of extra flavor into the broth.
Chicken broth – I like using chicken broth instead of water. It brings more flavor to the meat.
Seasoning – This includes brown sugar, salt, smoked paprika, ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and ground pepper. It’s mildly spicy, feel free to add additional cayenne to your taste.
BBQ sauce – Use the sauce of your choice. One of my favorite brands is Kinder’s BBQ Sauce.
Instructions
1). Cut the roast into 5-6 pieces. This will help the meat to cook quicker in the Instant Pot. Mix the dry ingredients and rub it evenly on all sides of the pork.
2). Sear each side of pork in batches, set seared pork aside. This helps develop flavor.
3). Deglaze pot with broth and scrape up browned bits. Add the pork back in, pressure cook on high for 60 minutes.
4). Remove pork and shred, then mix in ¼ cup of the broth and your favorite BBQ sauce!
Serve over a nicely toasted brioche bun (my favorite!) topped with coleslaw and pickles. This sandwich is so drool-worthy! Take a big bite and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Keep the bone in while cooking, you won’t need to add any additional cooking time as the roast is cut into smaller pieces.
- Reserve some of the cooked broth to pour on the pulled pork, this adds all the delicious flavors and some additional fat.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Toasting the bun is an extra step to up your sandwich game and helps to hold up all the extra goodness better without it getting soggy too quickly.
Once cooked, you can shred the meat and toss out the fat parts.
It is recommended as it helps add flavor – think a steamed ribeye vs. a seared ribeye. You want that caramelized and charred flavor.
Some good side options include biscuits, cornbread, coleslaw, pickles, and fries.
More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love
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Instant Pot Bone-In Pulled Pork Shoulder
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6 or 8 quart
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork shoulder, bone in
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- oil for searing the pork
- 1 cup BBQ sauce, more to taste
Instructions
- Cut roast into 5-6 pieces, about 3 to 4 inch thickness.
- Mix dry ingredients and rub all over the pork pieces.
- Press saute function on the instant pot then add the oil. When it reads "hot", add the meat and sear, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Cook in batches as needed.
- Remove the meat and set aside.
- Add the broth, with a wooden spoon, scrape any residual brown bits into the broth.
- Add pork back in, close the lid, seal the valve on cook on manual high pressure pressure for 60 minutes.
- When done, let the pressure naturally release.
- Strain liquid, reserve ¼ cup to mix in with pulled pork.
- Shred the pork, add the reserved broth and mix in your fav BBQ sauce, add more to your taste.
- Serve over a nicely toasted brioche bun topped with coleslaw and pickles!
Notes
- Keep the bone in while cooking, you won’t need to add any additional cooking time as the roast is cut into smaller pieces.
- Reserve some of the cooked broth to pour on the pulled pork, this adds all the delicious flavors and some additional fat.