Savory Pulled Pork Using Your Instant Pot®

Ingredients 0/16

Step 1

Mix together the brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub this spice blend all over the trimmed pork shoulder, then poke the meat a few times with a fork to help the flavors soak in. Wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or overnight if you can.

Step 2

When you’re ready to cook, set your Instant Pot to sauté and heat up a little olive oil. Cut the pork into 4 to 6 chunks and brown them in batches, about 5 minutes each, until they get a nice color. Once browned, take the pork out and set it aside.

Step 3

Pour in the chicken broth and use a whisk to scrape up all those tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Then, turn off the sauté function. Add the water, apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, tomato paste, onion, and ketchup. Nestle the browned pork pieces back into the pot, close the lid, and lock it in place with the vent sealed. Set it to cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, and give it 10 to 15 minutes to come up to pressure.

Step 4

Once the cooking time is up, carefully quick-release the pressure following your Instant Pot’s instructions. Remove the lid, take out the pork and onions, and cover them to keep warm.

Step 5

Switch the pot back to sauté. Add the remaining tomato paste, ketchup, and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Use a ladle to skim off any excess fat from the surface and toss it. Let the sauce simmer until it thickens and reduces by about half, which should take around 15 minutes.

Step 6

While the sauce is bubbling away, shred the pork with two forks into bite-sized pieces. Serve the shredded meat topped with that rich, flavorful sauce and enjoy!