Put pulled pork on your team for a winning Super Bowl recipe

Chula King
·4 min read
The Instant Pot does most of the work in cooking the pulled pork.
The Instant Pot does most of the work in cooking the pulled pork.

Instant Pot Pulled Pork is super easy to make and absolutely delicious. It’s perfect for Super Bowl gatherings or any time you want a no-fuss recipe that can be made ahead of time and reheated for an amazing meal.

Why you should make this recipe

This delicious and easy recipe produces tender pulled pork flavored with spices. You should definitely make it because:

Inexpensive: This recipe uses a pork butt also known as Boston butt or pork shoulder which is an inexpensive cut of meat that can feed a crowd. However, you might be wondering why it's called "butt" when it comes from the pig's shoulder. Well, in the mid 1700’s, the New England butchers would take cuts of pork that weren’t necessarily desirable and pack them into barrels called “butts” for shipment elsewhere. At that time, “butt” was an old English measurement for wine casks of a particular size and volume — thus the name Boston Butt!

Make ahead of time: The pulled pork can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, covered for a day or two. It can also be frozen for several months. Take the pulled pork to your potluck or party and reheat it right before it’s time for serving.

Simple to make: Other than a handful of preparations, this recipe is pretty much hands off. The Instant Pot does most of the work!

Time Saving: Traditionally, pulled pork is cooked at a low temperature for an extended period of time. While this is great, cooking the pulled pork in an Instant Pot produces as good a result at a fraction of the time.

Versatile: Pulled pork can be served in many different ways, making it the perfect dish.

I like to serve the pulled pork on a toasted bun with my quick and easy coleslaw, fries and some dill pickles on the side.

This recipe for pulled pork uses a pork butt also known as Boston butt or pork shoulder which is an inexpensive cut of meat that can feed a crowd
This recipe for pulled pork uses a pork butt also known as Boston butt or pork shoulder which is an inexpensive cut of meat that can feed a crowd

Easy Instant Pot Pulled Pork

Serves 6

Equipment

Instant Pot. Can also use a Pressure Cooker.

Ingredients

Dry Rub

¼ cup (1.875-ounces) dark brown sugar, packed

½ Tablespoon ground cumin

½ Tablespoon chili powder

½ Tablespoon paprika

½ Tablespoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon onion powder

¾ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instant Pot Pulled Pork

3 pounds boneless pork or Boston butt, trimmed of thick fat and cut into 4 pieces

Dry Rub (from above)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups chicken broth, divided

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup favorite barbecue sauce, plus more for serving.

Directions

Dry Rub

Combine all dry rub ingredients in a jar with a lid. Screw lid on jar. Shake well to thoroughly combine all ingredients.

Instant Pot Pulled Pork

Rub each of the pieces of pork with dry rub, making sure to cover the entire surface.

Program Instant Pot on sauté function. Add olive oil. When sauté function reads "Hot" add two pieces of pork. Sear pork for about 2 minutes per side. Remove seared pork; repeat with remaining pork.

Turn off Instant Pot. Add about ½ cup of the chicken broth to deglaze the pan and scrape up browned bits from searing the pork. Add remaining 1 cup of chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce. Return seared pork to Instant Pot making sure that the pieces are not overlapping.

Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and ensure that vent is closed. Program Instant Pot on manual, high pressure for 90 minutes.

Allow Instant Pot to depressurize normally, about 20 minutes. Remove lid and remove pork. Discard the liquid. Using two forks "pull" or shred pork, discarding any remaining globs of fat.

Transfer pulled pork to saucepan. Add barbecue sauce; stir to combine. Heat over medium heat until heated through. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with additional barbecue sauce on the side.

Yield: 6 servings.

Chula's Tips

  • Pork butt is the same as Boston butt and pork shoulder. While this is the preferable cut of meat, you could also use pork loin and/or bone-in pork.

  • You will likely not need to use all of the dry rub.

  • I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce. However, use your favorite barbecue sauce, either store-bought or homemade.

Chula King is the blogger behind pudgefactor.com.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: No-fuss pull pork recipe hits the spot for a Super Bowl Party