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    Home » Dinner

    The Easiest Instant Pot Pulled Pork (Keto, Paleo, Whole30)

    January 8, 2021 Updated: September 7, 2022 by Lisa Wells / 8 Comments

    Pulled pork in Instant Pot

    The easiest Instant Pot pulled pork recipe! This BBQ pulled pork is keto, paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free. It's so easy and it's so good!

    Easy Instant Pot pulled pork on keto bun with low carb coleslaw

    Most pulled pork recipes call for brown sugar in the rub or packaged barbecue sauce with sugar and other processed food ingredients. I've even seen recipes with Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, root beer, or Coke. This healthy recipe is just as simple but uses real food with no added sugar or processed food chemicals.

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

    Easy instant pot pulled pork

    Seriously, the first time I made this BBQ pulled pork, my family declared that this is the best pulled pork recipe and the only one I should ever make. And the best part for me is how easy it is. It takes only 5 minutes of hands-on time. Just rub cut the pork in a couple big chunks, rub it with spices, and throw it in the Instant Pot with some barbecue sauce and come back when it's done.

    Having two key ingredients in the pantry make this recipe super simple. One is my all-purpose homemade chili powder blend (which includes smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a few other spices). I use it as the base of the spice rub for the pork. Just add salt and you're good to go.

    The second is my sugar-free BBQ sauce, which keeps this recipe low carb. I like to have a batch of this barbecue sauce in the fridge to use on burgers or chicken. You can also substitute this Whole30-approved bottled sauce. The pulled pork recipe is good both ways.

    The best cut of meat to use in this electric pressure cooker pulled pork recipe is a pork shoulder or Boston Butt. It cooks up tender and juicy with pressure cooking in the Instant Pot. I like to use boneless since it cooks up a little quicker and it's easier to shred.

    Easy pulled pork recipe with spice rub and BBQ sauce in Instant Pot

    How to make it

    It couldn't be simpler to cook the pork in the Instant Pot. Depending on which Instant Pot you have, you may need to reset the steam release valve. When pressure cooking, always make sure the steam release valve or quick release button is in the “sealing” position (the Ultra resets itself so you don't have to worry about this).

    Pro tip: get a second sealing ring to use with savory dishes (I have this set and I use the red ring for meat). Don't forget to put your savory sealing ring in the lid before you put the pork in the Instant Pot. Then swap it out for the neutral sealing ring when you clean it so the next thing you cook doesn't smell like pork.

    Once the ingredients are loaded in the stainless steel pot, set the program to "manual" or "pressure cook" on the front panel. (These terms are interchangeable—they use different names for the program on different Instant Pot models.) The cooking time will start after the Instant Pot to comes up to pressure. When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally rather than doing a quick release.

    Instant Pot pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw on keto bun

    How to serve it

    The possibilities are endless for this easy Instant Pot pulled pork. Here are a few different ways to try it:

    • make a pulled pork sandwich with chipotle lime coleslaw on keto buns
    • top a slow-cooked sweet potato with pulled pork and pickled vegetables
    • make a pulled pork bowl with cauliflower rice or a base of creamy mashed cauliflower and celery root, and add your favorite toppings
    • serve up a pulled pork plate with paleo cornbread, collard greens, and classic coleslaw

    And to round out your meal, here are plenty of side dishes to serve with dinner.

    If you have any leftovers, you can freeze the cooked pulled pork for even more quick meals. I freeze it in individual portions in these freezer-to-oven glass containers for easy reheating.

    More easy Instant Pot recipes

    • Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs (Keto, Paleo, Whole30)
    • Instant Pot Ham with Honey Mustard Pomegranate Glaze
    • Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
    • Easy Instant Pot Ribs (Keto, Paleo, Whole30)
    • Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
    • Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
    Instant Pot pulled pork on keto bun with coleslaw

    Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe

    The best BBQ pulled pork recipe to make in an Instant Pot. With just 5 minutes of hands-on prep, it's quick and easy to put together.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Save Email
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
    Heating time: 15 mins
    Total Time: 2 hrs
    Servings: 8 servings
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Southern
    Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Keto, Low Carb, Paleo, Whole30
    Author: Lisa Wells

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
    • 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
    • 1 ½ cup Sugar Free BBQ Sauce

    Instructions

    • Mix chili powder and salt together in small bowl.
    • Cut pork into roughly 1 lbs pieces. Rub each piece with chili salt mixture.
    • Pour half of the BBQ sauce in Instant Pot. Arrange pork pieces in a single layer. Pour remaining sauce over pork.
    • Cook on manual or pressure cook at high pressure for 90 minutes. Let pressure naturally release.
    • Remove pork and shred the meat with two forks. Add pan juices to moisten the shredded pork to your liking.

    Notes

    For a slow cooker version use this crock pot pulled pork recipe.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 247kcal Carbohydrates: 4g Protein: 38g Fat: 5g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g Monounsaturated Fat: 0g Trans Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 102mg Sodium: 638mg Potassium: 858mg Fiber: 0g Sugar: 3g Vitamin A: 595IU Vitamin C: 4.5mg Calcium: 21mg Iron: 2.2mg
    Keyword: Instant Pot pulled pork
    Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating above and share your photo on social. I love seeing what you've made!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alondra

      July 25, 2019 at 12:49 pm

      How long would I cook this if I only want to use 1.5lbs since it’s only for 1 person? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Lisa

        August 13, 2019 at 1:40 pm

        Hi Alondra, I have not tested this recipe with a smaller cut of pork. I just freeze the leftovers in single-serve portions so I have meals prepped for later. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Meagan L

      November 09, 2019 at 9:26 am

      My husband doesn't like bbq sauce so I would have to put that on after it is cooked. Would using just beef broth to cook it still taste good?

      Reply
      • Lisa

        November 17, 2019 at 10:30 am

        Hi Megan, I have not tested this recipe with beef broth but it would change the flavor. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!

        Reply
    3. Amy

      January 17, 2020 at 3:36 pm

      How long does the natural release take?

      Reply
      • Lisa

        January 20, 2020 at 4:18 pm

        Hi Amy, it varies widely depending on how much you have in the Instant Pot, but 15 - 30 minutes is probably average for a pork shoulder. You can always do a quick release after 20 minutes if you don't want to wait.

        Reply
    4. WWood99

      October 03, 2020 at 11:22 pm

      5 stars
      Your recipe is spot on. I usually do pulled pork in the slow cooker, but decided to try your instapot method. A lot quicker cooking time.
      Outstanding. Your suggestion to cut the pork into 1 lb pieces worked great.
      Will definitely make this my go to method.

      Reply
      • Lisa

        October 04, 2020 at 5:23 pm

        Yay! I'm so glad you love it 🙂

        Reply

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