The easiest Instant Pot pulled pork recipe! This BBQ pulled pork is paleo, keto, Whole30, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free. It's so easy and it's so good!
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.
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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.
How to make pulled pork in an instant pot
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.
How to serve Instant Pot pulled pork
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
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 paleo & keto dinner ideas
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 1/2 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
Nutrition
More Instant Pot inspiration
Alondra
July 25 at 12:49 pmHow long would I cook this if I only want to use 1.5lbs since it’s only for 1 person? Thank you!
Lisa Wells
August 13 at 1:40 pmHi 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. 🙂
Meagan L
November 9 at 9:26 amMy 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?
Lisa Wells
November 17 at 10:30 amHi 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!
Amy
January 17 at 3:36 pmHow long does the natural release take?
Lisa Wells
January 20 at 4:18 pmHi 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.