Pork Roast Instant Pot

Name: Pork Roast Instant Pot
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 125 min
Ingredients: 6 lbs. pork shoulder, or pork butt thawed (✅); 1 cup beef broth (✅); 2 tbsp. cumin (✅); 2 tbsp. chili powder (✅); 2 tbsp. onion powder (✅); 2 tbsp. granulated garlic (✅); 2 tbsp. paprika (✅); 1 tbsp. salt; 1 tsp. pepper

By: Jodi / Published on February 13, 2019 Updated on March 7, 2023 / 33 Comments

Instant Pot Pork Roast is tender, flavorful, and oh so simple. It's an instant pot pork shoulder recipe that's ready in under 2 hours and makes enough to freeze for many meals to come. Gluten-free, dairy-free.

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

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A bowl of pulled pork next to mashed potatoes with black pepper on top.

Instant Pot Pork Roast is tender, flavorful, and oh so simple. It’s an instant pot pork shoulder recipe that’s ready in under 2 hours and makes enough to freeze for many meals to come. Gluten-free, dairy-free.

If you are looking for a delicious & simple meal, you will want to try my Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe ASAP! This recipe only uses a few ingredients and doesn’t require a lot of effort BUT it makes a flavor-bursting dish that everyone in your house will love. What more could you ask for from a recipe?!

Instant Pot Pork shoulder

The Instant Pot has been a trendy kitchen tool for the last few years & I’ve quickly become a huge fan. My Instant Pot has allowed me to create tasty, affordable & easy recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

In the beginning, I felt a bit uncomfortable and overwhelmed at the idea of using the Instant Pot. However, I soon realized that there was nothing to be afraid of, it’s super easy. You will be an Instant Pot pro by the end of this recipe!

HOW DO I EVEN USE AN INSTANT POT?

The Instant Pot is a fancy version of a traditional pressure cooker. When it comes to the Instant Pot and traditional pressure cookers, there are many different models. To start, read through the instructions of your model to learn about the different functions.

Here is a 10-step beginner guide to using an Instant Pot:

First, place the bowl into the base of the Instant Pot. After that, add the ingredients (it is important that there is at least a cup of liquid as an ingredient).
Next, check the lid of your Instant Pot to make sure the sealing ring is in place.
Then, secure the lid onto the base.
Turn the valve on the lid to “SEALING”.
The next step will differ for each model so check your manual! For my Instant Pot, I press “PRESSURE” but other models require you to press “MANUAL”.
Press the PLUS or MINUS signs to set the cooking time.
The Instant Pot should say “ON“. When the machine first turns on, it is building pressure. The time that it takes for this pressure to build does NOT count toward the cooking time. On my machine, I know the pressure is built when the silver pin on top is raised.
Once the pressure is built, the cooking time will start counting down.
After the cooking time is complete, release the pressure. To release the pressure, you can wait for the natural pressure release (NPR) OR release the pressure manually by turning the valve to “VENTING“.
Lastly, take off the lid once it is unlocked

pork roast instant pot shown close up in a white bowl with mashed potatoes and gravy on white marble surface.

HOW TO MAKE

Place meat in instant pot or pressure cooker.
Add beef broth and top with spices.
For 6 lbs. of meat cook on high pressure for 2 hours (for 3 lbs of meat, cook for 1 hour).
Quick-release until the float valve goes down or natural release.
Shred with two forks, removing any excess fat or bones.
Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Instant Pot Pork Roast Rub

2 tbsp. cumin
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
2 tbsp. granulated garlic
2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

To start, add a pork roast to your Instant Pot.

Pressure Cooker Pulled pork shown raw in an instant pot making instant pot pork on a wooden surface.

Next, add the beef broth and spices on top of the meat.

I typically add cumin, chili powder, onion powder, granulated garlic, paprika, salt and pepper to season the pork because I have found that this combination gives the pulled pork an outstanding flavor! However, feel free to change up the seasonings depending on what you have in your cabinet.

TIME SAVER: Make a large batch of this spice combination & keep in a sealed container. Then, it will be ready to go anytime you need a flavorful seasoning for a recipe.

Pulled pork instant pot shown top down with raw pork shoulder shown covered in spices.

Once all of the seasonings have been added, place the lid on the base and secure.

Since each instant pot and pressure cooker is a bit different, check the instructions for your model to determine the necessary cooking time. For example, I set my Instant Pot for 2 hours to cook 6 lbs of meat.

COOKING TIP: For faster cooking time, cut the pork roast into large chunks. This will cut the cooking time to ~1.5 hours for 6 lbs of meat and ~45 minutes for 3 lbs of meat.

Instant pot pork shown shredded in instant pot after cooking.

After the pressure has been released and the lid unlocks, remove the lid & shred the meat using two forks.

Finally, the pork roast instant pot recipe is ready to be served! I love to make a big batch and freeze the leftovers because there are SO many different ways to serve this recipe to my family.

pork shoulder pressure cooker recipe shown very close up with mashed potatoes and gravy. The instant pot pork is in moist chunks.

Serving Suggestions:

Layer with your favorite taco toppings in a taco shell
Make a Pita Gyro
Pair as a main dish with my Cheesy Potatoes or Zucchini Crisps
Toss on top of nacho chips with melted cheese & toppings
Scoop onto a bun for a pulled pork sandwich
Add to a cheesy pizza crust or flatbread
Mix into a batch of Apple Jalapeño BBQ Sauce for BBQ pulled pork
Toss with roasted veggies and top with gravy or balsamic glaze

Storage Tips

For the fridge: Once completely cooled, place in an airtight container to store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For the freezer: Freeze in a container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months in the freezer once completely cooled.

Reheating Instructions

Leftover pork can be reheated covered on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot. It is recommended to add a few tablespoons of broth or water when reheating to prevent the pork from drying out.

If frozen, allow pork to thaw in the fridge overnight then follow the reheating instructions.

pork shoulder roast in pressure cooker shown close up in a white bowl with a fork diving into the instant pot pork on white marble surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which cut of pork to use? SHOULD I USE A PORK BUTT, PORK SHOULDER OR PORK LOIN for Pork Instant Pot?

Each time that I make this recipe, I have used a different cut of meat. I recommend picking the meat cut based on your preferences and budget. The main differences between these three cuts of pork are the fat content & price.

–Pork butt roast will have the most marbling, which means that it is the highest in fat. Pork butt roasts are typically used to make pulled pork because of the rich flavor.

-A boneless pork shoulder is often going to be a more affordable cut compared to the pork butt with a similar fat and flavor content.

–Pork tenderloin is going to be the leanest cut of meat. This is a great option for individuals or families that are looking to cook meat with low-fat content.

NUTRITION TIP: “LOIN” cuts of meat are often the “LEAN” cuts of meat.

SHOULD I USE NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR) OR QUICK RELEASE (QR) when cooking pulled pork?

First things first, it is important to know the difference. NPR is when you let the Instant Pot release the pressure naturally. The pressure will release slowly & the lid will unlock when the float valve drops completely. With QR, you manually turn the valve from “SEALING” to “VENTING”, which will let the pressure go quickly. Be cautious with QR because the steam will shoot out of the top quickly!

I use Natural Pressure Release when I am cooking with large cuts of meat and ingredients that are likely to foam like pasta or rice.
I use the Quick Release option when I am cooking with ingredients that I don’t want to overcook like vegetables, or when I don’t want to wait for the natural pressure to release!

CAN I USE A CROCK POT?

If you don’t own an Instant Pot, you can absolutely make this recipe in a slow cooker. You will just add the ingredients minus the beef broth (unless you are using a tenderloin) into the crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6-8 hours and shred after cooking.

Can I make this recipe into instant pot bbq pork?

For sure! Simply add in a cup or two of your favorite BBQ sauce after cooking!

Can I cook Frozen Pork Roast in the Instant Pot?

Yes! One of the great benefits of instant pot cooking is its speed – making it safe to cook frozen meat.
To cook a pork roast from frozen add 20-30 minutes of cook time.

More Instant Pot Recipes

Instant pot recipes can make any weeknight dinner super quick and easy. Keep this instantpot pork roast recipe along with any of these below in mind the next time you need a delicious dinner meal.

More Pork Recipes

CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.

The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.

If you enjoyed the recipe make sure to leave a comment and a star rating below! Then follow me on social media and tag #createkidsclub if you make the recipe. I love seeing what you come up with!

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