Quick Look at this Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Roast
- Ready In: under 2 hours!
- Serves: 8
- Difficulty: easy, beginner-level, just set-it-and-forget-it
- Main Ingredients: bone-in or boneless pork shoulder, yellow mustard, liquid smoke, beef broth, and the best homemade pork shoulder dry rub!
- Dietary Info: Whole30, Paleo, Dairy-Free, and Gluten-Free
- Best For: easy weeknight dinners, meal prep, or feeding a crowd.
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Why You Need This Pulled Pork In Your Rotation
- Reliable – clean timing and pro tips for tender, shreddable pork every time!
- A simple pork shoulder dry rub that brings the BEST flavor.
- Make it saucy with any of your favorite BBQ sauces.
- One batch, lots of dinners – leftovers are perfect for making dinners all week long!
- Versatile – use to make sandwiches, tacos, rice bowls, enchiladas, nachos, and so many more meals.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Pork Shoulder – highly recommend using a bone-in pork shoulder for more flavor, but a boneless pork shoulder can also be used.
- Dry Rub – a simple homemade pork shoulder rub is made with pantry spices or use your favorite store-bought version.
- Beef Broth – at least 1 cup of liquid is always needed when cooking in a pressure cooker to keep the meat juicy and tender.
How To Make Instant Pot Pork Shoulder
Step 1 – Rub the pork shoulder with liquid smoke, yellow mustard, and the dry rub.
Step 2 – Place the trivet in the Instant Pot with beef broth, and then the seasoned pork shoudler.
Step 3 – Secure the lid and pressure cook for 90 minutes.
Step 4 – Shred the meat and return to the pot to toss in the juices.
Erin’s Testing Tips: What We Learned
– Make the Dry Rub: it is a simple 7-spice dry rub recipe that is made in 5 minutes and adds the BEST flavor! We have been using it for over a decade!
– Check the Internal Temperature: pork is fall-apart-tender when it reaches an internal temperature of 190-205°F. If it is not pulling apart easily, it has not reached this temperature.
– Wrap it Up! Try to prep your pork shoulder the night before cooking and wrap it up with plastic wrap in the fridge. It adds even more amazing flavor!
Best Ways To Serve Instant Pot Pork Shoulder
A pulled pork recipe is one of the most versatile to make! Here are a few favorite ways to serve it up:
- Solo: enjoy with your favorite BBQ sauce and a side dish of creamy coleslaw and some slow cooker baked beans.
- Tacos: serve on tortillas to make pulled pork tacos.
- Nachos: make our pulled pork nachos with all your favorite toppings.
- Enchiladas: some easy pork enchiladas would also make a delicious dinner.
- Sandwiches: pile that tender pulled pork on some bbq pulled pork sandwiches or make pulled pork sliders.
Instant Pot Pork Shoulder FAQs
Yes, another term often used is “Boston Butt.” Checkout this nice diagram of the different pork cuts! So helpful!
It can be browned if you want, but it is not necessary.
Yes, as long as it fits in the Instant Pot you can cook it whole. If it does not fit, feel free to cut it into large pieces.
For a pork shoulder that is 3 – 3.5 pounds, you need to cook it on HIGH in your pressure cooker for about 90 minutes. Adjust to more or less for a larger or smaller roast.
Yes, let it cool and then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Adding a little of the cooking liquid to the meat before freezing will help keep it moist during the reheating process.
Other Instant Pot Dinner Recipes You Might Like
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Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons lemon pepper
- 2 ½ tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 3-3 ½ pound pork shoulder, bone-in or boneless
- 1-2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 cup beef broth
Instructions
- Dry Rub: In a small bowl, add 2 ½ tablespoons lemon pepper, 2 ½ tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, ½ tablespoon onion powder, ½ tablespoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if using). Combine and set aside.
- Season Pork: Place 3-3 ½ pound pork shoulder on a large plate or platter and rub with 1-2 tablespoons liquid smoke, getting into all the little crevices. Then rub with 3 tablespoons yellow mustard. Finally, take the pork dry rub and rub all over, it will create almost a paste.
- Instant Pot: Place trivet inside Instant Pot and add 1 cup beef broth. Ensure valve is set to "Seal". Place pork shoulder on the trivet and cook on high pressure for 90 minutes. Allow to naturally release 15 minutes and then manually release remaining pressure carefully.
- Shred: Remove from slow cooker and shred with two forks (discarding bone if it had one). Feel free to return shredded meat to Instant Pot to combine with the juices.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately or store for enjoying later in the week!
Notes
- Option to Wrap Overnight: Feel free to cook this pork shoulder right away, but you can also wrap up the seasoned pork shoulder (in plastic wrap or foil) and allow it to sit in the refrigerator overnight. This will help it be little more flavorful, but it is not necessary for the recipe to turn out!
- Instant Pot: A pressure cooker will need additional time to come to pressure and always use your Instant Pot according to the manufacturers instructions.
Stephanie says
Hi! If my pork shoulder is larger do I just add to the cook time? Thank you!
Erin says
Hi Stephanie – yes, you can add on to the cook time by an hour or so (depending on how much bigger it is)!
Erica says
I used a different seasoning- What’s Gaby Cooking brand “Gaby’s Go To Blend”- but everything else was the same, and the result was delicious! Added the pork to stir fried corn, zucchini, kale, onions, broccoli for meal prep 😊
Erin says
Oooh that sounds like a delicious combo, Erica! So glad you like it!
Rachel Mercure says
This recipe was so easy and so good! My whole family LOVED it!
Erin says
So happy you enjoyed it, Rachel! And thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review + feedback – I really appreciate it!
Lindsey says
The BEST pulled pork recipe!
Erin says
Yay!!! So glad you enjoyed it, Lindsey!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback, I really appreciate it!