Description
This Honey BBQ Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe delivers tender, flavorful pulled pork with a perfect balance of sweet and tangy BBQ sauce enhanced by honey. Using the Instant Pot ensures a juicy result in less time than traditional slow cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Main
- 4 pounds boneless pork roast (shoulder preferred, trimmed of visible fat)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1.5 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- Slurry of 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with cool water
Instructions
- Season meat: In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, paprika, and black pepper. Add the pork roast and toss well to coat evenly. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes to absorb flavors.
- Brown meat: Set the Instant Pot to ‘sauté’ mode and add oil. When hot, brown the meat in batches on all sides for a few minutes until a crust forms. Remove browned pork to a plate.
- Make sauce and deglaze: Pour chicken stock into the Instant Pot to deglaze, scraping the browned bits from the bottom to prevent burn errors. Stir in 1 cup BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well, then return the browned pork to the pot, coating it with the sauce.
- Pressure cook: Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to ‘sealing’. Select ‘pressure cook’ (or ‘manual’ on older models) on high pressure and set the timer for 60 minutes.
- Release pressure: When cooking is complete, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes to let the meat relax and become tender. Then carefully release any remaining pressure manually. Open the lid carefully.
- Shred meat: Remove the pork from the pot and shred it using two forks until pulled apart into bite-sized pieces.
- Finish the sauce: Stir the remaining 1/2 cup BBQ sauce and honey into the cooking liquid left in the pot. Turn the Instant Pot to ‘sauté’ and simmer, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens slightly. If needed, add the cornstarch slurry gradually to speed thickening. Return the shredded pork to the pot and stir to coat all the meat in the honey BBQ sauce. Serve hot on buns or as desired.
Notes
- Trimming excess fat from the pork roast can help reduce greasiness if preferred.
- Deglazing the pot thoroughly prevents ‘burn’ warnings during pressure cooking.
- A natural release after pressure cooking is important to keep the pork tender.
- The cornstarch slurry is optional but helps achieve a thicker sauce consistency.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
