This Instant Pot Pulled Pork is a hardy, easy recipe that is simple to make, and ready in under an hour. Enjoyed in a bowl with sweet and spicy protein filled cornbread and crunchy apple slaw, this is a delicious summer lunch or dinner. It’s packed with protein and is free of refined sugar!
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Ingredients:
Instant Pot Pulled Pork:
Corn Bread:
Apple Slaw:
How to make Instant Pot Pulled Pork with Cornbread and Slaw:
Make the cornbread:
- Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prep vegetables. Dice jalapenos and melt butter in the microwave.
- Cook corn and jalapenos. Heat pan over medium high heat with avocado oil. Add corn and 1 jalapeno. Saute corn and jalapenos. This can be done in a cast iron skillet to eliminate the need for a cake pan and a pan.
- Make the batter. While the corn cooks, add the Kodiak Cakes corn bread flour, butter, eggs, greek yogurt, honey, and milk to a bowl and mix well.
- Add corn and jalapenos to batter. Once corn and jalapenos are softened and slightly blackened, remove from heat. Remove half of the corn mixture and set aside. This half will be used to top the bowls. Put the other half of sautéed corn mixture into corn bread batter and mix well. Pour batter into cast iron (if used for the corn saute mixture) or into an 8x8 greased cake pan.
- Bake! Bake for 35-40 minutes. Check that it is cooked through by poking it with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, then remove from the oven. If not, return to the oven for 2 minute increments, checking with a toothpick each time, until it comes out clean.
Make the Pork while the cornbread bakes:
- Prep meat. Chop pork butt into 3” squares (or smaller pieces) and remove bone if using bone in pork butt. Pork shoulder can also be used.
- Add to the Instant Pot. Add all pork ingredients except pork to the Instant Pot (an electric pressure cooker) and stir well.
- Add Pork. Add pork and ensure all pieces are covered in cooking liquid. If not, add additional beef stock until all pieces are covered or flush with the liquid.
- Cook. Lock the lid in place and set to cook on High Pressure for 40 minutes. The pot will take about 10 minutes to build up pressure and then the time will start to count down from the 40 minute cook time.
- Release the pressure - Part 1. Once the 40 minutes is up, let the pot do natural release for 10 minutes (meaning do nothing with the pot until the time says 10 minutes again). The time will begin to count up from zero.
- Release the pressure - Part 2. After 10 minutes, manually or quick release the remaining pressure.
- Shred. Open lid and shred pork pieces. Remove any excess fat as you go. This can be done with two forks. The tender pork should fall apart when picked up.
Make the Slaw while the pork and cornbread cook:
- Slice. Thinly slice and dice apples, onion, and jalapeno.
- Mix. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss to coat. Allow to sit in the fridge to develop flavor until ready to use.
- Assemble your bowl with corn bread, shredded pork, slaw, and add additional barbecue sauce and corn & jalapeno mixture as desired.
Quick Facts
How long does this dish take? 1 hour, including cooking time and prep time. This is our favorite way to cook pork. Faster and easier than the grill or oven and still a delicious recipe (maybe not as good as slow roasting, but we'll take it)
How much does this make? 6 servings
Does this meet my dietary needs? This recipe is macro friendly, high protein, and refined sugar free. It can be made gluten free by leaving out the cornbread.
How many bowls should I plan for this meal? 1 instant pot, 2 medium bowls, 1 pan. Using the instant pot allows the pork to cook in a fraction of the time of cooking in an oven.
How long does this keep? 1 week in the fridge, stored separately
Is it freezer friendly? Yes, pork and corn bread are freezer friendly, slaw is NOT.
How do I reheat this? Heat pork and cornbread in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Can I pack this for lunch? Yup! Just keep it cold. This would be great on pork sandwiches for meal prep too.
Substitution Options
All substitution options are a 1:1 substitution unless noted otherwise.
Corn bread:
Corn: Canned or fresh corn can be used or this can be omitted.
Jalapenos: Fresh or pickled can be used or they can be left out.
Kodiak Cornbread Mix: Any premade corn bread mix can be used but it will not result in a high protein corn bread. Buy Kodiak Cakes Cornbread Here.
Eggs: Flax egg or apple sauce can be used. ⅓ cup of either for 1 egg.
Butter: Oil, vegan butter, or butter substitute can be used.
Milk: Any plant based milk can be used or water.
Greek yogurt: Any plant based yogurt or regular plain yogurt can be used. This will decrease the protein amount.
Honey: Maple syrup, agave, brown sugar, or white sugar can be used.
Pulled Pork:
Pork butt: Pork shoulder roast or pork tenderloin can be used, bone in or boneless is fine. Just remove the bone before cooking.
BBQ sauce: Your favorite barbecue sauce can be used or make your own homemade bbq sauce like this one from Tastes Lovely.
Apple cider vinegar: White vinegar or rice vinegar can be used.
Beef broth: Chicken stock, vegetable stock, bullion cubes, or water can be used.
Honey: See above.
Cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika: Fresh garlic and ¼ onion can be used in place of garlic and onion powder. Sorry, no substitute for paprika and cumin.
Slaw:
Apple: Jicama, crushed pineapple, or shredded broccoli slaw can be used
Shredded carrots: Whole carrots or a slaw mixture can be used.
Red onion: Any onion can be used.
Jalapeno: See above.
Apple cider vinegar: See above.
Avocado oil: Olive oil or vegetable oil can be used.
Minced Garlic: Garlic powder or grated garlic can be used.
Salt & Pepper: Any type of salt and black pepper can be used, or white pepper.
Fun Fact!
Barbecue has a long history with the first recorded type of bbq being when Spanish settlers arrived in America and saw the natives cooking meat over an open fire. The settlers followed suit because this method preserved the meat and kept bugs away. With the arrival of Africans and Europeans, cooking pork this way became popular as a cheap and low maintenance meal. (Source)
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Recipe
The Best Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Corn Bread
- 2 15 oz cans of corn
- 1 jalapeno diced
- 1 box Kodak corn bread mix
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup butter melted
- 1-⅓ cup milk
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup honey
Pork
- 2 lbs Pork Shoulder or butt
- 1 cup bbq sauce
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Slaw
- 2 apples
- 2 cups carrots shredded
- 1 jalapeno diced
- ½ red onion diced
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
Instructions
Corn Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Dice jalapenos and melt butter.
- Heat pan over medium high heat with avocado oil. Add corn and 1 jalapeno. Saute corn and jalapenos. This can be done in a cast iron skillet to eliminate the need to a cake pan and a pan.
- While the corn cooks, make the batter. Add the Kodiak Cakes corn bread flour, butter, eggs, Greek yogurt, honey, and milk to a bowl and mix well.
- Once corn and jalapenos are softened and slightly blackened, remove from heat. Remove half of the corn mixture and set aside. This half will be used to top the bowls.
- Put the other half of sautéed corn mixture into corn bread batter and mix well. Pour batter into cast iron (if used for the corn sauté mixture) or into an 8x8 greased cake pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. Check that it is cooked through by poking it with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, then remove from the oven. If not, return to the oven for 2 minute increments, checking with a toothpick each time, until it comes out clean.
Pork
- Chop pork butt into 3” squares and remove bone if using bone in pork butt. Pork shoulder can also be used.
- Add all pork ingredients except pork to the Instant Pot and stir well.
- Add pork and ensure all pieces are covered in liquid. If not, add additional beef stock until all pieces are covered or flush with the liquid.
- Lock the lid in place and set to cook on “High” “Pressure Cook” for 40 minutes. The pot will take about 10 minutes to build up pressure and then the time will start to count down.
- Once the 40 minutes is up, let the pot naturally release for 10 minutes (meaning do nothing with the pot until the time says 10 minutes again). The time will begin to count up from zero.
- After 10 minutes, manually release the remaining pressure.
- Open lid and shred pork. This can be done with two forks.
Slaw
- Thinly slice and dice apples, onion, and jalapeno.
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss to coat. Allow to sit in the fridge to develop flavor until ready to use.
Assemble your bowl!
- Cut corn bread into even squares or pie shaped slices. Pile pork, slaw, and cornbread in a bowl and top with extra bbq sauce as desired. Enjoy!
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