How long does it take to cook 8lb pork shoulder in an instant pot?
In this article, we will answer the question “How long does it take to cook 8lb pork shoulder in an instant pot?”, and how to make instant pot pulled pork.
How long does it take to cook 8lb pork shoulder in an instant pot?
It takes about 90 minutes for an 8lb pork shoulder to cook in an instant pot. Some recipes suggest a much longer instant pot cooking time that is about 115 minutes (1 hour and 55 minutes).
The cooking time may vary as it depends upon how large the meat chunks are cut. Moreover, it is also influenced by the fat and the connective tissue content of the pork shoulder.
How to make instant pot pulled pork?
Recipe 1: serves 12-15
Ingredients
- 6 lbs. boneless pork butt (or 9 lbs. bone-in)
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons or fine ground Celtic sea salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- For the dry rub, mix coconut sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, dried oregano, and cayenne in a bowl and set it aside.
- Place the pork butt on a cutting board and pat dry it using some paper towels. Use a sharp knife to get rid of the larger chunks of fat from the meat. Then separate the meat from the bone. Discard the bone or store it for making bone broth.
- Cut the meat into fist-sized chunks and dump them into the instant pot. Do not fret if some of the meat pieces are smaller than the other. Non-uniformity in the meat chunks usually happens if you are working with a bone-in pork butt.
- In a large bowl, pour the dry rub. Flip and move around the meat chunks in the dry rub so that it is evenly coated.
- Pour water into the bowl and place it inside the instant pot. Make sure the ring on the instant pot lid is where it should be. Put the lid on the pot and set the vent to seal.
- Cook at high pressure for 115 minutes (or 1 hour and 55 minutes). When the time is up, let the instant pot release pressure naturally. This will take some time (about 40 minutes or so) but it is worth it since the meat turns out juicy and tender.
- Take off the lid of the instant pot and transfer the meat to a bowl. Shred the meat using a fork and season with some salt.
Notes
To make this recipe in a slow cooker, follow the directions below.
- Add the meat chunks to the slow cooker bowl. Then stir in the dry rub. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-5 hours, or cook on low for 4-7 hours.
- Ideally, you should allow the meat to marinate in the dry rub for about 2-3 hours before pressure cooking. But you can skip this step if you are pressed for time.
Recipe 2: serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 4lb Pork Butt Roast, boneless or bone-in
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ – 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Remove the excess fat from the pork roast and reduce it to 4 equally sized chunks.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients and stir until well-combined. Coat the meat chunks in the dry rub.
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil to Instant Pot and set to saute. Once it indicates hot, add the coated pork pieces (2 at a time). Sear the meat for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the seared pork pieces to a plate and repeat the process with the rest of the pieces.
- Once you are done with the searing process, press cancel and add ½ cup chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. When you are done with the deglazing, pour in the Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and the remaining chicken broth.
- Lower the pork chunks into the liquid, place them at a uniform distance from each other. Secure lid and make sure the vent is set to sealing. Pressure cook/manual on high pressure for 60 minutes. Once the time is up, let the pressure release naturally or until the pin drops.
- Take off the lid and transfer the pork pieces to a plate. Shred the meat using 2 forks. Use the cooking juices from the pot and BBQ sauce to flavor the shredded meat.
Other FAQs about Pork that you may be interested in.
Can you cook a joint of pork from frozen?
Can you cook a joint of pork in a slow cooker?
Conclusion
In this article, we answered the question “How long does it take to cook 8lb pork shoulder in an instant pot?”, and how to make instant pot pulled pork.
References
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