Pulled pork has never been quicker thanks to the magic of the Instant Pot. If you've been sitting on the skeptic bench, I'll happily extend a hand and welcome you to the wonderful world of 90-minute pressure cooker pulled pork. With just a few simple tricks you'll be making Instant Pot Pulled Pork that will rival even the best slow braised recipes.
Make the dry rub. Combine the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl and mix until well combined.
Remove the pork from its elastic mesh and pat very dry. If desired, trim the fat cap, then divide the pork into 3-4" chunks. Dip each piece of pork into the dry rub, coating evenly on all sides.
Press the "Sautee" button on the Instant Pot, add two tablespoons cooking fat, and allow the inner pot to heat up until the fat shimmers.
Add 3-4 pieces of pork to the pot in a single layer, leaving a bit of space between each piece. Sear 4-5 minutes, until a deep golden brown crust forms. Turn the pieces and sear on at least one more side. Remove the seared pieces and set aside on a plate; repeat this process until all pieces are seared, adding more oil if the pot gets too dry.
Pour in one cup of chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon. Continue scraping and stirring until the bottom of the pot is completely "clean" – if browned bits are stuck to the pot, you may get the "Burn" notice.
Press the "Cancel" button to turn off the sautee feature. Transfer all of the seared pork pieces back to the inner pot. Secure the lid and ensure the pressure valve is set to sealing. Program the Instant Pot to "High Pressure" for 35 minutes. Once the timer goes off, allow a 15 minute natural pressure release, then perform a quick release to release any remaining pressure. Alternatively, you may allow all of the pressure to release naturally.
Heat the oven to 450°F.
Remove the pork pieces from the pot using tongs and place onto a baking sheet. Shred the pork using 2 forks and spread into an even layer. Transfer the pork to the oven and brown for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
While the pulled pork browns, reduce the sauce. Press the "Sautee" button on the instant pot. Simmer the sauce until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the crispy pulled pork and toss to coat. Serve warm, right away. Enjoy!