Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches are insanely good! The shredded pork is unbelievably tender, and super simple to make. The yummiest pulled pork sandwiches around!
BBQ pulled pork sandwiches have always been a favorite of ours. I’ve made my Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches countless times for family parties, my boy’s missionary open houses, etc. and they are always a huge hit.
I decided I needed an instant pot version of these delicious sandwiches and it was definitely the right decision. So today I’m sharing my Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches. You’re going to love them!
Pulled pork sandwiches are perfect for feeding large crowds because they’re budget-friendly and are incredibly easy to make.
Fall-apart tender pork in delicious BBQ sauce is what you can have sitting in front of you in no time at all thanks to the beloved Instant Pot.
So simple to make. . .
- Pour the root beer in the Instant Pot.
- Season your pork butt (or shoulder) with salt, pepper and some garlic powder and then place it on top of the root beer.
- Lock the lid and select the Meat function (this should be on HIGH pressure), and set your timer for 70 minutes.
- Once the timer beeps, let it do a natural release for 10 to 15 mins then do a quick release and remove the pork butt from the pressure cooker.
- Shred the meat and drain the root beer from the pressure cooker. Stir in barbecue sauce and toss gently.
Pulled pork always hits the spot. The great thing about it too is you can leave the bun off if you’re watching your carbs and it’s equally as good!
We love to pile coleslaw on top. If you’ve never tried it you don’t know what you’re missing. Even non-coleslaw lovers I know have been converted to eating coleslaw on their pulled pork. I should say it’s optional, but really it’s not if you want the truth. (lol!)
Did I mention this stuff is incredibly freezer friendly? I intentionally make more than I need and portion and freeze the leftovers.
DO I HAVE TO USE ROOT BEER?
I love the flavor the root beer adds to the pulled pork, but you can certainly use other sodas like Coke or Dr. Pepper. Also, if you’re not wanting the added sugar from the soda, you can use broth or even just water.
Not only is this delicious served on rolls (obviously), but it’s equally delicious served on top of a baked potato or sweet potato. Pita bread also works great to make a wrap with this pork.
Types of pork to use:
- Pork Shoulder vs. Pork Butt. Pork butt comes from the shoulder of the pig and has a high fat content, while pork shoulder also comes from the shoulder, but has more muscle. Both benefit from long, slow cooking methods. Since pork butt has more fat marbling throughout the meat, it’s a great cut of meat for making fall-apart-tender pulled pork for a barbecue and has more flavor because of the fat.
- Pork Loin is a leaner cut of meat, meaning that it has less fat than pork shoulder. While it is the leanest cut of pork, it is also the most tender. It still has enough fat to come out juicy and moist. If you use a pork loin roast, you don’t need to cook it as long, so cut the time down to 45 minutes in your instant pot.
In all honesty, I use whatever I can find cheapest at the grocery store. They all end up making delicious pulled pork as long as it’s cooked for the right amount of time.
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Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 to 12 1x
Ingredients
PORK:
- 1 1/2 cups root beer
- 1 boneless pork shoulder/butt roast, 3 to 4 lbs
- Salt & pepper
- Garlic powder
- 1 bottle (18 oz) Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce (or your favorite BBQ sauce)
- Buns
COLESLAW:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 pkg. coleslaw
Instructions
PORK:
- Pour the root beer into your Instant Pot.
- Cut the pork roast into about 4 large pieces and lightly season on all sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place in your instant pot.
- Lock the lid and select the Meat function and set your timer for 70 minutes.
- Once it’s done cooking, let it do a natural release for 10 to 15 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Remove the meat from the instant pot and shred. Dump out the juices left in the instant pot before you return the shredded pork to your instant pot. (*see notes)
- Add about 2/3 to 3/4 cup BBQ sauce and toss gently until all the meat is covered. *You can use more or less BBQ sauce depending on how “saucy” you want your meat.
- Serve on rolls with an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce and a spoonful of coleslaw (optional, but definitely makes them amazing!)
COLESLAW:
- In a small bowl, add the mayo, sugar and vinegar, whisk until smooth.
- Put coleslaw into a large bowl and pour dressing over. Toss until well combined. Refrigerate about 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can save the juices if you want and add some back into your meat to moisten it, but I very rarely do.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 70 mins
I just bought a pork butt at Costco (on sale FYI!) so this will be great to use my IP for. I have made your slow cooker one and it’s yummy. I appreciate your easy IP directions so I will try this. And your coleslaw listed above is amazing with pulled pork. I have made it before and I only use this recipe now. It’s simple and easy and not overly sweet, love it!! TY Jodi –
★★★★★