Easy Instant Pot Korean Pulled Pork
Enjoy great tasting Korean pulled pork made easy using the Instant Pot. Flavored with sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and a simple spice blend, this shredded pork is slightly spicy with a subtle sweetness the whole family will enjoy.
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Equipment
- 1 6 quart or 8 quart Instant Pot
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 Pestle and Mortar or Spice Grinder
Ingredients
- 6-8 lbs pork butt, also called Boston butt cut into 4-6 inch portions
- 2 tbsp neutral oil I use lard
Dry Rub Ingredients
- 1 tsp star anise 2 stars, ground
- 2 tsp fennel seed grind
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Sauce Ingredients
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 12 cloves garlic
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 1 inch ginger root peel and slice
- ½ large white onion
- 1½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
Mix the Dry Rub
- Add 2 whole anise stars and 2 tsp fennel seeds to a pestle and mortar and grind finely. Transfer to a small bowl and add 2 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, 2 tbsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, stir to combine.
Prepare the Sauce
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to a high powered blender and blend on high until it's a smooth sauce.
Sear the Meat
- Cut the pork into chunks, roughly 4-6 inch portions. Sprinkle each side of the meat lightly with the dry rub mixture.
- Add 2 tbsp of oil to the bottom of the instant pot set to the saute function. When the oil is simmering and the pot is hot, place 1 or 2 pieces of pork in the Instant Pot and sear each side of the pork for 2 minutes or until a crust forms.
- Sear pork on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside. Continue working through the remaining pieces of pork.
Instant Pot
- With the pot still on the saute function, add half of the sauce (roughly 2 cups) to the Instant Pot and deglaze the pot.
- Place pork in the Instant Pot, cancel the saute function, and place the lid in the sealed position. Using the manual setting, set the timer to 90 minutes with the valve in the middle position.
Shred and Add the Sauce
- Once the timer is done, flip the switch to the side for a quick release.(Use caution when releasing the valve. As the pot vents, steam will be released and is very hot. I like to make sure the Instant pot has plenty of space to vent and isn't under an upper cabinet.)
- Check the pork with a fork. It's done when it falls apart easily. If the pork is still tough, replace the lid and cook for 15 more minutes.
- Once the pork is done, transfer the pieces to a large serving dish, leaving the cooking liquid behind, and shred pork using two forks. Then, pour sauce (remaining sauce is about 2 cups) over the shredded pork and mix to combine.
- Serve as sandwiches, over rice, or in tortillas for fusion tacos.
Notes
Pork butt isn't from the back end of the pig as the name suggests. Sometimes referred to as Boston butt, this cut of meat comes from the pig's shoulder and is full of connective tissue and fat marbled throughout. This inexpensive cut of meat benefits from a low and slow approach to cooking to produce fall-apart-tender meat with a rich flavor.
Contrasting, lean cuts of meat like pork tenderloin have a low fat content and aren't an ideal choice for pulling.
Pork needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 195°-205°F/91°-96°C for the connective tissue to break down and become tender.
Place leftover pulled pork in a freezer-safe container and allow to cool to room temperature. Wrap with layers of foil, squeezing as much of the air as possible, before placing into the freezer. Use within 3 months for the best flavor.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Calories: 489.6kcalCarbohydrates: 50.6gProtein: 35gFat: 16.3gSaturated Fat: 4.7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7.1gCholesterol: 111.2mgSodium: 2622.4mgPotassium: 750.3mgFiber: 1gSugar: 45.9gVitamin A: 180.3IUVitamin C: 3.7mgCalcium: 89.7mgIron: 3.3mg
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