Instant Pot Pork Butt

This is the easiest Instant Pot Pork Butt recipe! No prep work, just add all of the ingredients to your pressure cooker. Warm spices like smoked paprika and cinnamon plus sweet & tangy apple cider vinegar and orange juice give the pork incredible flavor. The meat is unbelievably tender!

this recipe

This tender shredded pork can be used in tacos, burritos, rice bowls and sandwiches. You can add barbecue sauce after it's cooked to make pulled pork.

You can add it to a salad bowl with shredded cabbage, carrots and cucumber + your favorite salad dressing. You can serve the pork with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, corn on the cob, cabbage or coleslaw.

In other words, this pork is really versatile!

This recipe is perfect for meal prep, because you can make two completely different meals out of the meat. Pork burritos one night and pork rice bowls the next, with white rice and Asian slaw.

Slow cooked pork is also great for feeding large groups of people (this recipe makes 6 to 8 servings). A perfect side dish with slow cooked pork is Instant Pot black eyed peas or Instant Pot collard greens.

If you like tender, flavorful pork you should also try Instant Pot pork adobo and cider-braised pork (slow-cooked in the oven.) Also, pork and ricotta meatballs are insanely good!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Pork butt: You can substitute pork shoulder, which is a very similar cut of meat. These cuts of meat are usually sold in 4 to 5 pounds roasts. Whether your roast is 3 pounds or 5 pounds, you can use the same cooking time and method.

Apple cider vinegar: This perks up the flavor and shouldn't be left out!

Orange juice: Just a hint of orange flavors the meat. You can substitute pineapple juice or beer or even plain water (but it won't be as flavorful).

Salt & Sugar: Salty and sweet, both are needed to give pork flavor. You can also add a grind or black pepper if you want.

Spices: This recipe uses smoked paprika, garlic powder and just a pinch of cinnamon. This pork isn't over-seasoned, so the flavor is noticeable but not overpowering.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Recipe FAQ

Pork Shoulder vs Pork Butt

Pork shoulder and pork butt are very similar cuts of meat and can be used interchangeably.

Both the pork butt and pork shoulder come from the same part of the pig (the upper and lower shoulder). Both are tough and fatty and are best cooked at a low temperature for a long time. Both are sold either boneless and bone-in - which you get often depends on where you shop.

Both cuts should have fat across the top, which is good for flavoring the meat as it cooks. The white fat helps keep the meat moist and flavorful. This is especially important when the pork is roasted in the oven.

In a pressure cooker, it's less important. A pressure cooker traps moisture, which keeps the meat tender. If you don't trim off any of the fat before putting a pork butt in a pressure cooker, the cooked meat and liquid will be very oily.

Food Storage

This recipe makes a lot of pork. If your family can't eat it all within 5 days, then you can freeze some to eat later.

Just put the shredded meat in a sealed freezer bag. It tastes best if eaten within 3 months.

To defrost, put the meat in the refrigerator overnight. You can then re-heat it in the microwave or in a skillet.

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