The Best Instant Pot Pulled Pork (Paleo, AIP, Gluten-Free)

This pulled pork recipe is incredibly simple, delicious, and relatively fast. While it's significantly faster than using a slow cooker, it still produces a very tender and flavorful meat. No BBQ sauce needed. It's fast that enough it works well as a week-night meal and the leftovers are fabulous.
What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork?
Pork shoulder/pork butt produce a more flavorful meat because of their higher fat and connective tissue content.
Can I use Pork Loin to Make pulled pork?
Yes. Pork loin is leaner than pork shoulder and costs more but works well for pulled pork. It may need more time to cook in order to become nice and tender and may require a little more sauce as it can dry out more easily than the pork butt/shoulder.
Pork Tenderloin vs Pork Loin
What's the difference? Pork loin and pork tenderloin come from different parts of the animal. Pork tenderloin is thin and small while pork loin is wide and thick. Pork tenderloin is a little more tender and more expensive than pork loin. Tenderloin and loin both work for pulled pork but you may need to adjust your cooking time.
Can I cook it faster than 65 minutes?
Yes, but it will not come out as tender. I tried this recipe cooking it for 50 minutes on high pressure and it was cooked through but it was tougher and little harder to shred.
How to Make Pulled Pork
- Cut the pork shoulder into 3-4 chunks before putting it in the instant pot; this helps it to cook a little faster and more evenly.
- Mix wet and dry ingredients together and pour over the meat.
- Cook on high pressure for 65 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, allow steam to naturally release.
- Shred pork with 2 forks and you're done!
How Should I Serve This?
This is, of course, great by itself but here are some other Paleo-Friendly ideas for serving it:
- Serve over a baked sweet potato, sweet potato noodles, or fries.
- Serve wrapped in lettuce.
- Serve on Paleo tortillas or buns.
- Serve with Paleo coleslaw.
- Though this pulled pork doesn't need BBQ sauce, KC Naturals makes an AIP friendly BBQ sauce if you feel the need for a good sauce.
I hope you enjoy this recipe. If you tried it, leave a comment below and let me know what you thought!

The Best Instant Pot Pulled Pork (Paleo, AIP, Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound pork shoulder (aka pork butt) cut into 3-4 pieces
- 1/3 cup bone broth
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp pink Himalayan sea salt
Instructions
- Cut pork shoulder into 3-4 chunks and place in Instant Pot,
- Mix all other ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
- Pour mixture over pork. Close lid, turn steam valve to "sealing" and set on high pressure for 65 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, turn the steam valve to "release" and allow the steam to naturally release.
- Carefully remove lid and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Shred with 2 forks and serve.