Pulled pork has to be one of the most loved summer meals or potluck recipes! Juicy, flavorful, and endlessly versatile, it makes an amazing dish to feed a crowd. Most people have their favorite BBQ flavored pulled pork, but today, I’m going to show you how to make this Instant Pot Asian Pulled Pork recipe that will be your new favorite! Instant pot is your best friend here as it creates no mess and cooks a lot faster than a crockpot. In fact, I think it’s the secret to moist pulled pork. It’s such an easy recipe with amazing results and you’ll get the most tender pulled pork packed with sweet and savory flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simple Asian ingredients but big on flavors. It only requires a few common ingredients from the Asian pantry, but you’re guaranteed the MOST FLAVORFUL, FINGER-LICKING deliciousness. Yield incredible fall-apart tender and succulent meat in less time! With the pressure cooking feature, the pork stays moist in the liquid and there’s no worry about meat getting dry. You’ll have enough juice to drizzle for extra flavor too. Also, it reduces the cook time which usually takes up 8 hours in a crockpot to just 60 minutes. Amazing versatility and freezer-friendly. There are so many ways to serve (tacos, rice bows, salad, and more!) and repurpose this pulled pork recipe!
The Ingredients You’ll Need
2.5-3 lbs pork shoulder (pork butt) – see below for the best cut of pork to use. Onion Ginger Garlic Chicken stock Seasonings: Soy sauce, sake (Japanese rice wine), and brown sugar
How to Make Instant Pot Asian Pulled Pork
Pulled Pork with Extra Char
In my recipe card below, I will also show you how to get the extra char for the pulled pork by putting it under high broil in the oven. It is an extra step, but the pulled pork will benefit big time from this. If you don’t want to crank the oven, you can also crisp up the meat in a pan over the stovetop. This pulled pork is an instant win! No pun intended.
The Best Cut of Meat to Make Pulled Pork
Pork shoulder is the most common cut for making pulled pork. It is the thinner, bottom cut of the “shoulder” area of a pig’s forelegs. You can also use Pork Butt or Boston Butt, which is from the top cut, thicker section of pork shoulder. It has more fat marbling compared to pork shoulder. Both would work fine for this pulled pork.
Alternative Cooking Methods
I hope you enjoy making this Asian Pulled Pulled with your instant pot. It is a great tool for juicy, tender, fall-apart delicious pulled pork that you and your family are happy to come home for. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can also use these two methods.
Stovetop Method: You can cook covered on a low simmer for 2-3 hours, or until the pork can be easily shredded with a fork. Slow Cooker Method: In your slow cooker, cook on high for 5-6 hours if you split the meat in half, or low for 8-10 hours. Cooking low and slow is best to break down all the collagen and connective tissues and you’d get fall-apart tender texture.
Ways to Use Asian Pulled Pork
Once the pulled pork is cooked, the rest is easy peasy. Who doesn’t like the idea of one single batch of meat being used in countless creative ways?
Taco. Add shredded veggies, cilantro, and spicy mayo, and squeeze in fresh lime juice! Rice bowl. Top it off with a fried egg, kimchi, and finish off with some green onions.
Here are just some magical meals you can dish up with pulled pork:
Fried rice. Use this classic fried rice as your template and add in the pulled pork. Sandwich. Make pulled pork sandwich! Steamed pork buns. So delicious with some fresh or pickled cucumber and red onions.
Like things spicy? I recommend dousing your pulled pork with a drizzle of Spicy Mayo! You’ll need just 3 ingredients to make this amazing sauce with a kick.
Delicious Sides to Serve with the Asian Pulled Pork
Asian Coleslaw with Sesame Dressing Asian Cabbage Salad Grilled Corn with Miso Butter Quick Korean Fresh Kimchi Japanese Potato Salad
Storage and Reheating
How do you store leftover pulled pork? Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months in the freezer. What is the best way to reheat the pulled pork? You can reheat the pulled pork in the microwave, but it tastes the best when you reheat it in a skillet. In a frying pan, add very little oil and cook the leftover meat for a few minutes until warmed through. If it gets too dry, just sprinkle in some water. Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on February 10, 2018. It’s been republished with more information on July 24, 2023.
