Memorial Day parades and other celebrations may be canceled, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate the holiday from the safety of your own home or backyard. Switch things up this year, by making a tasty BBQ-style meal inside—no grill required.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches
What You’ll Need
2 tbs smoked paprika
1 tbs packed light brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp Kosher salt
3–4 lb. boneless pork roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 cup chicken stock or water
Toasted hamburger buns
How to Make It
Whisk together the smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, mustard and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined. Add the pork, then gently toss with the spice blend until it is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
When you’re ready to cook the pork, press “Sauté” on the Instant Pot. Add the oil. Then once it is hot, add a single layer of the pork pieces. Brown the pork on all sides, then transfer the pork to a clean plate and set aside. Repeat with the remaining pieces of pork.
Once all the pork has been browned, turn the Instant Pot off. Then add the browned pork, chicken stock, and 1 cup of the BBQ sauce to the Instant Pot and give the mixture a quick toss to combine everything. Twist on the lid, turn the vent to “Sealing”, then set the pressure cooker to “Manual” for 60 minutes. Once the time is up, let the vent naturally release.
Carefully open the lid. Transfer the pork to a separate clean plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the juices behind. Press the “Sauté” button once more and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes or until it has thickened and reduced by more than half. Meanwhile, shred the pork with two forks.
Once the sauce has reduced a bit, skim some of the fat off the top with a spoon or use a fat separator to separate and discard it. Then add the shredded pork back into the sauce and give everything a good toss so that it can soak up those tasty juices.
Serve immediately on toasted hamburger buns, topped with an extra spoonful or two of the remaining BBQ sauces.
