How to Cook Pork Butt in the Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is such a good tool to have in your kitchen but also it also has its limitations and sometimes isn't any faster than making the recipe on your stovetop. However, when you stick to meat and roasts that normally require a long cooking time in the oven, the Instant Pot can be a great option. Here is how to cook pork butt in the Instant Pot.

Why is Pork Shoulder Called Pork Butt?

Butchers in colonial New England used to pack inexpensive pork shoulder into large barrels to make it easier to store or transport. People used to call them butts and over time, the name stuck.

What Part of the Pig is Pork Butt?

Despite its misleading name, the pork butt, which is also called the Boston butt, comes from different parts of the hog. It consists of parts of the neck, shoulder blade, and upper arm. Thus, the pork butt is a really tough cut of pork with a lot of connective tissue.

How Long Does it Take to Cook a Pork Butt Per Pound?

The basic rule is to cook the pork butt for approximately 40 minutes per pound at 300 F in the oven. Using this method, your meat will end up tender and fully cooked. Note: During the cooking process, if the liquid in the bottom of the pan evaporates, just go ahead and add another ½ inch of water as needed.

Meanwhile, in the Instant Pot, 15 minutes per pound is more than enough to cook the pork butt. For example, a 3 Ib roast should cook for 45 minutes. Keep in mind that there will be an additional 10 to 15 minutes on the cooking process while the pressure cooker preheats and comes under pressure, though.

After the cooking time is up, the pressure inside needs to be released. To do this, you should natural release the pressure for 10 minutes. This means you should simply all the pressure cooker to sit for 10 minutes after the cooking time has elapsed as it will naturally dissipate pressure during this time.

How Long Should I Pressure Cook Pork?

To pressure cook your pork, you need to select High Pressure and set the cooking time to 75 minutes. When the cooking time ends, turn off your pressure cooker to allow the pressure to release naturally. It will take approximately 20 minutes.

Pork Butt Instant Pot Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork butt roast, either boneless or bone-in
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth, divided
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• ½ – 1 cup of BBQ sauce

Kitchen Gadgets

• Instant Pot
• Meat Thermometer

Pork Butt Instant Pot Instructions

1. Trim the fat from the pork roast and cut it into four equal-sized chunks.
2. Add the brown sugar, salt, ground mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika to a large bowl and whisk them together.
3. Coat the pork with the spice mixture.
4. Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot and press Saute.
5. Once the Instant Pot says Hot, add two pieces of the pork and sear for about 2 minutes per side.
6. Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and set it aside on a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining pork pieces.
7. Once the pork is seared and removed from the pot, press Cancel. Then, add half a cup of chicken broth.
8. Add ½ cup chicken broth to the Instant Pot, using a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pot and scraping up all the browned bits.
9. Add the remaining chicken broth with the Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke.
10. Add the pork chunks directly into the liquid in the pot, spacing them as best as possible.
11. Secure the lid and make sure the vent is set to the sealing position. Pressure cook/manual on high pressure for about 60 minutes.
12. Let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes or until the pin drops.
13. Remove the pork to a large bowl and shred it with 2 forks. Then, add your favorite BBQ sauce to the mixture and toss until coated.
14. Alternatively, you can just toss the pork with the juices from the Instant Pot as it will be loaded with tons of flavor!

How to Crisp the Outside of a Pork Roast?

When you cook pork roast in the Instant Pot, it won't end up with a crisp crust on the outside, even if you did sear it at the beginning. This is because of the steam in the pressure cooker. If you would like the pork to have a crispy texture at the end of cooking, you can use your oven after the Instant Pot has done its work. Basically, let your pork rest for a bit, then put it into the oven at 475 F for about 10 minutes.

What Side Dishes Can You Serve With Boston Butt - Pork Butt?

• Tomato Salad With Pickled Onion
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Creamy Potato Salad With Bacon
• Creamy Corn Pudding
• Maple Corn Bread
• Tangy Red Cabbage Slaw
• Herb Potato Salad
• Collard Greens With Bacon

How to Cook Pork Butt in the Instant Pot

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

The Instant Pot is such a good tool to have in your kitchen but also it also has its limitations and sometimes isn’t any faster than making the recipe on your stovetop. However, when you stick to meat and roasts that normally require a long cooking time in the oven, the Instant Pot can be a great option. Here is how to cook pork butt in the Instant Pot.

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Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork butt roast, either boneless or bone-in
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth, divided
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• ½ – 1 cup of BBQ sauce

Instructions

1. Trim the fat from the pork roast and cut it into four equal-sized chunks.
2. Add the brown sugar, salt, ground mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika to a large bowl and whisk them together.
3. Coat the pork with the spice mixture.
4. Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot and press Saute.
5. Once the Instant Pot says Hot, add two pieces of the pork and sear for about 2 minutes per side.
6. Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and set it aside on a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining pork pieces.
7. Once the pork is seared and removed from the pot, press Cancel. Then, add half a cup of chicken broth.
8. Add ½ cup chicken broth to the Instant Pot, using a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pot and scraping up all the browned bits.
9. Add the remaining chicken broth with the Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke.
10. Add the pork chunks directly into the liquid in the pot, spacing them as best as possible.
11. Secure the lid and make sure the vent is set to the sealing position. Pressure cook/manual on high pressure for about 60 minutes.
12. Let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes or until the pin drops.
13. Remove the pork to a large bowl and shred it with 2 forks. Then, add your favorite BBQ sauce to the mixture and toss until coated.
14. Alternatively, you can just toss the pork with the juices from the Instant Pot as it will be loaded with tons of flavor!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 927Total Fat: 62gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 34gCholesterol: 261mgSodium: 1412mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 71g