The Instant Pots are such good tools to have in your kitchen but also they have their limitations and sometimes they aren’t any faster than making the recipe on your stovetop. Actually, things like pork butt don’t actually end up very well in the Instant Pot, as the pork fat will get rubbery and chewy, even if you take the time to saute it first.
But don't worry I got your back, I got the tricks and the tools to make this recipe to have such a uniquely complex flavor as you will see in the rest of the article below. Actually, we will see everything about the pork butt, where did the name come from, how to cook it correctly, and much more, so let's jump into it!

Why is it called pork butt?
Butchers In colonial New England used to pack in inexpensive pork cuts of meat into large barrels as it's easier for them either for storage or transportation, and these used to be called butts. These meats of the shoulder are packed into these barrels and became known as pork butt, and over time the name stuck.
What part of the pig is pork butt?
Despite its misleading name, the pork butt, which 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 in Instant Pot?
The basic role will be cooking for approximately 40 minutes per pound at 300°F in the oven. Your meat will end up tender and fully cooked if you use this method. Note: During the cooking process, if the liquid in the bottom of the pan evaporates, just go ahead and add another ½ inch as needed.
Meanwhile, In the Instant Pot, 15 minutes per pound is more than enough for it to be cooked. That means setting your Instant Pot to pressure cook for 15 minutes per pound, and you have 3 pounds of roast, then you set it to pressure cook for 45 minutes.
It must be noted though that the cooking process for 1 pound will take more than 15 minutes, as, before the pressure cooking starts, your Instant Pot will spend time coming up to temperature. And That can add about 10 to 15 minutes to the cooking process.
After the pressure cooking time is up, the pressure inside needs to be released. You must do what's called the natural release for 10 minutes. As the heater of your Instant Pot stops heating at that time, the pressure inside will slowly dissipate.
How long should I pressure cook pork?
You need to select High Pressure and set the cooking time for 75 minutes. When the cooking time ends, turn off your pressure cooker as you will allow the pressure to release naturally, it will take approximately 20 minutes.

Pork Butt Instant Pot Ingredients
- 4lb Pork Butt Roast, either boneless or bone-in
- 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- ½ – 1 cup of BBQ sauce (pick your favorite one)
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke
Kitchen Gadget
- Instant Pot
- Meat Thermometer
Pork Butt Instant Pot Instructions
- Start by trimming the fat from your pork roast and cut it into 4 same-size chunks.
- Now, I want you to add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk them together.
- Then add your pork roast chunks to rub them with the mix and coat them well.
- Next, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the Instant Pot and set it to saute.
- Once it indicates hot, go ahead and add 2 pieces of the pork and sear the 2 pieces on each side for about 2 minutes each.
- At this point remove your pork and set it aside on a plate and repeat the process with your remaining pork pieces.
- Once your pork is seared and removed from the pot, press cancels then add half a cup of chicken broth.
- With the use of a wooden spoon deglaze the bottom of the pot, and make sure to scrape up all the bits.
- Then add the remaining chicken broth with Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke.
- Now you want to place your pork chunks directly into the liquid in the pot, and try to space them as best possible.
- Then secure the lid and make sure the vent is set to sealing, let them pressure cook/manual on high pressure for about 60 minutes.
- Then let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes or until the pin drops.
- Now, remove the pork to a large bowl and shred it with 2 forks then add your favorite BBQ sauce of your choice.
- Or you can just use the juices from the Instant Pot as it’s really loaded with an awesome flavor!

How to crisp the outside of a pork roast?
The worst part of the Instant Pot is that it’s a wet cooking method, that means that you wont end up with a crisp crust on the outside of your roast, even if you did seared it at the beginning. It's all because of the steam in the pressure cooker as it will not let it be that not crusty for sure.
So if you really want that crusty texter at the end then you need to use your oven after the Instant Pot has done its work. Basically, you just let your pork rest for a bit, then put it into the oven at a very high temperature exactly 475F for about 10 minutes And Voila! this will definitely make the crust nice and dark.
What side dishes go 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
Pork Butt Instant Pot Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
- Calories 199.9
- Total Fat 6.6g 11%
- Saturated Fat 2.1g 11%
- Cholesterol 49.9mg 17%
- Sodium 2328.4mg 98%
- Potassium 455.6mg 14%
- Total Carbohydrate 455.6g 152%
- Dietary Fiber 1.9g 8%
- Sugars 10.4g
- Protein 20.7g 42%
- Vitamin A 20.4%
- Vitamin C 19.1%
- Calcium 3.7%
- Iron 9.2%

Pork Butt Instant Pot
Description
Pork Butt Instant Pot
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start by trimming the fat from your pork roast and cut it into 4 same-size chunks.
- Now, I want you to add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk them together.
- Then add your pork roast chunks to rub them with the mix and coat them well.
- Next, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the Instant Pot and set it to saute.
- Once it indicates hot, go ahead and add 2 pieces of the pork and sear the 2 pieces on each side for about 2 minutes each.
- At this point remove your pork and set it aside on a plate and repeat the process with your remaining pork pieces.
- Once your pork is seared and removed from the pot, press cancels then add half a cup of chicken broth.
- With the use of a wooden spoon deglaze the bottom of the pot, and make sure to scrape up all the bits.
- Then add the remaining chicken broth with Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke.
- Now you want to place your pork chunks directly into the liquid in the pot, and try to space them as best possible.
- Then secure the lid and make sure the vent is set to sealing, let them pressure cook/manual on high pressure for about 60 minutes.
- Then let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes or until the pin drops.
- Now, remove the pork to a large bowl and shred it with 2 forks then add your favorite BBQ sauce of your choice.
- Or you can just use the juices from the Instant Pot as it’s really loaded with an awesome flavor!
Servings 4 - 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 199.9
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 6.6g11%
- Saturated Fat 2.1g11%
- Cholesterol 49.9mg17%
- Sodium 2328.4mg98%
- Potassium 455.6mg14%
- Total Carbohydrate 455.6g152%
- Dietary Fiber 1.9g8%
- Sugars 10.4g
- Protein 20.7g42%
- Vitamin A 20.4%
- Vitamin C 19.1%
- Calcium 3.7%
- Iron 9.2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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