I love slow smoked pulled pork. There are those weekends when I can actually manage to that at home, but I'll admit that I usually opt to give my patronage to one of the local spots that specialize in exactly that. But sometimes, I'm lucky enough to come across a culinary cheat that gets me close enough to the real thing and lets me enjoy it just about any time the craving hits. And today, I'm sharing my favorite!
This tender, smoky pulled pork makes a large batch that tends to end up comprising dinner plans for my family for about a week or so! The combination of a dry rub that's seared into the meat along with a smoky cooking liquid that becomes the BBQ sauce the pork bathes in gives this meat a depth of flavor that really satisfies. If I happen to have grilled a whole chicken recently, I can even work some homemade grilled chicken broth into the sauce. Mmmmm!
I always use a pork butt roast for a dish like this because it has enough fat to melt into the sauce and transform what starts as a somewhat tough cut of meat into a tender, fall apart dish that you'll find yourself nibbling on while preparing the rest of dinner! In fact, I love grabbing some of the pork and frying it in a cast iron skillet until crisp and just eating it like the most amazing savory candy it is. And now you can do that too!
Mustard BBQ Pulled Pork
- 4-6 lb pork butt roast
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 ½ c. chicken broth
- 2 T. maple syrup
- 2 T. grainy mustard
- 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. liquid smoke
Cut the pork roast into 4 similar sized chunks.
Add all of the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together. Add the pork roast chunks to the rub mix and coat well.
Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and set to sauté. Once it indicates hot, add 2 pieces of the pork to the pot and sear on each side for about 2 minutes each. Remove the pork and set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining pork pieces.
Once all of the pork is seared and removed from the pot, press cancel and add ½ cup of the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Then add the remaining chicken broth. maple syrup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke.
Place the pork chunks directly into the liquid in the pot, spacing them out as best possible. Secure the lid and make sure the vent is set to sealing. Pressure cook/manual on high pressure for 60 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes or until pin drops after the timer beeps.
Leave the pork in the pot and shred with 2 forks. Serve on buns, in tacos, or over rice with all of your favorite condiments and side dishes.
- Yields: 8-12 servings
- Preparation Time: About 2 hours