Delicious Pulled Pork Sandwiches with a Slow Cook Option
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar (packed)
- 2 pounds pork shoulder (or butt, trimmed and cut into 3-in
- 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (packed)
- 1 medium yellow onion (thinly sliced)
- 4 rolls (or buns split)
- your favorite coleslaw
- Carbohydrate 28.0211276866417 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.26271627301855 g
- Fiber 1.10193571801496 g
- Protein 1.62084518857562 g
- Saturated Fat 0.573805368096916 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (362g)
- Sodium 1066.45575969586 mg
- Sugar 26.9191919686267 g
- Trans Fat 0.241364686416193 g
- Calories 146 calories
Step-by-step
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne. Season the pork with the rub.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, molasses, water, vinegar, brown sugar, chili powder, mustard, Worcestershire, and cayenne.
- Turn the Instant pot on to Sauté. Heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the sauce and mix to combine. Press Cancel.
- Add the pork to the sauce and turn to coat. Lock the lid. Here you have the option to slow-cook or pressure-cook (don‘t do both!).
- To slow-cook: Press Slow Cook, leave the vent open, and cook on “More†for 8 hours. To pressure-cook: Press Manual and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
- When cooking is complete use the “Quick Release†method to vent the steam, then open the lid.
- Transfer the pork to a bowl. Press Cancel, then press Sauté and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Press Cancel.
- Using 2 forks, shred the pork, then return it to the pot and toss to coat. Pile the pork and coleslaw on the bottom halves of the buns and sandwich with the tops.
Shredding hot pork directly into watery pan drippings creates a soggy sandwich that disintegrates on the bun. Pork shoulder releases significant moisture during cooking, meaning sauce concentration happens after the meat leaves the pot.
- Simmering the residual sauce for three to five minutes on the saute setting reduces excess water into a thick glaze.
- Portion leftovers into airtight freezer bags for up to three months without losing structural integrity or spice definition.
- Reheat frozen portions gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat with two tablespoons of water to prevent scorching.
- Cutting the pork shoulder into three-inch chunks guarantees even seasoning penetration before cooking begins.
- Scaling quantities down requires maintaining the ratio of vinegar to ketchup to prevent the sauce from burning during pressure cooking.
Tossing shredded pork into the reduced sauce right before serving coats every fiber evenly. Piling crisp coleslaw on top adds necessary textural contrast against the tender meat.
