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Asian-Style Instant Pot Pulled Pork - Tender, juicy pork with a melt-in-your-mouth texture made in a rich Asian sauce. It’s just about everything you need for a weekday dinner because it takes no time to put together. #easy #glutenfree #recipe #shoulder

Asian-Style Instant Pot Pulled Pork

5 from 9 votes
Tender Asian-style pulled pork is a deliciously savory and slight smoky treat. It’s a versatile dish you can enjoy over rice, on noodle bowls, in salads, sandwiches and just about anything you can dream of. This Instant Pot pulled pork recipe is a winner anytime you want it for dinner. {Gluten-Free adaptable}
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: instant pot
Servings: 8
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

  • 1 (3.5 to 4 lbs, 1.6 kg to 1.8 kg) pork shoulder , cut into 3 to 4 pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instant Pot

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (or soy sauce0
  • 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 thumb ginger , sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves , smashed
  • 1 tablespoon cumin powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
  • 1 onion , chopped

Slurry

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  • Thoroughly pat dry the pork with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
  • Add oil into the Instant Pot. Swirl to coat the bottom. Turn on the Saute function of the Instant Pot and wait until it shows as hot. Add the pork. Cook until all sides are golden brown, about 10 minutes. You might need to cook the pork in two batches. Add more oil, if needed. Transfer the browned pork to a big plate. Immediately add the water. Use a spatula to scrape off any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot. Turn off Saute function.
  • Add the remaining Instant Pot ingredients. Stir to mix well.
  • Transfer the cooked pork back into the Instant Pot. Cover the pot and seal the pressure valve. Use Manual mode on high pressure for 1 hour. Use natural or fast pressure release when done.
  • Remove the pork from the pot and transfer to a big plate.
  • Turn on the Saute function again to bring the sauce to a boil. Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Slowly add half of the mixture into the pot. Stir to mix well to thicken the sauce. If the sauce is still thin, slowly add the cornstarch slurry while stirring, until the sauce reaches the desired thickness. Turn off the Saute function immediately and transfer the sauce to a big bowl.
  • To serve, shred the pork using two forks. Serve hot with the sauce, on top of steamed rice, or stuff into dinner rolls to make a sandwich with homemade Chinese coleslaw.

Notes

  1. To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos to replace the light soy sauce and dark soy sauce and use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 422kcal, Carbohydrates: 3.3g, Protein: 31.3g, Fat: 30.8g, Saturated Fat: 10.9g, Cholesterol: 119mg, Sodium: 363mg, Potassium: 475mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 1.9g, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 2.2mg