Enjoy tender pulled pork in a fraction of the time with a quick and easy recipe for Instant Pot Barbecue Pulled Pork topped with sweet and tangy zucchini pickles.
We’re going full-steam ahead into all things summer around here, which means it’s time for barbecue, boozy popsicles and no-bake desserts. While I’m all for pulled pork that’s slow-smoked and finished off on a hot grill, sometimes I need my barbecue fix faster and with less prep (and less mess).
Instant Pot Barbecue Pulled Pork is just as juicy and tender as the classically prepared version, except it’ll be piled onto buns and stuffed into tortillas in 60 minutes or less.
While I’ve been a longtime slow cooker enthusiast, life seems to be going at warp speed lately (maybe because of these two little guys!), so I need my cooking to keep up. What is achieved in 8 hours in a slow cooker can be achieved in a mere 1 hour in an Instant Pot. What’s not to love about saving 7 hours of prep time?
I toss this insanely tender pulled pork in store-bought barbecue sauce, but if you’re feeling extra (and have a little extra time), homemade Root Beer Barbecue Sauce would be a show-stopping addition. Speaking of additions…
Check out those crinkly zucchini pickles on top. Yes, zucchini! A quick brine flavored with garlic and spices adds big flavor to summer’s star produce. Read on for the recipes!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 Tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and quartered
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons liquid smoke
- 2 cups homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, mustard powder, brown sugar and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork shoulder pieces.
- Place the pork shoulder, apple cider vinegar, 2 cups water and liquid smoke in the Instant Pot.
- Set it on the “Pressure Cook” setting for 60 minutes and close the lid.
- Once the pork is done cooking, transfer it onto a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the pork into pieces then transfer it to a large bowl and stir in the barbecue sauce. Serve it immediately or refrigerate it, covered, until ready to serve.
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Cucumbers have been kicked to the curb in favor of summer’s star produce: zucchini! They make for tender, sweet and sour pickles that are perfect for topping sandwiches or snacking on straight from the jar.
While the below knife isn’t necessary, it’s hard not to love a bread and butter pickle with the characteristic ridges. This special tool creates waves in whatever it cuts and would also be ideal for DIY potato chips.
Slice up the zucchini as thick or as thin as your heart desires, then plunge them into a garlicky brine flavored with turmeric, celery seeds, mustard seeds and an optional pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Because nothing says “summer is here” quite like a tall jar of pickled veggies!
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Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flake (optional)
Instructions
- Add the sliced zucchini to a large bowl then sprinkle it with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Allow the zucchini to sit for 1 hour then rinse it with water and drain it.
- Add the shallots and garlic to the bowl with the zucchini.
- In a medium saucepot set over medium-high heat, combine ¾ cup water with the apple cider vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, bay leaf and chili flakes (optional). Bring the mixture to a boil then remove it from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the zucchini and shallots then allow the pickles to cool to room temperature before storing them in airtight containers in the fridge.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Shoutout
Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
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Recipe by Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Hi, my garden is overflow with yellow zucchini. Can, I use the yellow in place of the green?
That should work!
This sounds delicious! Can I convert this recipe to a slow cooker?
Absolutely! It’d work great in a slow cooker :)
Loved this recipe! Will be making it again and again. My husband gave it two thumbs up!
I’m so thrilled you and your husband enjoyed the recipe, Jane!