Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sliders with Bourbon Infused Barbecue Sauce
If you’ve ever made pulled pork, you probably know that it’s generally cooked at a low temperature for a long time. What if you could make incredible fall-apart tender and melt in your mouth pulled pork in a fraction of the time? Well, you can in an Instant Pot. This pulled pork is delicious on its own, but even better when paired with Bourbon Infused Barbecue Sauce, homemade slider buns, and homemade coleslaw.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 410kcal
Ingredients
Dry Rub
- ¼ cup Dark Brown Sugar
- ½ Tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ Tablespoon chili powder
- ½ Tablespoon paprika
- ½ Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Brine
- 1 quart of water
- ¼ cup Kosher salt
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons dry rub
- 1 dried bay leaf
Bourbon Infused Barbecue Sauce
- 1 small onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup bourbon whiskey I used Jack Daniels, but any brand will work
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) chili sauce
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons 80 grams packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste
Pork
- 3 pound boneless pork butt
- Remaining dry rub
- 1 cup Bourbon Infused Barbecue Sauce
- ½ cup cider vinegar
Instructions
Dry Rub
- Combine all dry rub ingredients. Store in airtight container.
Brine
- Mix together water, brown sugar, kosher salt, and dry rub. Pour over pork in a plastic container or 2 gallon Ziploc bag, making sure that pork is completely covered. Add bay leaf. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, but up to 24 to 36 hours.
Bourbon Infused Grilling Sauce
- Combine the onion, garlic, and bourbon in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until onion begins to soften. Mix in the salt, pepper, chili sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Purée in blender until smooth. If too thick, add water to desired consistency. Yield: About 2 cups.
- Remove pork from brine; rinse well. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut pork into four pieces. Sprinkle on dry rub, and massage it into the pork, making sure that the pork is covered on all sides.
- Select Sauté on Instant Pot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Working in batches, brown pork pieces on all sides; remove. Deglaze Instant Pot with 1 cup of Bourbon Infused Barbecue Sauce and ½ cup of cider vinegar.
- Return pork to Instant Pot. Secure the lid and turn the vent to sealing. Select Meat/Stew (high pressure), Normal, and 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, allow vent to naturally release.
- Remove pork; shred with two forks.
- Degrease liquid from Instant Pot; add to saucepan. Boil for 10 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Return shredded pork to liquid; stir well to Bourbon Infused Barbecue Sauce and coleslaw.
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 5187mg | Potassium: 968mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 825IU | Vitamin C: 11.7mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4.1mg