Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
Is it possible to cook pulled pork in just over an hour and a half… and for it to taste just as flavorful and be as tender as traditional pulled pork, which can take four to 12 hours to reach the table? The answer, below…
In the South, barbeque is an institution. And while there may be regional differences (ok, disagreements) on how to make the best barbeque sauce, most folks agree that “barbeque” means cooking meat at low temperatures over a long period of time in a smoker. This “slow-and-low” method gives gives pulled pork a moist and tender texture, while the smoker infuses it with delicious flavor and a richly-browned crust.
And while it might taste delicious, that smoky flavor and mahogany exterior comes with a price.
Prevent cancer-causing HCAs from forming by choosing “gentle” methods of cooking like steaming, pressure cooking, and poaching.
Smoking meat produces harmful cooking byproducts called polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These compounds have been linked to numerous forms of cancer. Studies show that HCAs are mutagens – compounds that cause mutations to DNA and alter the expression of our genes. Over time, these cellular and genetic changes can promote cancers, particularly those of the stomach, colon, prostate and pancreas.
And how about the barbecue sauce?
Unfortunately, that’s not much better. In many cases, commercial barbeque sauce is loaded with up to 30 grams of sugar per quarter cup serving). That’s almost as much sugar in a 12 ounce can of soda! And when you add in the usual accompaniments – brown-sugar baked beans, sweetened coleslaw, sweet tea, and biscuits or cornbread – you’re looking at well over 100 grams of sugar in a single meal.
It’s probably no coincidence that the BBQ-belt includes the states that also boast the biggest waistlines and highest rates of obesity and diabetes.
But what if you could enjoy a tasty pulled pork sandwich with a thick dollop of low-carb barbecue sauce – without the blood-sugar spiking carbs and those nasty mutagens?
Now you can… and fast, too!
PRESSURE COOKER PULLED PORK: SOUTHERN FLAVOR SANS CARCINOGENS AND BLOOD SUGAR SPIKES
Using a pressure cooker allows you to make perfect pulled pork in about an hour and a half. And because we’re using moist heat (no smoke or open flame), the risk of creating HCAs is negligible.
Start with pasture-raised pork. And be sure that your pressure cooker is made of an inert material. Most older pressure cookers are aluminum, which has been linked to neurological problems and Alzheimer’s disease. I use the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker which is versatile, inexpensive, easy to use and made of stainless steel.
Today, we’ve made a delicious Pressure-Cooker Pulled Pork with Dandelion Green & Roasted Red Pepper Salad (loaded with phytonutrients!) that is a snap to whip up.
If you want a more traditional barbecue meal, skip the baked beans and serve your pulled pork with a chopped broccoli slaw – rich in sulforaphane and other powerful compounds that guard against cancer (and have also been found to negate HCAs) and some low-glycemic Paleo barbecue sauce.
If you need a grain and gluten-free bun to pile all of this healthy goodness on, consider Keto Breads.
Original
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 h 40 mins
Total Time
1 h 50 mins
Servings
8
Ingredients
- 1 4lb. pastured pork shoulder
- 1 Tbsp. organic chili powder
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. dry mustard powder
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil
- 1 1/2 cups organic chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp. organic apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in pressure cooker vessel on SAUTE.
- Cut pork into slices roughly 2 inches thick.
- In a small bowl, combine chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder and salt.
- Rub spice mix over all sides of pork, coating well.
- Add pork chunks to pressure cooker pot and brown on each side.
- Add chicken stock and vinegar to cooker and lock.
- Cook on HIGH for 100 minutes.
- Let pressure release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for remaining pressure.
- Serve with low-glycemic barbeque sauce.
Just recently, I bought a small boneless pork loin to make my own sugar-free pulled pork. I browned the outside in my cast iron skillet with uncured bacon drippings. I put the browned loin into the crock pot with a little apple cider vinegar and some nitrite-free sausage broth I had frozen weeks earlier. I then made a paste/sauce from about 1/2 cup tomato paste, cider vinegar, stevia, A-1, a little onion powder and ground red chili, all to taste. I sliced 1/2 apple and 1/2 carrot thin and added to the pot. It cooked to fall-apart stage and tasted great, easy, and not messy. I also did my own slaw one day when wanting a pulled pork sandwich—I didn’t have your bread kit but used a slice of toasted Ezekiel bread. It was wonderful!
Can’t believe I can send this to anyone in the world but I can’t print it.
Hi Cliff,
I’m really not sure what you’re referring to. If you want to print the recipe itself, there is an icon with the word “Print” at the top right, inside the dotted line around the recipe. Otherwise, not sure what I can do to help you, but please elaborate.
Scroll up to the recipe, Print button is in the top right corner below the picture.