This recipe inspiration came from other than my favorite, The Pioneer Woman. Spicy Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork is a crowd favorite recipe made so much simpler using the electric pressure cooker. Sorry, Ree I just don’t have time for the 7 hour oven version so I had to come up with my own.

Can you cook with soda in the Instant Pot?
Absolutely! The soda will serve as the thin liquid the Instant Pot needs to come up to pressure. The soda pop not only gives flavor to the pork but also tenderizes the meat as it, pressure cooks. Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork is fork-tender and loaded with flavor. If you feeling a little adventurous you could even substitute Coke or Root Beer for a whole new flavor combination.
How to cook pork in the Instant Pot
Recommended cooking time for pork in the Instant Pot
- Pork butt roast 15 min/per lb. with full natural release 6 lb. roast=90 minutes + pressure release time
- Pork loin roast 20 min/per lb. 3 lb. with full natural release roast= 60 minutes + pressure release time
To cut down on the cooking time when making this recipe I prefer to cut the butt roast into 3-4 inch chunks. Brown the meat using the sauté function and pressure cook for 45 minutes with full natural release 15-20 minutes.
If you are unsure about how long to pork chicken for please refer to the Instant Pot Cooking Time Chart






What you need to make Instant Pot Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork
Tools:
- Instant Pot- 6 quart
- Bear claws or two forks for shredding meat
- Wooden spatula for sautéing and deglazing
- Large cutting board
Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 pork butt (pork shoulder, picnic roast)
- Salt & Pepper
- Minced garlic
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (optional)
- 3 cups Dr. Pepper
How To Cook Dr. Pepper Pork
Select the sauté function on the Instant pot and add 1-2 Tbsp. of EVOO. While that’s heating up slice the onion thinly and set it aside. Cut pork butt roast into large chunks about 3-4 inches. When the display reads HOT add the pork a few pieces at a time searing on all sides. You may need to work in batches.
When all the meat in the pot season with salt, pepper. Once the pork is seared on all sides, about 2-3 minutes cancel the sauté function and pour in Dr. Pepper. Scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck-on pieces.
Add to the pot the garlic, onions, & brown sugar and mix to combine. Lastly, if you’re using the chilis in adobo sauce spoon the adobo sauce over the top along with 3-4 of the chilis.
Pressure Cook the pork for 15 minutes per lb. of meat, for this particular 6lb. roast I will pressure cook it for 90 minutes and allow for 15-20 minutes of natural pressure release. If you don’t allow for a natural pressure release the pork will come out dry.
When the lid can carefully be removed spoon out the chilies and set them aside. For a spicy dish you may want to leave 1 pepper in the pork. I do not recommend leaving all of the peppers in the cooked pork. The peppers and adobo sauce will give the meat an amazing flavor but most of the peppers need to be removed after cooking to prevent the dish from being too spicy.


Serve Instant Pot Dr. Pepper Pork
- In burritos or tacos
- Pile it on top of a salad
- On a sandwich bun
- Pile it on nachos
- Use to fill quesadillas

To Store Or Freeze Dr. Pepper Pork
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight like this container for up to 7 days or freeze in Souper Cubes for up to 3 months.
To reheat frozen cubes, place a cube in a microwave-safe dish covered with a silicone lid and microwave for 4 minutes or until hot.
Easy Instant Pot Recipes To Make Tonight


Instant Pot Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork
Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork is a crowd favorite recipe made so much simpler using the electric pressure cooker. Put it in tacos, burritos, nachos, or on top of a salad.
Ingredients
- 1-2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion Sliced
- 5-6 lb. Pork Butt (pork shoulder, picnic roast)
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1-2 tsp. Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 3-4 Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (optional)
- 3 cups Dr. Pepper
Instructions
- Select the sauté function on the Instant pot and add 1-2 Tbsp. of EVOO.
- While the Instant Pot is heating up slice the onion thinly and set it aside.
- Cut pork butt roast into large chunks about 3-4 inches.
- When the display reads HOT add the pork a few pieces at a time searing on all sides, working in batches.
- When all the meat in the pot season with salt and pepper.
- Once the pork is seared on all sides, about 2-3 minutes cancel the sauté function.
- Pour in the Dr. Pepper.
- Thoroughly scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula to remove any stuck-on pieces
- Add minced garlic, sliced onions, & brown sugar and stir to combine.
- Spoon the adobo sauce over the top along with 3-4 of the chilis.
- Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes per lb. of meat. for a 6 lb. roast this would equal 90 minutes.
- Allow for a 15-20 minute natural pressure release. A quick release will result in dry pork.
- Spoon out the whole chilies only leaving 1 if you want a spicy result.
- Using two forks or meat claws shred pork
- Using a slotted spoon drain off some of the juice to serve.
Notes
I don't recommend mixing the peppers into the pot if you want a mild flavor. The peppers and adobo sauce will give the meat an amazing flavor but most of the peppers need to be removed after cooking to prevent the dish from being too spicy.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 7 days or freeze in Souper Cubes for up to 3 months.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Souper Cubes Gift Set, 1-Cup 2-Cup ½ Cup and 2 Tablespoon trays with lids
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Bear Claws Meat Shredder for BBQ - Perfectly Shredded Meat, These Are The Meat Claws You Need - Best Pulled Pork Shredder Claw x 2 For Barbecue, Smoker, Grill (Black)
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FAAY 11.5 Inch Teak Wood Spatula/Turner for RIGHT Hand | Versatile Spatula, Durable, Healthy and High Moist Resistance for Non Stick Cookware
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Extra Large Cutting Boards, Plastic Cutting Board for Kitchen Dishwasher Safe Non Slip Chopping Board Set of 3 with Juice Grooves, Easy Grip Handle, Grey, Kikcoin
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Instant Pot Max Pressure Cooker 9 in 1, Best for Canning with 15PSI and Sterilizer, 6 Qt
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 0g
Nutrition information is an estimate.


LaRena Fry
This sounds amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Lisa
I love pulled pork, it’s so versatile! This recipe looks delicious and not super complicated. Fantastic!
Leah
this sounds so good! can’t wait to try it
Tori
This sounds so good! I might try to alter this recipe for my crock pot!