The low-temperature pulled pork recipe is easy to make, great to serve as a main course, to fill hamburgers or wraps, accompanied by the inevitable coleslaw. After trying the low-temperature veal with tuna sauce and creating my fourth Multicooker book (you can find it scrolling down), I understood I could use the Instant Pot as a slow cooker, achieving amazing results.
What does slow cooker mean? It means: slow cooking. Which equates to low and controlled temperature. In this guide to instant pot, I explain well how to use this appliance and if you are intrigued by recipes cooked in a slow cooker, also try the slow-cooked ribs and the slow-cooked stuffed squid. This cooking technique is perfect for cooking meats with a lot of connective tissue, such as pork shoulder or, for example, stew.
Now let’s make the low-temperature pulled pork recipe and I look forward to hearing what you think.
Also try:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Slow cooking, Instant pot
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 349.58 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 22.28 (g) of which sugars 15.05 (g)
- Proteins 38.10 (g)
- Fat 12.92 (g) of which saturated 4.70 (g)of which unsaturated 7.66 (g)
- Fibers 2.36 (g)
- Sodium 1,473.74 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for making the rub for low-temp pulled pork
- 1 tablespoon whole cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt (heaped)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 pinches black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sweet mustard (to massage the pork shoulder)
- 2.2 lbs pork, shoulder, raw
- 1 large yellow onion (large)
- 2 fl oz apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3.4 fl oz water
- 2 tablespoons wildflower honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
What you need to make pulled pork in the instant pot or slow cooker
- 1 multicooker or instant pot it is the same
- 1 Vacuum bag optional
- 1 Immersion blender
Procedure
Place the piece of meat on a plate and massage it from all sides with mustard.
In a small bowl, put all the other ingredients to make the rub and mix them well.
Pour the rub over the piece of meat and rub the meat, massaging it well from all sides.
Now cover the meat and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator. Better if placed in a vacuum bag; this way, you can let it marinate for up to 24 hours without the meat developing bacteria.
At this point, you are ready to proceed with cooking the pulled pork. Peel and chop the garlic clove, peel and coarsely slice the onion, and put everything in the instant pot or slow cooker. Add all the other ingredients for cooking the pulled pork and mix well. Place the piece of meat in the pot; if you have placed it in the bag, remove it, and turn it in the seasoning.
Close the pot with the appropriate lid and set the cooking for 8 hours with the slow cooker function in low mode.
At the end of cooking, remove the pulled pork from the pot and shred it with two forks. Meanwhile, blend the sauce with an immersion blender and thicken it for about 20 minutes at 194°F with the same low-temperature function, keeping the pot open and stirring often. If very liquid, you can dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch.
Put the shredded meat back in the pot, mix it with the blended and thickened sauce, and close the pot again. Cook the pulled pork for another hour at low temperature and always with the slow cooker function in low mode.
Additional Tips from Rosella
Pulled pork can be stored for 24-48 hours in the refrigerator, preferably in a glass container and vacuum-sealed.
Pulled Pork Pairings
Pulled pork can be accompanied by red cabbage or lettuce salad. Use it to fill sandwiches, accompanied by BBQ sauce and pickles.
Frequently Asked Questions about Low-Temp Pulled Pork
What does pulled pork mean?
Pulled means shredded, torn, hence the name pulled pork.
At what temperature should pulled pork be cooked?
If you don’t have a slow cooker or if your multifunction pot doesn’t have the slow cooker function, you can set the slow cooking at 194°F.
What part of the pork is used to make pulled pork?
Pulled pork is made using the shoulder or pork neck.
How is pulled pork eaten?
In addition to filling burger buns, you can use it to fill fajitas and flatbreads, or served on a plate accompanied by salad, tomatoes, sauces, and fries.
What are the origins of pulled pork?
Pulled pork has American origins, more precisely North Carolina.
