Pork Barbacoa (Instant Pot Recipe) (2024)

This Barbacoa Instant Pot pulled pork is a delicious way to prepare shredded meat that can be made used in tacos, burritos, wraps, over rice, salads and in casseroles. It's fuss-free and you can meal prep a big batch of moist, shredded pork to enjoy over a few days or to freeze for later.

One of our favourite recipes to make in an Instant Pot is pulled pork. It's fuss-free and you can make a big batch of it to use up in multiple meals. In today's recipe, we want to share a delicious Barbacoa-inspired Instant Pot pulled pork.

This recipe is paleo, gluten-free and Whole30 friendly (omit the honey).

WHAT IS BARBACOA?

Barbacoa actually refers to a method of slow-cooking meat such as beef, pork or lamb over an open fire, or more traditionally, in a hole dug in the ground covered with special maguey leaves. These days, barbacoa meat is often steamed until tender or slow-cooked in a crockpot or over a barbecue. Barbacoa is often associated with Mexican and Caribbean cuisines, but it's often more about the flavours and spices used than the cooking method itself.

INGREDIENTS FOR BARBACOA INSTANT POT PULLED PORK

This is a simple recipe but it does call for a few common spices to get that famous Barbacoa flavour. You should be able to get them easily and might already have them in your pantry. Let's talk about two key ingredients in more detail.

Pork Meat

We like using the shoulder or leg of the pork for pulled pork. We generally buy diced pork shoulder or pork steaks and then cut them into smaller pieces. You can use pork, beef or lamb for this recipe.

Chipotle Chili

We used chipotle chilli flakes, which add smokey flavour and a little heat to the dish without making it too spicy. You can use a whole dried chipotle chili or tinned chipotle chili. Alternatively, you can use a teaspoon of smoked paprika and ½ teaspoon of regular chili or cayenne pepper.

HOW TO USE INSTANT POT PULLED PORK

This barbacoa pulled pork is juicy, tender and full of gorgeous flavours. You can serve it on a bed of white rice with a side salad and guacamole or hot salsa.

You can also use this pulled pork in tacos, burritos, nachos, with fried plantains or sweet potatoes, as a topping over baked jacket potatoes, or as a protein on top of a salad. It's great to add to casseroles and pasta bakes.

You can freeze pulled pork to use up later on or refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

MORE INSTANT POT PORK RECIPES

• Instant Pot Pork Chops With Mushroom Sauce
• Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana With Pork Sausage
• Instant Pot BBQ Smoky Ribs

SAVE THIS INSTANT POT PULLED PORK TO PINTEREST

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