Roasted pork shoulder is best when cooked low and slow, which means it's often a no-go for weeknight meals. Luckily, an Instant Pot can help make it a simple weeknight supper. Simply season the meat, sear it quickly, and then let it cook for less than an hour—the perfect amount of time to cook up some rice or potatoes to pair with it.
What sets an Instant Pot and similar multicookers apart from other slow cookers is the sear function, which adds a caramelized flavor to the pork. Using the trivet that lifts the meat up off the bottom of the Instant Pot will help it keep that caramelization, all the while allowing it to absorb the flavors of the aromatics.
Instant Pot pork roast
4
20 minutes
40 minutes
1 hour
1 pound Boston butt (pork shoulder)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 onion, peeled and quartered
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 carrot, cut into 2-inch sections
Season the pork on all sides with the salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting. Sear the Boston butt on all sides. Set the meat aside.
Deglaze the Instant Pot with the chicken stock, using a wooden spoon to bring up any bits.
Place the trivet in the Instant Pot. Top with the roast and all of the aromatics.
Seal and cook on the meat setting for 30 minutes.
Allow the meat to sit for 10 minutes, then move the valve to the vent setting and remove the roast.
Allow the roast to sit for 10 minutes on a cutting board. Remove the trivet and strain the juices. Discard the solids. If desired, return the strained juices to the Instant Pot on the sauté setting and reduce to the desired consistency.
Slice the roast and serve with the cooking juices.