Pork roast is one of the best things you can make in a slow cooker. But you can make it in much less time in an instant pot! This is an excellent meal to make if you want something savory yet easy to make. Let me show you how to make this Instant Pot Pork Roast today!
We love a good pork roast in our house. It’s one of those dinners that everyone looks forward to and no one complains. It’s really a win when it comes to dinner! Being able to use my Instant Pot on a pork roast makes dinner that much better. Quick and easy dinner that everyone loves? Yes, please!
What is a Pork Roast?
You may be wondering what part of a pig a pork roast comes from. Roast usually comes from the shoulder of the pig. The meat is a bit tougher than that of a loin or a chop. Cooking it in the Instant Pot tenderizes it to perfection!
Instant Pot Pork Roast Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make Instant Pot Pork Roast:
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Make sure it is unsweetened cocoa powder because sweetened cocoa powder has sugar added to it and will change the taste of the dry rub.
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Chipotle powder
- Ground cloves: Cloves bring a savory flavor to the recipe.
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- Pork shoulder roast: Make sure you are using pork shoulder roast and not another cut of pork because different cuts require different cooking times.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Celery
- Carrots: You can use whole carrots or baby carrots for this recipe.
- Yellow onion
- Chicken broth: You can use water or any other broth you have on hand.
- Bay leaves
- Rosemary
- Thyme
How to make a Pork Roast in the Instant Pot
Here’s how you can make a pork roast in an Instant Pot:
- Remove pork shoulder from refrigerator at least 30 minutes, but not more than 2 hours, before cooking. Set aside.
- Prepare dry rub by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir to combine and rub the dry rub into all sides of each pork shoulder section, reserving one tablespoon of the rub for later use. Set the seasoned pork and reserved dry rub aside.
- Select the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and add 1 tbsp olive oil once hot. Add seasoned pork and sear on each side, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. (Work in two batches, if necessary). Transfer pork to a plate and set aside.
- Add remaining olive oil, along with celery, carrots, and yellow onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to develop some color and become fragrant, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Add broth and stir to combine, gently scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon in the process. Turn the unit off.
- Return pork shoulder to the Instant Pot. Add bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Sprinkle reserved tablespoon of dry rub on top and stir to combine. Add lid and lock into place. Switch the vent to “Sealing” and set the “Manual” setting to 50 minutes.
- When cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure, if necessary.
- Remove lid and discard the bay leaves and woody stems from the rosemary and thyme. Transfer the pork roast to a serving platter and cover to keep warm. Set aside.
- With an immersion blender, blend the pan sauces until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired. Serve pork roast immediately with choice of sides and topped with some of the warm sauce. Enjoy!
Side Dish recommendations:
There are lots of yummy side dishes you could make to go with this pork roast! Here are some of our favorites:
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Quick Honey Roasted Carrots
- Italian Roasted Potatoes
- Sesame Cauliflower
- Cheesy Baked Asparagus
What size Roast do I need for this recipe?
You need 3 ½-4 lbs. of roast for this recipe. It sounds like a lot but the roast will reduce down a bit when cooked. It’s the perfect size for 4-6 people.
Why do I need to let it come to pressure naturally?
Letting the roast come to pressure naturally helps make the meat tender. If you want to learn more about this process, you can check out my post on natural vs manual release.
Instant Pot Pork Roast
Yield:
1 roastHow t
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour
Additional Time:
20 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 40 minutes
How to make a super tender pork roast in your Instant Pot!
Ingredients
- Dry Rub Ingredients:
- 1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 1 t. onion powder
- 1 t. paprika
- ½ t. chipotle powder
- 1 t. ground cloves
- ½ T. sea salt
- ½ t. ground black pepper
- Pork Roast Ingredients:
- 3½ - 4 lbs. pork shoulder roast, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
- 2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 large stalks celery, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1½ c. chicken broth, preferably organic
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
1. Remove pork shoulder from refrigerator at least 30 minutes, but not more than 2 hours, before cooking. Set aside.
2. Prepare dry rub by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir to combine and rub the dry rub into all sides of each pork shoulder section, reserving one tablespoon of the rub for later use. Set the seasoned pork and reserved dry rub aside.
3. Select the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot® and add one tablespoon olive oil once hot. Add seasoned pork and sear on each side, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. (Work in two batches, if necessary). Transfer pork to a plate and set aside.
4. Add remaining olive oil, along with celery, carrots, and yellow onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to develop some color and become fragrant, approximately 4-5 minutes.
5. Add broth and stir to combine, gently scrapping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon in the process. Turn the unit off.
6. Return pork shoulder to the Instant Pot®. Add bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Sprinkle reserved tablespoon of dry rub on top and stir to combine. Add lid and lock into place. Switch the vent to “Sealing” and set the “Manual” setting to 50 minutes.
7. When cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure, if necessary.
8. Remove lid and discard the bay leaves and woody stems from the rosemary and thyme. Transfer the pork roast to a serving platter and cover to keep warm. Set aside.
9. With an immersion blender, blend the pan sauces until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired. Serve pork roast immediately with choice of sides and topped with some of the warm sauce. Enjoy!
Other Instant Pot Pork recipes to try
If you enjoyed this recipe, here are some other we think you’ll love:
- Pork Tenderloin in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Stuffed Pork Chops
- Instant Pot Pork Chops and Gravy
- Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
- Instant Pot Asian Sticky Ribs
Did you try this recipe? I would love for you to leave a rating in the recipe card above. Want to try it later? Use the image below to pin it to your Instant Pot board!
