Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sliders

4.50 from 4 votes

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Instant Pot Pulled Pork is a weeknight meal lifesaver! It takes less than an hour and makes 8 pulled pork sliders piled high with tender, juicy meat and coated in a decadent orange sauce. There won’t be a drop or scrap left behind!

A close up of an instant pot pulled pork slider

We’re used to waiting hours for slow cooked meat dishes. But it doesn’t have to be that way! This recipe makes a tender, tangy serving of orange pulled pork sliders right in your Instant Pot.

The whole process takes 45 minutes. The Instant Pot pulled pork is cooked in a combination of lemon juice, soy sauce, white wine, and a bit of garlic and ginger. The result is juicy, flavorful meat that melts in your mouth.

The orange sauce is even easier to make. Just throw everything into a pan and let it simmer for just a bit. It all cooks down into a beautiful amber sauce that’s so rich and flavorful you’ll want to just eat it with a spoon! The aroma is AMAZING.

During these hot summer months, try this version that you can make on the grill during the summertime.

And for more quick eats, try these Instant Pot Mexican Chicken and Pork Chop recipes!

ingredients for Southern Pulled Pork with Orange Sauce

INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS

  • Pork – Either boneless loin roast or pork shoulder. Either way, you want 2 pounds worth.
  • Cooking Sauce – The meat will cook down in a combination of: 
    • Lemon Juice – To tenderize and flavor. You might use orange juice instead for a stronger orange flavor overall, and a bit more sweetness. 
    • Soy Sauce – You generally want to use a light soy sauce, but a dash of dark as well adds a bit more flavor. 
    • Marsala Wine – You could also use any dry cooking wine, such as Madeira or dry sherry.
    • Garlic & Ginger – Use fresh ground, minced, or grated rather than powdered for maximum flavor.
  • Orange Sauce – Along with sugar, cornstarch, and salt, this sauce includes:
    • Orange Juice & Zest – You’ll need quite a few oranges to get enough juice, so it’s worth going with store bought for this recipe. Just one orange will give you plenty of zest.
    • Cinnamon – For an earthy spice. Nutmeg will be your closest substitute. 
    • Red Pepper Flakes – This seasoning gives just a touch of heat. Cayenne pepper, chili powder, or paprika are all possible alternatives. 
    • Cloves – A bit sweet and bitter, and common in Asian cooking. Nutmeg, allspice, or cardamom are acceptable as well.
  • Buns – I use sliders, but your favorite sandwich bun will work just fine!
Southern Pulled Pork with Orange Sauce ready to serve

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT PULLED PORK

1. Make the Cooking Liquid. Whisk together all of the cooking liquid ingredients and let sit while preparing the Instant Pot.

2. Cook the Meat. Lay the meat in the pot and cover with the cooking liquid. Lock the lid and seal the venting valve. Cook using the “meat” setting.

pouring sauce on instant pot shredded pork

3. Shred. Once cooking is complete, release the vent valve and uncover. Using two forks, shred the meat while searching for and removing excess fat. Cover with the lid while making the orange sauce so it stays warm.

4. Make the Orange Sauce. Add the sugar, orange juice and zest, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, red pepper flakes, and cloves to your saucepan. Heat over medium and stir regularly until the mixture thickens.

5. Plate & Serve. Plate the buns, top with the Instant Pot pulled pork, and pour the orange sauce over the meat. Serve immediately!

instant pot pulled pork slider on serving paper

Can I make slow cooker pulled pork in an Instant Pot? 

Yes, you can easily convert slow cooker pulled pork slider recipes to work with your Instant Pot. The general rule of thumb is that 8 hours of slow cooking time on low, or 4 hours on high, translates to 25-30 minutes of cook time in the Instant Pot. 

Why is my Instant Pot pulled pork tough? 

You likely have not given it enough time to cook. The longer you allow the meat to cook in the cooking liquid, the more tender it becomes. So if the result is a bit tougher than you’d like and is not shredding easily, give it a bit more time.

Luckily, the process is much quicker in the Instant Pot. Make sure that your Instant Pot is set to “sealing,” not “venting,” so that the meat cooks properly. 

How do I reheat Instant Pot pulled pork sliders? 

If you foresee having leftovers, I recommend storing them without the sauce. Return the meat to the pot along with a bit of water and heat with the “steam” function. If you’ve retained any of the cooking liquid, use that instead. You can also whip up a bit more in no time!

If you happen to have leftovers with the sauce already poured over top, reheat in the microwave in 30 second bursts.

A close up of an instant pot pulled pork slider
Still Hungry?

Subscribe to my Newsletter, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube for all my latest recipes and videos.

This recipe post, originally published on Kevin Is Cooking March, 2017, has been updated with new content, photos and/or video in July, 2022.

A close up of a southern pulled pork slider

Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sliders

4.50 from 4 votes
Instant Pot Pulled Pork is tender and juicy without a slow cooker! Serve these sliders with my rich, tangy, and savory orange sauce.
Servings: 8 sliders
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 2 lb boneless pork loin roast or pork shoulder

Cooking Sauce:

Orange Sauce:

Instructions 

  • Combine the cooking sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine. Set aside.
  • Place pork in the Instant Pot and pour cooking sauce over. Close lid and venting valve, then press meat setting to start cooking.
  • When meat is done, release vent valve and open lid. Shred pork using 2 forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Cover with lid to keep warm.
  • In a saucepan, place sugar, orange juice, zest, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, red pepper flakes and ground cloves. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until thickened. The sauce should be a thick amber to almost clear color at this point. 
  • Serve sauce over pulled pork on slider buns.

Notes

If you’re converting meat from a slow cooker to an Instant Pot, follow this rule: if the meat dish cooks in eight hours on low or four hours on high in the slow cooker, it will cook in 25-30 minutes in the Instant Pot. Make sure the Instant Pot setting reads “sealing” and not “venting” to ensure it’s cooked properly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slider | Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 134IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Sandwiches
Cuisine: American
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sliders

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

Free Bonus
5 Secrets to True Tex Mex
Essential recipes & tips for delicious Tex Mex cooking!

email image

Explore More

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

20 Comments

  1. 3 stars
    I love the cooking sauce, but the orange sauce is way too sweet and the spices don’t go with the meat. I loved the taste of the pork, but had to do a lot of doctoring on the orange sauce.

    1. Appreciate you coming back to let me know, although this happens to be one of my all-time favorites and think the sauce is AMAZING as written. Glad there’s something for everyone Nancy. Cheers!

  2. 5 stars
    I’ve been making this one for years now and it always has them coming back for more Kevin. That sauce, too is simply amazing on EVERYTHING!

  3. Oh, yeah! I love a good pulled pork sandwich…and it’s almost warm enough to pull out the smoker! Saving this orange sauce idea for sure. Yum!

    1. I’ve had the Instant Pot for 2 years now and it’s perfect for slow cooking if the weather is bad outside and a smoker is out of the question. The orange sauce though… holy smokes it’s tasty stuff. On everything. 😉 Thanks Dave!

  4. You can never go wrong with pulled pork, and the orange sauce sounds like a nice twist/shake-up from traditional bbq sauce. Thanks for the recipe Kevin!

    1. Thanks Kevin This pork is so flavorful and then add that sauce and you got a sure win. Really.

  5. I’ve fallen in love with my Instant Pot and have been looking for more recipes to make with it…this pulled pork is definitely coming up soon! Looks amazing…especially that swoon worthy orange sauce!

  6. This is pretty spectacular, Kevin! I cannot say I do love meat (I’m more a poultry guy) but these pictures have made me crave for something like that (Hope you’ve saved one for me). And I like this refreshing tangy citrus sauce, too!

    1. I’d gladly share with you guys if you ever made it South Ben. It’s one of my all-time favorites!

  7. 5 stars
    This post is almost cruel, Kevin. I’m sitting at my desk at 5:03, won’t be having dinner for a couple more hours and these photos are making me SO HANGRY!!! Everything about this is making my mouth water!

    1. Haha! This is not only super easy, and I put this sauce on roasted veggies just a side. Perfect!

  8. 5 stars
    Smithfield most DEFINITELY makes the best pork, and clearly YOU make the best pulled pork sammies, Kevin! These look AMAZING. Serious drool-fest happening over here! I legit want to bathe in that orange sauce. Can’t wait to give this a try! Cheers, buddy! Pinned (obviously)

  9. Gimme that orange sauce – I could pour that on everything. This looks so delicious!

  10. I just made pulled pork last weekend Kevin! It’s one of our crockpot favorites. I will definitely need to try your orange sauce next time. It sounds delicious!

    1. I hope you do give it a try MaryAnn, it’s a fantastic sauce and the warm spices give it an extra hit of love! Cheers! 🙂