Instant Pot Barbecue Pulled Pork with Zucchini Pickles
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 16 servings
- Calories
- 270
- Total Fat
- 12
- Saturated Fat
- 4
- Carbohydrates
- 28
- Dietary Fiber
- 1
- Sugar
- 23
- Protein
- 12
- Cholesterol
- 45
- Sodium
- 529
- Total: 2 hr 25 min (includes cooling times)
- Active: 25 min
Ingredients
Pork:
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder
Kosher salt
One 3-pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and quartered
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
2 cups homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce
Buns or tortillas, for serving
Zucchini Pickles:
1 pound zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds (see Cook’s Note)
Kosher salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Directions
- For the pork: In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, brown sugar, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Rub all over the pork.
- Transfer to a 6- to 8-quart Instant Pot® multi-cooker and add the vinegar, water and liquid smoke. Cover and set it to “Pressure Cook” for 60 minutes. (This is a good time to make the zucchini pickles.)
- Once the pork is done cooking, transfer it to a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the pork into pieces then transfer it to a large bowl and stir in the barbecue sauce. Serve it immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.
- For the pickles: Put the zucchini in a large heatproof bowl then sprinkle it with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Let sit for 1 hour then rinse with water and drain. Return the zucchini to the bowl, add the shallots and garlic.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, granulated sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, bay leaf and crushed red pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat then remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Pour the pickling liquid over the vegetables and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to jars or an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
- Pile the pulled pork onto the buns or tortillas, top with zucchini pickles, and serve right away.
Cook’s Note
While a crinkle-cut knife isn’t necessary for slicing the zucchini, it’s hard not to love a bread and butter pickle with the characteristic ridges. This special tool creates waves in whatever it cuts.