Prepare a delicious instant pot pork roast, complete with potatoes, vegetables, and savory gravy. This all-in-one, hearty meal is cooked effortlessly in the instant pot, saving you time and effort.
A juicy and tender instant pot pork roast that your whole family will love; an easy recipe that requires simple ingredients and just a few steps. The pot significantly reduces the cooking time compared to traditional oven roasting methods, allowing you to enjoy your flavorful roast in a fraction of the time.
First, season the pork roast with your preferred spices. Next, place it in the instant pot with a bit of liquid. Set the cooking time and let the instant pot work its magic.
The result? Tender, juicy pork that's packed with flavor. And if you forgot to thaw the roast, try our Instant Pot Frozen Pork Loin Recipe.
For more roasted pork recipes, check out our Roasted Pork Neck, Spicy Pork Loin Recipe, the Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin, Crock Pot Pork and Sauerkraut, or the Crispy Pork Hocks.
Recipe ingredients
- Pork shoulder or pork butt, a large piece of about 3 lbs/ 1.5 kg, a bit more or less than that, is fine.
What is the difference between pork butt and pork shoulder?
- Pork butt and pork shoulder are more or less the same cut of meat. The confusion arises from the different names used in different regions.
- In the United States, the term "pork butt" is commonly used to refer to the upper part of the shoulder, and it is a bit fattier, whereas "pork shoulder" refers to the entire shoulder cut and contains more muscle and less fat.
- The shoulder is a well-marbled and flavorful cut, typically used for slow cooking methods such as roasting, braising, or smoking.
- Spices for the seasoning: Fine sea salt or kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet and smoked paprika, thyme, rosemary, white or brown sugar, and some red pepper flakes (or cayenne pepper) for a bit of heat.
- Bay leaves and one or two fresh rosemary sprigs to add to the liquid in the pot.
- Alternatively, make a larger batch of our homemade pork seasoning and use half of it to season the pork shoulder or butt. Or use your favorite seasoning blend.
- Cooking liquid: One cup of beef broth or chicken stock. Using homemade or low-sodium is recommended; using standard broth or stock will result in an oversalted gravy.
- You can substitute about ¼ of the broth with red wine.
- Vegetables: All-purpose potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic.
- Olive oil or vegetable oil for searing the meat and sauteing the onions.
- Cornstarch and cold water to thicken the gravy.
How to make a pork roast in the instant pot?
- Pat the pork roast dry with paper towels and rub it well with the seasoning mix (1).
- Sauté function: Heat some oil and sear the meat for 2-3 minutes per side (2). Remove it from the pot.
- Sauté sliced onion and garlic in the remaining oil (3).
- Deglaze the pot with the broth, scraping off the bottom of the pot to release the browned bits, return the meat, and add rosemary, bay leaves, and balsamic vinegar (4).
- Pressure cook in the sealed pot for 50 minutes, then natural pressure release for 2 minutes (5).
- Quick pressure release: Add chopped carrots and potatoes (6, 7).
- High pressure: Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Quick release: Remove the contents of the pot to a large platter using a slotted spoon and leave the liquid behind. Discard the rosemary and bay leaves.
- Sauté function: Thicken the gravy with cornstarch and cold water slurry (8).
- Adjust the taste if necessary. Balance the flavors with a few extra balsamic drops or a tiny sugar sprinkle if required. Salt is usually not needed but check.
Expert Tips
- Consider seasoning and refrigerating the pork overnight so the spices can penetrate the meat better and add more flavor. It’s not mandatory; the instant pot pork roast will still be delicious without this extra step, but if you have the time, just do it.
- After rubbing the meat, I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in a large container in the fridge overnight. It’s the same method I use when making Dutch Oven Turkey.
- Broth or stock: It’s recommended to use homemade or low-sodium to avoid an oversalted gravy.
- When adding liquid to the pot, be mindful not to exceed the recommended maximum fill line to avoid any issues with pressure release.
- If desired, skim any excess fat from the sauce before thickening it with cornstarch slurry.
Recipe FAQ
The cook time can vary depending on the size and thickness of the meat. As a general guideline, you can set the pot to manual high pressure for around 15-20 minutes per pound of pork shoulder.
Remember that it will also take some additional time for the instant pot to come to pressure before the cooking time begins.
A meat thermometer (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) is always recommended to ensure the pork shoulder reaches an internal temperature of around 195-205°F/90-96°C.
It just probably needs to cook a bit longer; the cooking time depends on the size of your roast, especially its thickness.
Overcooking can also lead to tough meat, so regard the cooking times indicated and only increase the time if your cut is obviously very thick.
The quality of the meat can also influence tenderness. Look for cuts with marbling and a moderate amount of fat, as this helps contribute to juiciness and tenderness.
Incorrect pressure release: For a tender pot roast, it's recommended to use a natural release for a few minutes before using the quick release to release any remaining pressure.
It's recommended to slice or shred the meat before storing it in the refrigerator. When reheating, add a bit of liquid to prevent drying out and heat it gently until warmed through.
How to store and reheat?
- Store leftover sliced pork roast and vegetables in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Store the pot roast gravy in an airtight container separately.
- Freeze the meat and the sauce (separately) for up to 3 months and defrost in the fridge. Don't freeze potatoes; they will not be great after thawing.
- Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or stovetop, adding a little liquid to maintain moisture.
How to serve?
- Allow the instant pot pork roast to rest for a few minutes before slicing it with a sharp knife on a cutting board.
- Arrange it on a serving platter or individual plates and place the vegetables alongside the pork or serve them separately.
- Drizzle a little of the flavorful gravy over the pork and vegetables and pour the remaining sauce into a gravy boat to serve separately.
- This recipe makes a complete meal; you will not necessarily need any more side dishes. However, just in case, see below for some ideas.
What to serve with it?
More instant pot recipes
Instant Pot Pork Roast (with Gravy)
Equipment
- Instant pot
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt 1.5 kg, Note 1
Seasoning mix (Note 2):
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- 1 tablespoon sugar white or brown
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instant pot roast:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup beef broth or chicken stock, low-sodium, 250 ml, Note 3
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 lb potatoes 450 g, large cubes
- 2 large carrots thickly sliced
Gravy:
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
Season the pork:
- Pat the pork roast dry with paper towels. 3 lbs/ 1.5 kg pork roast
- Season pork: Mix the spices in a small bowl, sprinkle on both sides of the meat, and rub them well into the meat. If you have the time, you could refrigerate the roast (airtight) for a few hours or overnight. 1 teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon pepper + 1 teaspoon garlic powder + 1 teaspoon onion powder + ½ teaspoon sweet paprika + ½ teaspoon smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon thyme + 1 teaspoon rosemary + 1 tablespoon sugar + ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Cook:
- Sear pork: Press the sauté function. Pour in two tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add seasoned meat and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove it from the pot. 2 tablespoon oil
- Sauté onion: Add the third spoonful of oil to the pot. Add the sliced onion and cook it for about 2 minutes. Add garlic, stir well, and cook for another minute. 1 tablespoon oil + 1 medium onion + 2 garlic cloves
- Deglaze the pot with the broth and scrape off all the brown bits from the pot's bottom. Return the meat to the pot. Add the rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, and balsamic vinegar. 1 cup/ 250 ml broth + 1-2 rosemary sprigs + 2 bay leaves + 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Pressure cook: Seal the pot and set it to manual high pressure for 50 minutes. Release naturally for 2 minutes.
- Vegetables: After 2 minutes, perform a quick pressure release, then add the thickly sliced carrots and potato chunks. Cover again and set it to manual high pressure for an additional 5 minutes. 1 lb/ 450 g potatoes + 2 carrots
- Perform another quick release, remove the pork roast and veggies from the pot using a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a large bowl. Discard the rosemary sprigs and the bay leaves.
Gravy:
- Cornstarch slurry: Whisk cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl; the mixture should be thick yet pourable. 2 tablespoon cornstarch + 2-3 tablespoon cold water
- Thicken the gravy: Turn on the sauté function and whisk the mixture into the cooking liquid. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
- Adjust the taste if necessary. I might add a few extra drops of balsamic or a tiny sprinkle of sugar to balance the flavors. Salt is usually not needed but check.
- Serve the pork and vegetables with the gravy.
Notes
- The cut of pork: Pork butt and pork shoulder are both cut from the shoulder of the pig. They are both nicely marbled and perfect for cooking in the instant pot. The “pork butt” comes from the upper part of the shoulder and is a bit fattier, whereas "pork shoulder" refers to the entire shoulder cut and contains more muscle and less fat.
- Spices: Use ½ of our homemade pork roast seasoning instead.
- Stock: Using homemade or low-sodium broth or stock is preferable to avoid a too-salty gravy.
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