Instant Pot Pork Roast

This Instant Pot Pork Roast is another great recipe to add to your list of yummy meals. This one is quick to make and delicious to eat and can be a complete meal by adding potatoes and veggies. An easy gravy adds the finishing touch for a one pot meal.

The instant pot is an essential tool that you need to have in your kitchen. There are so many yummy foods you can make in it and it’s so easy to use. 

We will show you how to make it along with some potatoes and other veggies. It’s great when you can take a cheaper cut of meat and make it taste so tender and juicy that your family thinks you were home working hard on it all day!

If you like this recipe, try some of our other delicious recipes like Instant Pot Pulled Pork or Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin just to name a few…

Benefits of Cooking Pork Roast in an Instant Pot

I love using the instant pot to make all kinds of meats, and this pork roast is just one of them. 

There are 3 main benefits from cooking in the Instant Pot:

• It Saves Time: Everything cooks quickly, which is especially important when you come home from work and you and your family are hungry. Instead of serving them a sandwich you can give them a delicious meal.
• Flavor: Meat like this pork roast comes out so tender and juicy, which is great, especially with a cheaper and touch piece of meat.
• It’s Easy: We are all busy and finding a quicker and easy way to cook things is at the top of my list, as I’m sure it is for you too. They have made pressure cooking so easy now with the instant pot vs the old fashioned pressure cookers, you will learn how right away.

Does Meat Get More Tender the Longer You Pressure Cook It?

It is not necessary to cook your meat for a long time in the instant pot/pressure cooker. The beauty of it is that in a short time your piece of meat, even a tough cut, will come out super tender. 

You may be familiar with a slow cooker which takes a much longer time to make meat tender, which is the opposite of an instant pot. Either of them works fine, it jut depends how much time you have.

What Ingredients are in Instant Pot Pork Roast?

Here is a list of the ingredients in our pork roast recipe:

• Pork Butt – A fattier piece of pork with a lot of flavor and tenderness when cooked in the instant pot.
• Salt – A spice that enhances the flavor and tenderizes the pressure cooker pork roast.
• Pepper – Ground black pepper is the most common. 
• Onion Powder – Finely ground, giving the meat the taste of onion.
• Garlic Powder – Another finely ground spice which gives the meat the taste of garlic.
• Paprika – A spice that gives the meat a warm mild heat.
• Oregano – A leafy spice giving things an Italian flare.
• Thyme – A green dried herb in the same family as oregano.
• Olive Oil – It is best to use a good virgin olive oil.
• Onions – Who doesn’t think that this veggie is essential for a lot of flavor in many recipes. Any type of onions will work.
• Carrots – A good hearty veggie that goes well with beef and pork.
• Mushrooms – Pork and beef are complimented well with these, and any type goes well with this recipe.
• Potatoes – A good New England one-dish meal always has meat and potatoes. Any type of potato can be used.
• Liquid – Beef broth is the choice for this recipe, but you can also use chicken broth or water.

What Cut of Pork Should I Use for Pork Roast?

When you hear someone talking about pork roast, it usually is referring to pork butt or pork shoulder, which are fattier cuts of the pig. 

Pork loin and pork tenderloin are each different cuts of meat that are totally different because they are leaner without any fat on them. Any of these cuts will do, it just depends what type of flavor and texture you are looking for.

For this instant pot pork roast recipe we like the boneless pork butt. It has more fat, is more tender, and therefore has more flavor.

Boneless vs Bone-In

There are 2 types of pork roast that you can buy. One is bone-in and the other one is boneless. Let me share with you a few things to look for when deciding which way to go.

Boneless:

• This can be a little leaner cut of roast because when they cut the meat away from the bones they also trim some of the fat away too.
• It is typically more expensive without the bones because it requires the butcher extra time to prepare the meat. You can look for a meat sale and buy it when they go on sale to save some money.

Bone-in:

• It is cheaper than the boneless version because it doesn’t require the butcher to do as much work preparing it for selling.
• In my opinion, when you get meat on the bones, it is always a bit tastier because the meat and bones cook together. If you are like me, I love eating the meat off the bones after I have eaten the rest of my portion….yummy.
• When cooking the pork with the bones, it can take a bit longer than boneless so you have to allow a couple extra minutes.

Different Variations

There are other ingredients that you can add to this instant pot pork roast recipe to either enhance it or to totally change the flavor. Here are a few ideas:

• Balsamic
• Crushed Red Pepper
• BBQ Sauce
• Tomato Sauce
• Garlic/Butter Sauce

Seasonings

Add some other spices to your pressure cooker pork roast to change it up sometimes:

• Rosemary
• Bay Leaf
• Parsley
• Chili Powder

Veggie Options

There are so many vegetable choices to make together with your pork roast the list is endless. Here are just a few suggestions of other that you can add besides the ones we use in this recipe:

• Cauliflower
• Asparagus
• Brussel Sprouts
• Broccoli
• Squash
• Sweet Potatoes

How Long to Cook Pork Roast in an Instant Pot?

It doesn’t take too long to cook the pork roast in the Instant pot, because it cooks food under high pressure which decreases the time required.

It usually takes 30-45 minutes to cook a pork roast in the Instant Pot.

What Setting Do You Cook Pork on in an Instant Pot?

First you sear the pork roast in the instant pot on “saute”, then on “pressure cook” the remainder of the time.

Pork Roast Temperature

The ideal internal temperature when cooking any type of pork is 145 degrees fahrenheit. As it sits and rests a few minutes after cooking, it even continues to cook a little more. 

Use a meat thermometer to test the temperature for accuracy when taking it out of the oven. This is the most effective way to make sure it is cooked perfectly every time.

How to Make Instant Pot Pork Roast

Now we are going to show you step by step how to make your pork roast in the instant pot:

STEP 1: Season the Roast

Take the roast out of the refrigerator to take the chill off of it.

In the meantime, mix all of your spices together in a small bowl.

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Rub the mixture all over the entire pork roast. Set aside while preparing the vegetables.

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STEP 2: Prepare the Vegetables

Wash, cut and slice the vegetables. After that put the veggies aside in a bowl.

STEP 3: Sear the Roast 

Heat the pot by pressing the saute button. Add the olive oil to the pot.

Once the oil is hot then add the meat and sear on all sides, the remove.

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STEP 4: Deglaze Instant Pot

Add the broth and stir well with a wooden spoon while scraping up and loosening up all of the brown bits on the bottom of the pan after searing the meat.

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STEP 5: Pressure Cook the Pork Roast

Add the meat back into the pot and continue to pressure cook for 37 minutes.

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When it’s done, begin to release the steam, slowly and carefully, so that you do not burn yourself or anyone else. This should take about 5 minutes.

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Place the meat on a plate and allow it to rest while making the veggies and the gravy.

STEP 6: Add Veggies

Add your veggies to the pot and cook for 5 minutes.

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Then once again, release the steam carefully for 5 minutes. Remove the veggies and prepare the gravy.

Making the Gravy

Now it’s time to use that yummy juice at the bottom of the instant pot.

1. Once the meat is out of the instant pot, take the cornstarch and cold water and mix them together in a small bowl. 
2. While the broth is still boiling in the pot stir in the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until the broth starts to thicken to your desired texture.
3. Pour out the gravy into your gravy boat and pour it over the pork roast.

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FAQs & Best Tips 

Now we will answer some of the questions that you may be thinking of and also some helpful tips that you may be able to use.

• Replace the black pepper with red pepper if you want a spicy pork roast.
• Be sure to sear the pork roast on all sides before pressure cooking your pork roast.
• As always, all meat needs to rest when it comes out of the instant pot, so that it stays more tender and juicy. For best results, do not skip this step.

How to Prevent a Dry Roast

A dry roast comes from overcooking it. When in doubt use a meat thermometer and only cook the pork roast until it reaches 145 degrees because as it rests the instant pot pork roast will continue to cook a little more.

How Much Water Do I Put in My Instant Pot for Pork?

When you make the pork roast in the instant pot you can use anywhere from 1-2 cups of liquid so that your meat will stay moist, but it doesn’t need to be water, it can be chicken, beef or bone broth.

How to Make the Outside of a Pork Roast Crispy?

The pork roast will be crispy on the outside by searing it in the oil on all sides in the instant pot.

How Thick Should the Roast Be?

It doesn’t really matter how thick your pork butt roast is when cooked in the instant pot because it will cook the same way for the same length of time.

Can I Use Frozen Pork in an Instant Pot?

If you forget to take the meat out of the freezer in the morning before going to work, don’t worry about it. You can still use a frozen pork roast in the instant pot.

Just go home and take it out of the freezer and begin to get things ready to cook it. There are a few changes that you need to make to the recipe when using a frozen pork roast.

Since it’s frozen you won’t be able to sear it, so skip that step. Instead, it will take about 10 minutes longer to cook. Other than that it’s prepared and cooked the same.

What to Serve with Pork Roast?

Now let’s get to the fun part…eating your delicious instant pot pork roast and your favorite sides with it. Here are some ideas to choose from or think of your own:

• Mac and Cheese or Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
• Baked Beans
• Baked Potatoes
• Mashed Potatoes or Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
• Spinach Salad
• Roasted Asparagus
• Roasted Broccoli
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Applesauce
• Coleslaw

Make Ahead & Storing Options

BEFORE COOKING: One thing that you can do ahead of time if you want to is to mix up your spices and rub them all over the roast. Then wrap it up and refrigerate it for the day or overnight.

You can also cut up and prepare your veggies so that they will be ready to cook.

LEFTOVERS: After you cook your pork roast, if there are any leftovers it is easy to store them. Just put the meat in an airtight container and refrigerate it for 3-4 days.

How to Reheat

Reheating your leftover pork roast  is easy.

• Microwave – Place the meat on a loosely covered dish and heat for 1-2 minutes.
• Stove – By using a non-stick fry pan, with a few drops of water or broth, warm it up on medium heat for about 1-2 minutes, cover is desired.

Can You Freeze Pork Roast?

This is another good recipe for freezing leftovers, which gives you an opportunity to eat this delicious meat again weeks after it’s prepared. It is especially good when you work all day and want to eat leftovers for a quick dinner.

Put the meat in an airtight container and then cover it with a ziploc freezer bag. Or do the opposite by putting the meat in a plastic baggie and then sticking it in an airtight container. Either way you will have double protection to help your pork roast stay fresh for 3-4 months in the freezer.

Other Diets This Recipe is Good For

• Gluten-free – There is nothing with gluten in our instant pot pork roast recipe.
• Nut-free – No nuts in this recipe.
• Paleo – Meat is a good part of this diet.
• Keto/low carb – Another good fit for a keto diet plan.
• Dairy-free – There is no dairy in the pressure cooker pork roast.
• Sugar-free – Sugar is not present in this recipe which makes it good for a low carb diet.
• Whole-30– A good match for this way of eating.

Tools to Use

Just a few things are needed to make our pork roast with veggies:

• Instant Pot
• Large tongs to flip the searing meat
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Bowl to mix spices

Other Instant Pot Recipes

Here are a few other instant pot recipes on our website that you will love:

• Instant Pot Pulled Pork 
• Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
• Instant Pot Pork Ribs
• Instant Pot Pork Chops
• Instant Pot Pork Loin
• Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
• Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Other Favorite Pork Recipes

We have other pork recipes that you may have already made, if not then give them a try too.

• Baked Pork Tenderloin
• Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs
• Stuffed Pork Chops
• Pork Shoulder
• Crispy Pork Belly
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

All of them are easy-to-make dinners and will have your friends raving!

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