Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Smoky BBQ Sauce

I love real barbecue. I have driven hours out of my way for it. I have stood in line in Texas heat for brisket. I have respect for pitmasters and what they do, and I am not about to pretend that anything made in a kitchen appliance is going to replace the magic of a wood-burning smoker.

That said — life is busy, smokers are expensive, and I still want pulled pork sandwiches on a regular weeknight. Enter the Instant Pot. The first time I tried Instant Pot pulled pork I was skeptical. I assumed it would be edible but obviously inferior. What I actually got, after a few rounds of recipe-tweaking, was a version that my barbecue-snob brother-in-law unknowingly went back for seconds at a backyard party. He even said the words 'this is really good pulled pork' before I confessed where it came from. That was the day I stopped feeling guilty about the shortcut.

The key to convincing Instant Pot pulled pork is three details working together. First, the cut. Pork shoulder (also called pork butt or Boston butt) is non-negotiable. The marbled connective tissue is what breaks down under pressure and turns into silky, melt-in-your-mouth shreds. Tenderloin or loin will not work — they are too lean and will turn into stringy disappointment.

Second, the spice rub. We are not adding liquid smoke (which always tastes a little chemical to me); we are building smoky flavor through smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, brown sugar, and a touch of espresso powder. It sounds odd, but a quarter teaspoon of espresso powder adds a deep, almost-meaty bass note that mimics the long, slow caramelization of a real smoker. Rub the pork hard with the spice mixture and let it sit for at least 20 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge) before cooking.

Third, and most important: the broiler step at the end. After pressure cooking, you shred the pork and spread it out on a sheet pan, drizzle some of the reduced cooking liquid plus a generous coat of BBQ sauce over the top, and broil for 5-7 minutes until the edges crisp and char. This is the step that takes the dish from 'good slow cooker pork' to 'actually-tastes-like-barbecue.' Those crispy, dark, caramelized bits are exactly what you get from the bark of a smoked shoulder. Skipping this step is the difference between a 7-out-of-10 and a 10. Do not skip it.

We pile the broiled pork onto toasted brioche buns with a quick creamy coleslaw and a few pickles for crunch and acidity. Serve with sweet potato fries or baked beans on the side. The whole production from raw pork to plated sandwich takes about 90 minutes, most of which is hands-off pressure cooking time, which means I can actually make this on a Tuesday and still get the kids to bed at a reasonable hour. It is genuinely one of my favorite dinners — quick, crowd-pleasing, freezer-friendly, and infinitely better than the takeout version.