Forget The Slow Cooker: Get Tender Pulled Pork Fast With This Appliance

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Pulled pork is one of those easy and delicious set-it-and-forget-it recipes, though it is one that needs to be prepared well in advance. While making pulled pork in a slow cooker is a common method, this can take anywhere between four to eight hours, or even longer, depending on the cooking setting, so it's not always a great recipe to make in a pinch. If you need a way to get pulled pork fast, there's one cooking appliance that will get the job done. Pressure cookers will have your pulled pork tender and ready in under two hours. 

While a tender result is largely due to the cut of pork you use, the cooking method also contributes. Pressure cookers are sealed pots that trap steam to quickly cook food. There are both stovetop and electric kinds (Instant Pot is a popular electric pressure cooker brand, and the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Multicooker is a great one to start with). Choosing an electric one will give you better temperature control, more features, and a hands-off cooking experience. However, keep in mind that stovetop pressure cooker is the traditional technique that has more pressure and cooks your food faster.

There are a few major differences when it comes to making your pulled pork in a pressure cooker compared to a slow cooker, and it starts with the cooking time. A pressure cooker cuts your cooking time down to about 80 minutes on high pressure, which makes it a great recipe for a time crunch. You can even cook your pork from frozen in a pressure cooker, just add five minutes per pound of meat to your cooking time. 

If you're searing the pork, you can do it right in the pressure cooker, leaving you with less of a mess. Many say pulled pork in the pressure cooker gives your meat a juicier finish and makes it more flavorful, which is due to the trapped steam that adds moisture to the pork. Pressure cookers aren't just great for pulled pork either — you could even make top-tier tender pork chops this way. While this doesn't mean you need to ditch your slow cooker entirely, if you want succulent pulled pork fast, a pressure cooker is the way to go.