Description
This juicy, flavor-packed pulled pork gets a Japanese-inspired twist with a savory BBQ sauce made with soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil. It’s a great filling for rice bowls, sandwiches, or lettuce wraps.
Plus, thanks to the Instant Pot, it comes together with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Pork:
- 2 lb boneless pork roast, cut into 4-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar (substitute apple cider vinegar)
- 1 cup broth, divided (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
- Olive oil, for sautéing
For the Japanese BBQ Sauce:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons tomato paste (6 oz.)
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds (optional)
Cabbage Slaw (if you want to serve it on a bun for Japanese-style pulled pork sandwiches):
Just mix and enjoy!
- 2 cups purple cabbage, shredded
- 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons kewpie mayo
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the Japanese BBQ Sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the rice wine vinegar, 3/4 cup of the Japanese BBQ sauce, and 3/4 cup of the broth. It will be pretty thin, and that’s perfect.
- Season the pork cubes with salt and pepper. Turn the Instant Pot to the “Sauté” setting and add a splash of olive oil. Once hot, add the pork and sear for about 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.
- Turn off the Instant Pot. Remove the pork and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup broth to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Return the pork to the pot and pour in the barbecue sauce mixture. Close the lid, set the valve to “Sealing,” and cook on Manual High Pressure for 40 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully do a quick release.
- Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and transfer to a large bowl. Shred it with two forks and stir in as much of the Japanese BBQ Sauce as you would like. Serve over rice, in sandwiches, or however you like. I like to leave some of the sauce on the side for people to serve up as they like.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-6