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Ninja Foodi Pulled Pork

Satisfy your barbecue cravings with this fast and flavorful Ninja Foodi Pulled Pork! It’s just tangy enough to get your mouth watering, perfectly tender, and smothered in a BBQ sauce of your choosing. 

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bun with pulled pork and toppings

There’s something about pulled pork that makes me want to share a meal with all of my loved ones.

Everyone grabbing a heaping helping, piling their sliders sky high, and gathering around on game day, Sunday, or just an average weeknight meal…

That’s what this recipe reminds me of!

And, luckily, it comes together pretty painlessly. We’re not waiting hours for a slow cooker to do its thing.

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Instead, we’re making Ninja Foodi pulled pork. It comes together in just over an hour! Yes, you can make it in the oven or in the slow cooker, but there’s something about pressure cooking it that I just love.

While the process is simple, we want to make sure we’re choosing the best cut of meat and taking the right steps to get that flawless, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Eat it on a sandwich or even top it on pasta to make pulled pork mac and cheese!

Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:

  • How to make a moist, tender helping of pulled pork in your Ninja Foodi!
  • Tips and best practices for preparing pork in a pressure cooker.
  • Some extra guidance on storage, sauces, and other substitutions. 

Get a taste of delicious pulled pork the fast and easy way with your pressure cooker!

You just won’t be able to get enough of those rich, savory flavors coating each bite of that beautifully tender shredded pork. Better make a second batch!

I used the Ninja Foodi 8QT Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer for this recipe. I find this to be a great size for my family of four!

ingredients to make ninja foodi pulled pork

How to Make Ninja Foodi Pulled Pork

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Combine the seasonings for the rub (chili powder, oregano, garlic, salt, paprika, cumin, and pepper) and rub them into the meat. Take time to really massage it into the surface!

STEP TWO: Pour the broth and apple cider vinegar into the pot. Then, carefully lower the seasoned meat into the pot. 

pork in the ninja foodi

STEP THREE: Cover the surface of the meat with the BBQ sauce – do not stir it into the liquid. Replace the lid and set the valve to seal. 

STEP FOUR: Cook on high pressure for 1 hour followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release. Finally, release the remaining pressure and carefully lift the pork from the pot, transferring it to a bowl. At this point, the meat should be falling apart on its own. 

cooked pork in ninja foodi

STEP FIVE: Discard half of the liquid, leaving the rest in the pot. Set to saute and boil until the liquid reduces to a thick sauce. 

shredded pork

STEP SIX: While the sauce reduces, shred the pork. Add it back to the pot and stir it until it’s reheated and totally coated. 

pulled pork

Is It Better To Slow Cook Or Pressure Cook Pulled Pork?

Slow cooking is good for ensuring your pork is never overcooked, taking the extra time to very slowly add flavor to the fibers of the meat.

Pressure cooking helps you to get that flavor in less time at the risk of sacrificing some of that tender texture.

Depending on the recipe, this isn’t a make-or-break difference. Especially with this Ninja Foodi pulled pork – when it’s totally smothered in sauce, you won’t think for a second that there isn’t enough flavor or moisture!

picking up shredded pork with tongs

What Cut of Pork Should You Use For Pulled Pork?

Pork shoulder is almost the undisputed cut of meat for pulled pork. The marbling of the fat is well dispersed and helps to maintain a moist texture.

This is particularly important for making pulled pork in the Ninja Foodi, or any pressure cooking, as moisture can be lost more quickly than slow cooking.

You can get a whole shoulder or one of its two smaller cuts: Boston butt or picnic roast. Either is fine. 

tongs holding juicy shredded pork

What BBQ Sauce Should I Use to Make Pulled Pork in my Ninja Foodi?

It’s really a matter of preference! Everyone has their preferred levels of sweetness, tanginess, heat, and viscosity.

I personally enjoy making a homemade BBQ sauce that I can totally customize, but I know we don’t always have the time – especially if we’re pressure cooking! 

So any store-bought favorite is absolutely fine: Sweet Baby Ray’s is popular and easy to get your hands on (and my favorite), Jack Daniel’s has a great finish, and Stubb’s seems to be another common choice. 

pulled pork on a bun

Tips for Making Pulled Pork in a Ninja Foodi

  • The flavors used to make Ninja Foodi pulled pork can be applied to almost any protein. It’s a very versatile recipe!
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container – and I think Ninja Foodi pulled pork tastes even better the next day as it sits overnight in the sauce!
  • The best way to shred is just with your hands! Give it a moment to cool so that the meat isn’t too hot. Alternatively, you can use two forks. Cut the meat into a couple of larger pieces, lay them on a cutting board, and shred in opposite directions.
  • If you want to take an extra moment, quickly sear the meat before adding it to the pot. This adds both texture and flavor that you won’t get from pressure cooking alone.

Other Ninja Foodi Recipes You’ll Love:

bun with pulled pork and toppings

Ninja Foodi Pulled Pork

Samantha Erb
Ninja Foodi Pulled Pork melts in your mouth with a tangy, irresistible BBQ taste. It's saucy, spectacular, and takes under 2 hours to make!
4.67 from 9 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Ninja Foodi Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 764 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 pound Pork shoulder roast cut into 3-4 pieces
  • ½ cup chicken broth or water
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 ½ cups bbq sauce

Instructions
 

  • Mix together the chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika, cumin, and black pepper, then rub onto the pork pieces.
  • Add the chicken broth and apple cider vinegar to the bottom of the foodi pot, then gently place the seasoned pork pieces on top.
  • Pour the bbq sauce over top of the pork (do not stir) then add the lid and set valve to sealing.
  • Cook on high pressure for 1 hour, allow a 10 minute natural pressure release, then release remaining pressure and carefully remove the pork pieces to a bowl (they should be falling apart).
  • Discard about half the cooking liquid, then set pot to saute and boil until the remaining liquid has become thick.
  • Meanwhile, shred the pork, then add back into the thickened sauce and stir until everything is heated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 764kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 54gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 204mgSodium: 1079mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18g

This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


samantha

About Samantha

I’ve always had a love of cooking and creating new recipes, so it only made sense to create a food blog so I could share those recipes with you. This site is designed to provide easy and flavorful recipes with as little ingredients as possible. That means you still get great flavor combinations without all that extra time and effort. Read more...

2 thoughts on “Ninja Foodi Pulled Pork”

  1. 5 stars
    Tried the recipe and it turned out great, I add a touch of tomato paste to the remaining sauce to add thickness and more of a tomato taste. I was thinking about using chicken thighs next time but was wondering if the time would be the same.

    Reply
    • Hi Arthur, I’m so glad you enjoyed the pulled pork! Chicken thighs will require a shorter cook time, about 20 minutes at high pressure with a 10 minute natural pressure release.

4.67 from 9 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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