Pressure Cooker Spicy Pork Shoulder Recipe (2024)

How would this recipe change if you used a slower cooker instead?

This is delicious. Just one thing wrong with the recipe. There is no way this should be cooked for 90 minutes. I have a Breville and one hour was more than enough. I will actually try is 50 minutes the next time I make it. Melissa, please try cooking this for only an hour and see how juicy and tender the meat is. I had about 5 1/2 pounds, cut it into 3 pieces and went by the recipe exactly, except for the cooking time. I researched this issue and no one recommends 90 minutes. Makes no sense.

From my recipe for carnitas (which has you cut the pork into "manageable pieces":
For electric pressure cookers: Cook for 50-60 minutes at high pressure.
For stove top pressure cookers: Turn the heat up to high and when the cooker indicates it has reached high pressure, lower to the heat to maintain it and begin counting 45 minutes pressure cooking time.

With only stove and oven, which would be better, stovetop in a dutch oven or oven roasted covered? If stovetop is better, how long to cook in dutch oven? If oven is better, at what temp and for how long? Thanks.

Used 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder but otherwise kept other ingredient amounts the same. Reduced instant pot time to 55 min as suggested by some. Edible but was not fall apart tender yet. Better after another 25 min, so orig time of 90 min probably about right.

Cook for 5 to 7 hours in a slow cooker.

I've made this a few times and was convinced by the comments one time to reduce the coming time, which turned out to be a mistake. Trust Melissa and stick with 90 minutes.

This was amazing, I absolutely loved the flavors and the texture. I cooked 5 lbs, modified the time to 55 minutes in my Instant Pot, then did a natural pressure release. Marinated for 2 hours and did a sear on all sides on a cast iron pan before putting it in the Pot. It was an extra pan to clean, but it was also much easier and faster to get a good sear going. I also went to an Asian market to get the chili paste and flakes, and thought it really made for an authentic taste.

Its really a wash, but my preference would be to use the oven. Use a dutch oven with a good fitting lid. Cut the pork into into ~3in chunks Cook the pork in the oven low and slow no more than 250°F. At the 2-1/2 to 3h mark you can check liquid levels and tenderness. Add extra water, not stock, if too much liquid escapes. Follow the recipe after you pull the pork out of the oven.

90 minutes on high was perfect what are you guys talking about with this 60 minutes business?

Melissa Clark's "Spicy Pork Shoulder" is the first dish I made using my new Instant Pot, and let me tell you, it is fantastic! The whole family, including young children, loved it. No need to make any changes. The ingredients come together perfectly for a unique and satisfying result. Serving it up for some guests tonight! I don't think I've ever been disappointed by a Melissa Clark recipe.

Lettuce wraps with pickled vegetables. Perfect summer eating.

100% agree, Advice to reduce the cooking time is flat wrong. I'm only sorry the comments recommending doing so are listed as "most helpful." I doubt majority of commenters who called hint helpful actually followed what turns out to be a very bad recommendation.

This is INSANELY GOOD. Made it last night in an Insta Pot followed the directions exactly: Sauteed in the Insta Pot first in saute mode. Then set the pressure cooker into "meats and stews" mode and bumped up the timer to 90 minutes. Then did a manual pressure release at the end. Turned out perfectly. Meat is moist and flavorful with no sauce but is amazing dipped in the sauce and then all that much better after it crisps and caramelizes in the oven in the final step.

90 min seems like a lot of time in pressure cooker. I'd definitely reduce the time to maybe 50 min.

Perfect as written!

I will try this again, as I like having the shredded pork in my fridge for other uses. But I must have messed up the sauce ingredients because the sauce was way too salty. I ate it with both a toasted bun like a barbeque sandwich and on rice. I think I preferred the rice.

Wow... this was fantastic! I marinated the pork for 5 hours, and honestly I don't think it infused that much flavor into the meat itself. Might just do a dry rub before searing next time. But oh man, that sauce! What a powerhouse of flavor (I used Sriracha). I did lettuce wraps and everybody was raving about how delicious the pork was. No doubt I will be making this again and again. Minus marinating time, very easy recipe.

I had a 3lb roast. I trusted Melissa and the other commenters, went for the full 90 minutes and it was delicious with the perfect texture.

So easy and such a crowd pleaser! Followed recipe exactly, using the Instapot at high pressure setting of "meat/stews" for 90 min. Excellent over rice with the cucumber salad and kimchi. Got confused with "rice vinegar" and "rice wine vinegar", but google said they were the same.

I love this recipe. I think I’ll slice the cucumbers early next time and let them drain so the cucumbers don’t get too watery.

Why would any cook with any experience ever doubt the instruction of Melissa Clark? I have made this 20×90 minutes in the Insta pot on meats/stew and on high. it’s always wonderful!

No complaints. This is perfect. Follow all the steps. In my East Asian household, we parboil pork to get out “impurities” so I did that before marinating. I marinated meat overnight, and then cooked everything a day in advance eating but didn’t break apart the meat. The next day when we were ready to eat, I stuck it in the oven with juices and sauce. Oh em gee. It’s so flavorful and delicious. Highly recommend with the cucumbers too.

This was one of the best things I’ve ever made, and everyone loved it. I did cook it for 90 minutes a total winner make again!

I made this with a few mistakes. But it still turned about very tasty. The only thing I wasn’t sold on was the cucumber salad. I think I prepped it too early. My cucumbers were soggy and they didn’t have the “pickled” bite I was hoping for. Also forgot to sauté the garlic and ginger for the sauce but it was honestly quite good without that step. Will try it the proper way next time. As an aside I’m wondering what type of rice would be most appropriate for this dish.

Delicious!!!!

Hadn’t made this for several years and made this weekend for a party of 10. 5 lb pork shoulder. Plenty of meat. What I forgot from making this before was that the meat is delicious, moist and succculent right out of the pot. Adding the sauce and broiling is gilding the lily and potentially can dry out the meat if you’re not careful.

Absolutely delicious! I backed off on the gochujang a bit to accommodate sensitive palates. Don't leave off the kimchi!!!

I was not confident that the spice mixture as written would stretch to even the 3.5 lb. cut of meat I had but it turned out very flavorful even before I made the sauce. This really turned out very delicious and flavorful. Cooked in the slow cooker for 7 hours and served with ramen noodles, matchstick radishes, pickled red cabbage, sesame sticks, and sriracha.

Perfect. And that sauce? Wowza. So so good. Another winner from Melissa Clark.