Pressure Cooker Cajun Pork Roast Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to pressure cook or slow cook pork roast? ›

Slow cooking the meat means it never has the chance to toughen up and will be extra silky and tender. Pressure cooking is faster, though you may lose a little bit of the tenderness. If you're going for the pressure cook method, be sure to get a pork shoulder or pork butt, as opposed to a pork loin.

For a whole roast: Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes per pound of meat. For small chunks: Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes per pound of meat.

While it is possible to overcook pulled pork in the Instant Pot, it's very unlikely if you are using pork shoulder or butt. The pork should get more tender the longer it cooks. If using pork loin, which is leaner, you can overcook it.

While pressure cooking can yield tender and juicy meat, it's important to follow the recommended cooking times for your particular cut of pork. Overcooking can cause the meat to become dry, tough, and difficult to shred. Similarly, if you don't cook the pork long enough, it may be undercooked and tough.

Unfortunately, once you overcook a piece of meat in the pressure cooker, there's no going back. You'll be left with a pile of dry, crunchy, tasteless fibers and no amount of additional pressure cooking is going to put that moisture back into the meat. Earlier, I explained how ingredient size affects the cooking time.

And while many other recipes call to sear the meat before adding to the pressure cooker, I'm here to tell you that this step is unnecessary! No need to waste your time since the meat is shredded and enjoyed in that thick, rich liquid after cooking. Therefore, you won't even notice a sear, so don't waste your time.

There's lots of water in the meat too, so even 1 cup added water will result in a fair amount of liquid after cooking. No you do not have to cover it.

Pour in at least two cups of water; use 1 to 2 cups more if the beef is a tough cut or to reach the minimum amount recommended by the pressure cooker's manufacturer. Seal the lid and bring the cooker up to full pressure over high heat.

Pressure cookers require liquid, usually water, to generate steam. “Jiggle top” cookers need a minimum of one cup of water, while valve cookers need at least half a cup. Put food in the cooker first, then add water.

Brown it

Pressure cooked food doesn't brown so it's worth doing this at the start of cooking before adding liquid and putting the lid on. Meat looks and tastes more appetising with a little browning. Onions, garlic and spices also benefit in the flavour stakes from pre-cooking.

Does pressure cooked pork make tender? ›

You want to use the tough cuts of beef or pork. When you cook via a pressure cooker, moisture is required. Combine that with a sealed lid, the steam can't escape. This is a moist cooking method and will breakdown a lot of the connective tissue, tenderizing the tough cuts.

Pork shoulder might start out as a fatty, tough cut of meat, but cook it low and slow for a few hours and it will be transformed into tender, juicy shreds that fall apart with the touch of your fork.

If you find that your instapot pulled pork is tough after cooking, it's likely because you did a quick pressure release instead of a natural pressure release. Make sure you do a natural pressure release for 2 minutes before opening the vent.

One of the main factors contributing to a dry pork roast is overcooking, which causes the muscle fibers to contract and release their natural juices — even if it's cooked just a couple of minutes too long. This mistake is often a result of the fear of undercooking pork for safety reasons.

Stew the pork or use a slow-cooker.

As with braising, this type of cooking is great for softening up tough pieces of pork or cuts with lots of connective tissue (like shoulder cuts and country-style ribs). Stewing times for pork can vary but are generally comparable to braising times.

Given that meat is cooked over such a long period of time in the slow cooker, it makes sense that it would be more tender than when cooked in a fraction of the time in a pressure cooker.

As the ingredients cook under pressure, their flavors are concentrated, resulting in a richer taste. Tenderization: Pressure cooking breaks down tough fibers in meats and other ingredients, making them more tender and juicy.

Slow cookers can take less fashionable cuts of meat and really make something special. They offer the advantage of adding extra depth to your cooking. Adding red wine, herbs & spices to the slow cooker can take your dish to another level. Slow cookers are energy efficient.