Name: Instant Pot Recipes: Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork You'll Crave Again
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 4-5 lb pork shoulder (or pork butt), trimmed and cut into chunks; 1 cup low sodium chicken broth; ½ cup balsamic vinegar; ⅓ cup honey; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water (for thickening sauce)

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When dinner feels like a mountain to climb, this Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork recipe is your gentle nudge back into the kitchen. We all hit those evenings where we stare blankly at the fridge hoping it’ll whisper ideas—this is that whisper, loud and clear. You toss everything in the Instant Pot, press a couple of buttons, and voilà—tender, sweet-savory pork that basically melts when your fork looks at it. The balance of honey and balsamic isn’t just good—it’s worth writing home about (and hey, maybe even making twice in one week). This one fits right into your weeknight rush or Sunday meal prep without stress. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or freezing some for later, this recipe checks every box. Let’s make pork proud again.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork Recipe
3) Ingredients for Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork
4) How to Make Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork
5) Tips for Making Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork
6) Making Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork
8) Try these Main Course Recipes next!
9) Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork Recipe
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

How to get juicy pulled pork from your Instant Pot
Why the honey and balsamic combo works so well
How long you should cook pork shoulder in the Instant Pot
How to thicken the sauce for the perfect finish

2) Easy Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork Recipe

If I had a dime for every weeknight dinner that nearly ended in cereal, I’d probably have a pretty cozy savings by now. That’s when recipes like this honey balsamic pulled pork come to the rescue. This isn’t one of those instant pot recipes where you spend more time prepping than cooking.

With just a few pantry basics, a pork shoulder, and your Instant Pot, you get tender, sweet-savory pork that soaks up every drop of that glossy sauce. This Instant Pot recipe isn’t just simple, it’s a flavor win. The honey mellows the balsamic vinegar, and together they cling to each piece of pork like they belong there. We’ve made this on tired Tuesdays and lazy Sundays, and it holds up every time.

It’s one of those Instant Pot recipes easy enough for beginners, but the kind of meal that makes it seem like you secretly know what you’re doing. Let the pot do the heavy lifting. You just grab a fork and taste what happens.

3) Ingredients for Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork

Pork Shoulder: A big, marbled piece of pork shoulder (or pork butt) gives you that perfect pull-apart texture. Trim it up and cut into big chunks. No need to be neat. This cut shines under pressure.

Chicken Broth: Low sodium broth keeps the meat juicy while helping to blend the bold flavors of the sauce. It’s the quiet hero that brings it all together without stealing the spotlight.

Balsamic Vinegar: Sharp, sweet, and moody in the best way. It gives the sauce depth, like you’ve simmered it for hours—only you didn’t.

Honey: Sticky and golden, honey brings the sweet side and smooths out the tang from the vinegar. It’s a little hug for your pork.

Soy Sauce: Adds a little salty edge, almost like a wink in the background. It makes the flavor fuller without screaming for attention.

Worcestershire Sauce: This one’s tricky to say, but it brings a savory, almost umami layer that finishes the sauce with a kick.

Garlic Powder: It saves time, and let’s be honest—it still makes the kitchen smell amazing when it mixes with that balsamic steam.

Salt and Pepper: Nothing fancy, just your basic seasoning duo. They make sure the meat has a voice in this flavorful crowd.

Cornstarch and Water: Mix these two into a slurry, and boom—the sauce thickens into that sticky glaze that makes everything feel complete.

4) How to Make Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork

Step 1. Toss the pork, broth, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into the Instant Pot. No searing, no fuss. Just layer it in.

Step 2. Seal the lid, set the valve to sealing, and hit high pressure for 65 minutes. Then give it a 10-minute natural release before you do the quick release. You’ll hear the sigh of success.

Step 3. Pull the pork pieces out and shred with two forks. If it falls apart without a fight, you’ve nailed it.

Step 4. Hit sauté on the Instant Pot. Stir together cornstarch and water in a cup, pour it into the pot, and whisk like you’re making gravy on a Sunday afternoon.

Step 5. Let the sauce bubble and thicken. It only takes a few minutes. When it coats the spoon like syrup, you’re golden.

Step 6. Drop that shredded pork back into the pot, give it a good stir, and taste. Need more salt? More sweet? Adjust before it hits the plate.

Step 7. Serve it on buns, over rice, on a salad—however your crowd likes it. It’s your dinner now. You run the show.

5) Tips for Making Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork

Start with a cut that has some fat. Pork shoulder needs that marbling to stay tender under pressure. Don’t go lean here—it’ll dry out.

Give the sauce time to thicken. It might look too thin at first, but trust the process. Once you add the slurry and it simmers, it’ll get that perfect glaze you want for pulled pork.

Use your Instant Pot for what it’s best at: fast flavor. You get deep, developed taste without heating up the whole kitchen or waiting all afternoon.

6) Making Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork Ahead of Time

I’ve made this a day early, and you wouldn’t even know. The flavors settle in overnight and somehow taste better. It’s one of those meals you reheat and think, “Was it this good yesterday?”

If you’re planning to serve it later, keep the pork and sauce separate. Shred the pork, store it in one container, and keep the sauce in another. Heat them up together when you’re ready, and everything feels fresh again.

This makes it perfect for meal prep too. Whether you’re filling sandwiches, bowls, or just grabbing a forkful from the fridge, this pork works whenever you’re hungry.

7) Storing Leftover Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork

Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll hold for about four days. Want to go longer? Freeze them. I’ve kept a batch in the freezer for two months and it still came out tasting great.

Reheat with a splash of broth or water to loosen things up. Don’t microwave it dry or you’ll lose all that beautiful sauce. Give it the moisture it needs, and it’ll taste just like day one.

Leftovers are perfect for sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas—you name it. This pork doesn’t judge your late-night cravings.

8) Try these Main Course Recipes next!

9) Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork Recipe