Non-smoked pork butt pot roast, ever try it?

[Huskee]

When we 'round these parts mention pork butt, 99.9% of the time it's in the context of smoking and pulled pork. But have you ever tried making a pot roast from a pork butt? We did this the other day and it was out of this world great. Of course, you've gotta like pot roast, or stew, or whatever you call it in your neck of the woods- the slow roasted hunk of meat with carrots, potatoes and onions.

My mom has been sick and so we've been running groceries and dinners over to her & my dad. Their 50th anniversary was this past Saturday. Not how they dreamed spending their 50th, in lockdown and alone and sick...so I offered my mom a choice of maybe ten things for dinner that we could bring them, from brisket to ribs to homemade shrimp scampi. I threw pot roast in there because my folks appreciate the simple things too. My mom chose pot roast. I asked beef or pork, figuring "beef" would be the answer, and she replied "pork definitely". My wife has made pork pot roast before but it's been a while.

So, we bought a 7lb butt - the biggest our local Sam's had unfortunately - and I halved it and trimmed it and salted it a day ahead, just like you would for smoking it. Seared it several minutes on all sides in hot cast iron, and into the Instant Pot for 5hrs (in slow cooker mode) with the veggies. Deglaze the pan with red wine, and add that to the pot. After it's all done my wife ladled out a good portion of the jus and thickened it into a gravy and seasoned it a little more then added it back.

So good! Beats beef roast hands down, and I am a big beef fan so that's saying something. We actually did 3 pots worth, one pot was a chuck roast for comparison and 2 were pork. Pork wins all the way around.

Have you ever tried it this way?

[Thunder77]

I really like doing pork button the Instant Pot. Very tasty, and the family loves it.

[bbqLuv]

Post recipe
Thank you in advance.

[Bkhuna]

@ bbqluv - This website has a very large, well tested recipes for using the Instant Pot. The recipe for Carnitas is fast and flavorful. Is it taqueria good, maybe not, but it is pretty darn serviceable for the amount of time involved.

https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-carnitas/

[smokin fool]

10-4 we do ours in a slow cooker from time to time, hard to beat even when smoked.

[Steve R.]

My wife started doing this a few years ago, and it's one of my favorite meals she cooks. But it wasn't intended to be pot roast as we know it. It's been awhile but I remember cranberries being involved in the recipe.

[Skip]

I've been on a beef stew in the instant pot kick a few times lately and just saw on a local MN Public TV program where they made Lumberjack Stew. When I Googled it for a recipe it was made with pork loin. Not quite the same as Huskee made but in the ballpark. Added it to the cooking list just this morning. Thanks for the inspiration Huskee .

[Huskee]

You bet. My wife's done pork loin recipes and it always comes out dry.

[IowaGirl]

I definitely wouldn't use pork loin for a braise or stew, unless you like sawdust. Shoulder on the other hand ........

[Dadof3Illinois]

I agree with IowaGirl. My family would make it with pork loin and it was dry dry dry!!! There never seemed to be enough gravy for everyone...HA! The good thing is pork loin is pretty cheap so you aren't out much if it doesn't turn out.

[jlazar]

Also good with some cut up apples and onions, apple juice, and sauerkraut.

[smokin fool]

Have done a recipe in the crock pot with apples, bacon, onions, purple cabbage and red wine.
Flavor explosion.
Don't make it often, the kids don't like purple cabbage....

[rickgregory]

I did this with a cuban mojo (https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/...jo-recipe.html) and it was... good. People rave about it in the comments but mine was fine, not specatular. I whisked the reserved mojo sauce with some of the rendered pork fat and will try it tonight or tomorrow.

As I've said in the past, I think pulled pork is one of the more boring smoked products since, unless you butterfly the butt, most of the meat isn't touched by the smoke.

[Jfrosty27]

Absolutely. My mom did it a couple times a month min. Pork was cheap and we had a big family. So I do it in the slow cooker fairly often. Love it. So tasty. Veggies, mashers and gravy, dinner rolls. Yum.

[Huskee]

Comfort food at its finest, and affordable too!

[Mr. Bones]

^^^^This^^^^

Love it!

[DavidNorcross]

Would love to try this.

[Mark V]

Mom never used wine and back in the 60's and 70's never smoked the meat. I have fond memories of her roasts.

[crazytown3]

Not a pot roast per se, but cooked up half a pork shoulder roast in the Instant Pot a week or so ago and made carnitas. I was saving the other half to cook on the smoker, but I'm thinking of cooking it in the IP pot roast style like you describe Huskee.

Happy anniversary to your parents, and I hope they recover quickly.

[Huskee]

Thanks crazy, I really appreciate that!

[Deaf Arty]

Awesome! Never thought of pork pot roast. Thanks, Huskee for the info and idea. Gotta try it -- I think I have a shoulder in the freezer now.

[Troutman]

I have always loved pot roast of beef, pork, lamb. Carrots, celery, new potatoes, can of charred tomatoes. Little beef stock, splash of vinegar; are you kidding me? That’s ambrosia!!!

[ecowper]

I knew I liked you

[smokin fool]

Parsnips are another great addition

[Polarbear777]

I’m confused. 5 hours under pressure seems like a very long time. I haven’t had anything ever take more than 90 minutes to completely fall apart. We’re you using it in slow cooker mode?

[Troutman]

Sounds like a crockpot

[Huskee]

Yes, I forgot that detail, it was in the IP but in slow cooker mode.

[bbqLuv]

A friend's daughter made pulled pork with Bourbon in a slow cooker. She is 22 going on 23. My word they grow up fast.