Pork shoulder steak is an affordable, flavorful cut of meat that turns meltingly tender when cooked in an instant pot. With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you can have a delicious homemade dinner on the table in under an hour with this easy instant pot pork shoulder steak recipe.
As a busy mom who loves cooking for my family, I’m always looking for quick and tasty dinners to add to my weekly rotation. Pork shoulder steak has become one of my go-to’s for weeknight meals because it’s budget-friendly cooks up fast in the instant pot and my kids devour it every time I make it. I love that I can start this recipe at 5pm and we’re sitting down to eat by 6.
Why Cook Pork Shoulder Steak in the Instant Pot?
Pork shoulder steak, sometimes labeled as blade steak or pork shoulder blade steak, comes from the shoulder area of the pig. It contains a good amount of fat and connective tissue, which is why slow, moist cooking methods like the instant pot work so well. The combination of pressure cooking and steam makes the meat incredibly tender and juicy in a short amount of time.
While you can braise pork shoulder steak in the oven or on the stovetop, using the instant pot cuts down the cooking time significantly What would take hours in the oven or on the stovetop takes less than an hour start to finish in the instant pot. The meat comes out fall-apart tender with very little effort on your part
Tips for Choosing and Preparing Pork Shoulder Steak
When selecting pork shoulder steaks at the grocery store look for steaks that are 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick with nice marbling throughout. Thinner steaks will dry out and tougher steaks won’t become tender enough. I like to purchase them bone-in for extra flavor but boneless steaks will work too.
Before cooking pork shoulder steaks in the instant pot, I recommend trimming off any large excess pieces of fat. Too much fat can make the sauce greasy. Then generously season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper.
Don’t worry about pounding or tenderizing the steaks. The instant pot will do that work for you.
Step-by-Step Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Steak Recipe
Without further ado, here is my easy recipe for juicy, tender instant pot pork shoulder steak.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 lbs pork shoulder steak
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp each dried thyme, rosemary, sage
- 1 lb baby potatoes, halved
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Turn instant pot to Saute setting. When hot, add olive oil.
- Season pork shoulder steaks all over with salt and pepper. Add to instant pot in single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until well browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Add onion to pot and cook for 2 minutes, until starting to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Whisk in chicken broth, tomato paste and herbs, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot.
- Place potatoes on top of sauce in an even layer. Nestle pork shoulder steaks into pot, pressing down into sauce.
- Lock lid and make sure valve is set to sealing. Pressure cook on Manual/High for 25 minutes.
- Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Then quick release remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove lid. Transfer pork and potatoes to a platter.
- Turn instant pot to Saute setting. Simmer sauce for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Taste sauce and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve pork shoulder steaks and potatoes topped with the sauce. Enjoy!
The pork shoulder steak should be fall-apart tender after cooking. The sauce creates tons of flavor. I like to serve this with a simple side salad or veggie for a complete meal. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce keeps this dish moist and delicious.
Tips and Variations
- For more sauce, increase broth to 1 1/2 cups.
- Substitute different herbs like rosemary, basil, oregano.
- Add 1 cup mushrooms, carrots, celery or other veggies.
- Instead of potatoes, serve over mashed potatoes, rice, cauliflower rice or pasta.
- Shred leftover pork to use in tacos, sandwiches, soup or pasta dishes.
Easy Instant Pot BBQ Pork Steaks
How to cook pork shoulder steak in Instant Pot?
To make this recipe start with selecting Sauté on your Instant Pot. When hot add olive oil. Then add the pork shoulder steaks and sear them on both sides until brown. Dice onions, mince the garlic, and put it on top of the steaks. Drizzle the sweet soy sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, and water on the steaks. Add salt and pepper to taste.
How long to cook pork steak in Instant Pot?
Return the pork steaks to the Instant Pot, ensuring they are fully submerged in the broth. Lock the lid of the Instant Pot in place and set the cooking time to 30 minutes on high pressure. After the cooking time is complete, allow for a natural release for about 10 minutes. Then, carefully perform a quick release to release any remaining pressure.
How do you cook pork in an Instant Pot?
Salt and pepper the potatoes and toss. Cover the dish with foil. Gently lower the dish into the Instant Pot on top of the pork. Cover the Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button (high pressure) to 6 minutes. After the time is up allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minute.
How long to cook pork shoulder in Instant Pot?
Set the timer to 15 minutes. When the cooking time is done let the Instant Pot natural release for at least 5 minutes then quick-release. The pork shoulder is ready to serve. Pork meat when browned can become very tough and dry. Especially if it doesn’t have a lot of fat.