40 min
Instant Pot Lowcountry Shrimp Boil with Corn, Potatoes & Sausage
Tender potatoes, sweet corn and smoked sausage pressure-cook first, then shrimp finish gently in the seasoned broth for a fast, family-style supper.
Photo: USDA Food and Nutrition Service / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Instant Pot Family Dinners
Instant Pot Hawaiian-Style Kālua Pork with Cabbage & Rice
Smoky, salt-seasoned pork shoulder pressure-cooks until shreddable, then shares its savory juices with tender cabbage and hot white rice.
Directions
Season the pork
Pat the pork dry. Rub all surfaces with the sea salt and liquid smoke, then let stand 10 minutes while the cooker heats. Cutting four similar chunks keeps the pressure timing predictable.
Brown in two batches
Select Sauté on High on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker and add the oil. Brown two pork pieces for 3 to 4 minutes per broad side; transfer to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining pieces. Cancel Sauté.
Deglaze completely
Pour in the broth and scrape the base until no browned residue remains. Return the pork and any juices in a loose layer. The thin liquid must remain underneath the meat, and the contents must stay below the model's maximum-fill line.
Pressure-cook and release
Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes; allow about 15 minutes to reach pressure. Let pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then vent the remainder in short controlled pulses with hands and face away from steam. Open only after the float valve drops.
Verify tenderness and safety
Move the pork to a clean rimmed pan. Check the thickest part of every chunk with an instant-read thermometer; each must reach at least 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest. For pull-apart texture, a fork should twist with almost no resistance; if not, pressure-cook 10 minutes more with a 10-minute natural release.
Cook the cabbage in the juices
Skim excess fat from the cooker, leaving about 1 1/2 cups liquid. Select Sauté on Normal, add cabbage and pepper and cook 6 to 8 minutes, folding often, until tender but still pale and distinct. Add 1/2 cup water if the base becomes dry.
Shred and plate
Shred the rested pork, discarding large fat pockets, and toss it with 1/2 cup hot cooking liquid. Plate with white rice and the cabbage in distinct sections to match the photograph. Add optional scallions and pass hot sauce separately so the family platter stays mild.
Why this works
Why it worksFour equal pork chunks develop browned flavor yet cook far faster and more evenly than one whole shoulder.
Why it worksA measured 1 1/4 cups of thin broth on a fully scraped base supplies steam before the salty, smoky pork is returned, limiting burn-warning risk.
Why it worksCooking cabbage after pressure preserves its pale color and texture while letting it absorb the concentrated pork juices visible in the complete plate.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe four equal pork chunks, 1 1/4-cup thin-liquid base and staged release are calibrated for this capacity.See current options →
Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerTemperature plus easy fork-twisting confirms that pork shoulder is both safe and ready to shred.See current options →
Compare on AmazonFamily-size rice cookerIt cooks and holds the separate medium-grain rice while pork pressure-cooks and cabbage finishes in the juices.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use bone-in pork shoulder if preferred, increasing the raw weight to about 4 1/2 pounds and checking each section away from bone for tenderness.
- Applewood liquid smoke can replace hickory; do not add extra before tasting because brands differ greatly in intensity.
- Brown rice can replace white rice, but cook it separately according to its package so the pork's pressure liquid remains unchanged.
Cook notes
- Total time includes two browning batches, about 15 minutes to pressurize, the 60-minute cycle, a 20-minute natural release, shredding and cabbage cooking.
- Written for a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Follow the exact minimum-liquid, maximum-fill and venting rules in your model manual and never force the lid.
- Pork is safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest, but shoulder needs additional collagen conversion to shred; both temperature and easy fork-twisting matter here.
- Liquid smoke supplies an indoor smoky note but does not duplicate an underground imu; the title accurately identifies this as a pressure-cooker Hawaiian-style adaptation.
- Salt brands vary by crystal size. Start with the listed amount and adjust only after the pork has been mixed with its cooking juices.
Storage
Cool pork, cabbage and rice in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat pork with a splash of cooking liquid, cabbage and rice separately to 165°F. Freeze the pork with some juices for up to 3 months; cabbage and rice are best refreshed separately.
Questions
Can I put the cabbage in for the full pressure cycle?
No. It would collapse into the pork and lose the distinct pale ribbons shown in the finished plate. Cooking it in the broth after pressure takes only a few minutes and gives better control.
Why is my pork cooked but not shreddable?
Safety temperature and tenderness are different targets. Shoulder can exceed 145°F before its collagen softens. Lock the lid again for 10 minutes at High Pressure, use a 10-minute natural release and retest.
Can I omit liquid smoke?
Yes. The pork will still be tender and savory, though less smoky. Do not replace it with thick barbecue sauce under pressure; sauce changes the dish and can scorch on the base.
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Instant Pot Hawaiian-Style Kālua Pork with Cabbage & Rice
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1. Season the porkPat the pork dry. Rub all surfaces with the sea salt and liquid smoke, then let stand 10 minutes while the cooker heats. Cutting four similar chunks keeps the pressure timing predictable.
2. Brown in two batchesSelect Sauté on High on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker and add the oil. Brown two pork pieces for 3 to 4 minutes per broad side; transfer to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining pieces. Cancel Sauté.
3. Deglaze completelyPour in the broth and scrape the base until no browned residue remains. Return the pork and any juices in a loose layer. The thin liquid must remain underneath the meat, and the contents must stay below the model's maximum-fill line.
4. Pressure-cook and releaseLock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes; allow about 15 minutes to reach pressure. Let pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then vent the remainder in short controlled pulses with hands and face away from steam. Open only after the float valve drops.
5. Verify tenderness and safetyMove the pork to a clean rimmed pan. Check the thickest part of every chunk with an instant-read thermometer; each must reach at least 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest. For pull-apart texture, a fork should twist with almost no resistance; if not, pressure-cook 10 minutes more with a 10-minute natural release.
6. Cook the cabbage in the juicesSkim excess fat from the cooker, leaving about 1 1/2 cups liquid. Select Sauté on Normal, add cabbage and pepper and cook 6 to 8 minutes, folding often, until tender but still pale and distinct. Add 1/2 cup water if the base becomes dry.
7. Shred and plateShred the rested pork, discarding large fat pockets, and toss it with 1/2 cup hot cooking liquid. Plate with white rice and the cabbage in distinct sections to match the photograph. Add optional scallions and pass hot sauce separately so the family platter stays mild.