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Taiwanese-style lu rou fan with glossy minced braised pork spooned generously over a bowl of white rice

Photo: Jzest / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5

Instant Pot Family Dinners

Instant Pot Taiwanese-Style Lu Rou Fan with Braised Pork & Rice

Finely diced pork turns glossy and spoon-tender in a five-spice soy gravy, then lands over white rice for a mild, deeply savory family bowl.

Developed for DishGal · Updated 2026-09-29

Instant Pot Family DinnersEasy Pork Recipes
Prep25 min
Cook55 min
Total80 min
Cost$3.95

Directions

  1. Prepare the pork

    Pat the diced pork shoulder and belly dry and season with the salt. Keeping the pieces close to 1/4 inch gives the spoonable, minced-looking texture shown in the finished bowl without losing all definition under pressure.

  2. Brown in small batches

    Select Sauté on High on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker and heat the oil. Brown the pork in three uncrowded batches for 3 to 4 minutes each, transferring browned pieces to a clean plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat.

  3. Cook the aromatics

    Lower Sauté to Normal. Cook the shallots for 5 minutes until golden at the edges. Add garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds. Cancel Sauté before any garlic darkens.

  4. Deglaze and layer

    Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the base until completely smooth. Return the pork and its juices, then add soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, rice vinegar, five-spice, white pepper and mushrooms. Stir once so the sugar dissolves into the thin liquid; confirm the contents remain below the maximum-fill line.

  5. Pressure-cook and release

    Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 18 minutes; allow about 15 minutes for the cooker to reach pressure. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent the remainder in short controlled pulses with hands and face away from steam. Open only after the float valve drops.

  6. Verify and reduce

    Check several pork pieces with an instant-read thermometer; each must reach at least 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest, and the shoulder should yield easily when pressed. Select Sauté on Low and simmer uncovered for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid forms a glossy gravy that clings to the pork.

  7. Build the rice bowls

    Divide hot rice among bowls and spoon the pork and gravy generously over the top to match the photographed presentation. Add optional bok choy and scallions. Keep the communal pot mild and pass chile crisp at the table.

Why this works

Why it worksA full 1 1/2 cups of broth reaches a completely deglazed base before the salty-sweet seasonings go in, supplying reliable steam and reducing burn-warning risk.
Why it worksTiny shoulder and belly pieces combine lean meat with enough collagen and fat to produce a plush braise in a much shorter time than a stovetop version.
Why it worksPressure builds tenderness; an uncovered Low Sauté finish supplies the characteristic concentrated, glossy sauce without putting a thick mixture under pressure.

Useful kitchen gear

Tools that make this easier.

Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.

Paid links: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You pay no additional cost.
Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe 1 1/2-cup thin-broth base, 18-minute cycle and staged release are calibrated for this family-size capacity.See current options → Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerCheck pork from different parts of the pot for 145°F followed by the specified three-minute rest.See current options → Compare on AmazonFamily-size rice cookerIt cooks and holds the separate short-grain rice while the pork browns, pressure-cooks and reduces.See current options →

Swaps & notes

Easy swaps

  • Use 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder and omit the belly for a leaner bowl; add one extra tablespoon neutral oil when browning.
  • Dry sherry can replace Shaoxing wine, or use 2 additional tablespoons broth plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar for an alcohol-free version.
  • Jasmine rice can replace short-grain rice, but cook it separately according to its package so the pressure-braise liquid stays unchanged.

Cook notes

  • Total time includes three browning batches, about 15 minutes to pressurize, the 18-minute cycle, a 10-minute natural release, controlled venting and final reduction.
  • Written for a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Follow the minimum-liquid, maximum-fill and venting rules in your exact model manual; never force the lid.
  • Scrape away every browned bit before pressure cooking. If your cooker displays a burn warning, stop and follow the manufacturer's troubleshooting instructions rather than repeatedly restarting it.
  • Five-spice brands vary. One teaspoon gives a rounded family-friendly background; add more only after tasting the finished gravy.
  • Pork is safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest, but shoulder becomes most enjoyable when it is also tender enough to yield easily.

Storage

Cool pork and rice in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Refrigerate for up to 4 days and reheat the pork with a splash of broth, stirring, to 165°F; reheat rice to 165°F with a spoonful of water. Freeze the pork mixture for up to 3 months, but prepare fresh rice for serving.

Questions

Can I use ground pork instead?

Yes, but use 1 1/2 pounds and brown it in large crumbles so it does not disappear into the sauce. Reduce the pressure cycle to 8 minutes, keep the 10-minute natural release and verify 160°F for ground pork.

Why reduce the sauce after pressure?

A thick, sugary gravy is more likely to scorch before the cooker seals. Thin liquid is safer during pressure cooking; the open-lid simmer concentrates it afterward while you can stir continuously.

Can the rice cook in the same pot?

Not in this formula. Rice would absorb the braising liquid and change the steam balance, while its ideal cook time differs from pork shoulder. Cook it separately for distinct, fluffy grains.

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Instant Pot Taiwanese-Style Lu Rou Fan with Braised Pork & Rice
Screen stays awake when supported.
1. Prepare the porkPat the diced pork shoulder and belly dry and season with the salt. Keeping the pieces close to 1/4 inch gives the spoonable, minced-looking texture shown in the finished bowl without losing all definition under pressure.
2. Brown in small batchesSelect Sauté on High on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker and heat the oil. Brown the pork in three uncrowded batches for 3 to 4 minutes each, transferring browned pieces to a clean plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat.
3. Cook the aromaticsLower Sauté to Normal. Cook the shallots for 5 minutes until golden at the edges. Add garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds. Cancel Sauté before any garlic darkens.
4. Deglaze and layerPour in the chicken broth and scrape the base until completely smooth. Return the pork and its juices, then add soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, rice vinegar, five-spice, white pepper and mushrooms. Stir once so the sugar dissolves into the thin liquid; confirm the contents remain below the maximum-fill line.
5. Pressure-cook and releaseLock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 18 minutes; allow about 15 minutes for the cooker to reach pressure. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent the remainder in short controlled pulses with hands and face away from steam. Open only after the float valve drops.
6. Verify and reduceCheck several pork pieces with an instant-read thermometer; each must reach at least 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest, and the shoulder should yield easily when pressed. Select Sauté on Low and simmer uncovered for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid forms a glossy gravy that clings to the pork.
7. Build the rice bowlsDivide hot rice among bowls and spoon the pork and gravy generously over the top to match the photographed presentation. Add optional bok choy and scallions. Keep the communal pot mild and pass chile crisp at the table.