Pork Chili
Published 8/24/2022 • Updated 9/28/2023
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It doesn’t get much easier than this pork chili recipe! Use the Instant Pot to make this thick and flavorful pulled pork chili featuring a variety of beans, taco seasoning, and a jar of salsa.
We’re big chili fans here at Fit Foodie and we love coming up with fun and flavorful chili variations. From our favorite classic chili recipe to vegetarian chili, slow cooker chili to chili mac, we’ve got a chili for everyone!
This recipe for pork chili is made in the Instant Pot and yields an intensely spiced and tender pulled pork chili – in an hour! The pork truly melts in your mouth, making this a can’t miss recipe this season.
And, if you’ve never made pork in the Instant Pot, give it a try today!
Featured Comment
“Super flavorful! I used kidney beans instead of pinto beans. Green chiles were a great kick of flavor.” – Shannon
What is in pork chili?
You only need 5 main ingredients for this finger-licking-good pulled pork chili:
- Pork: The star of this pork chili is a 2.5-3 pound boneless pork shoulder butt roast.
- Taco Seasoning: This is the perfect blend of spices that pairs wonderfully with the other flavors. Use our homemade taco seasoning or pick up a pre-mixed seasoning packet.
- Tomatoes: This pork chili is a red chili, so crushed tomatoes are the base of the sauce.
- Beans: It’s not chili without beans! You’ll need 3 cans of your favorite kind. We used 2 cans of pinto beans and 1 can of black beans.
- Black Bean Corn Salsa: A jar of salsa is the secret flavor-blasted ingredient in this recipe. It adds a welcome kick and heart ingredients like corn, more black beans, and jalapeños.
Pulled Pork Chili Variations
As always, feel free to customize our recipes to your liking. Here are a few ideas for this pork chili recipe:
Sweet Corn: Sweet corn is a great balance for savory flavor. Use canned corn or slice it fresh using our grilled corn on the cob recipe.
Diced Green Chiles: Green chiles add incredible depth of flavor without adding a ton of spice.
Pork: We used a 2.5-3 pound pork shoulder butt roast for this chili. Feel free to use pork butt or pork shoulder – both work great! If you use a larger piece of pork, start with 45 minutes on high pressure and then add time from there in 5-10 minute increments. The goal is for the pork to be easily shredded.
FAQ
Technically you do not need to brown the pork before pressure cooking. However, we always recommend browning it for 2 reasons:
1) Browning the pork gives amazing texture and infuses the meat with flavor.
2) By using the sauté feature, you’re actually preheating the Instant Pot which speeds up the pressure building time.
After step 5, the pork should be tender and easy to shred. If it’s not, no fear! Simply place the lid back on and pressure cook it on high for 5-10 more minutes.
Storage
We love leftover pork chili and often find it tastes even better on day 2. Let it cool completely, store in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Chili thickens as it cools, so you may need to add a splash of water to thin it out a bit once it’s reheated.
Freezer Instructions
Chili is such a great freezer meal. Freeze in individual portions for a quick dinner your future self will appreciate! Once the chili is completely cool transfer it to freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Here are all of our tips about how to freeze soup (and chili, too).
Serving Suggestions
It’s not chili without the toppings! Here are a few of our favorite toppings for pulled pork chili:
- Greek yogurt/sour cream
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
- Green onions
- Tortilla chips
Pork Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5-3 lb. pork shoulder butt roast, pork butt or pork shoulder work, too
- 1/4 cup homemade taco seasoning, or 1 taco seasoning packet
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup water*
- 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
- 30 oz. pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed
- 16 oz. black bean corn salsa, jarred
- optional add-ins: 1 cup sweet corn and 4 oz. diced green chiles
- optional toppings: Greek yogurt/sour cream, fresh cilantro, and shredded cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the pork by cutting it into 4 equal chunks. Season the meat on all sides with about 1/8 cup of taco seasoning. Set aside the remaining seasoning to use later.
- Turn on the Instant Pot sauté feature and add the olive oil. When the olive oil is fragrant, sear the pork shoulder chunks for about 3 minutes on each side.
- Once the meat has browned, turn off the sauté feature, remove the meat from the pot, and set it aside. Add 1/4 cup of water to deglaze the Instant Pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom. Add the crushed tomatoes and remaining taco seasoning to the pot. Mix well. Place the trivet inside the Instant Pot and place the seared meat on top of the trivet.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to seal. Turn the Instant Pot to manual > high > and set the timer to 45 minutes. It will take about 10-15 minutes to build enough pressure to start counting down from 45.
- Once the timer goes off, quick release the Instant Pot and open the top. Remove the 4 chunks of pork and place them on a large plate or cutting board. Carefully use 2 forks to shred the pork. Discard any fatty pieces and mix the shredded pork back into the Instant Pot.
- Add in all of the beans, salsa, and any other add-ins. Mix well.
- Serve with Greek yogurt, fresh cilantro, and shredded cheese.
Tips & Notes
- Storage: Let the chili cool completely, store in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Chili thickens as it cools, so you may need to add a splash of water to thin it out a bit once it’s reheated.
- Freezing Instructions: Once the chili is completely cool transfer it to freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Water: This is not shown in the video.
- Pork: After step 5, the pork should be tender and easy to shred. If it’s not, simply place the lid back on and pressure cook it on high for 5-10 more minutes.
- Burn Notice: If you get a burn notice, simply open the Instant Pot, add another 1/4 cup of water and use your wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot. You likely have something stuck to the bottom!
- Nutrition Information: Includes sweet corn and green chiles.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Super flavorful! I used kidney beans instead of pinto beans. Green chilies were a great kick of flavor. For those that like a “soupier” chili, I’d recommend adding a 2nd can of fire roasted tomatoes at the end. Thanks for the recipe FFF! Perfect meal prep lunch after skiing 😎⛷
This was delicious! So thankful for your recipes 😊
So glad you loved this Pork Chili!!