Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Red Pork Chili is rich and earthy—a perfect, hearty meal for cold days.
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Red Pork Chili features meltingly tender pork shoulder, mixed beans and vegetables in a smoky, roasted sauce brightened with beer, garlic and a touch of jalapeño heat.
How did busy families get dinner on the table before electric pressure cookers became common? This chili shows exactly why a pressure cooker is so useful. It’s straightforward to prepare, and after 25 minutes of high-pressure cooking the pork becomes fork-tender and the flavors develop as if the pot had simmered for hours.
Many electric multi-cookers perform well; choose a reliable model you trust. The Instant Pot and similar pressure cookers both deliver excellent results.
Everyone has a favorite chili style—some like beans, some don’t; some prefer beef, others chicken or pork. This recipe leans into large chunks of meat rather than ground meat for a hearty, rustic texture. Pork shoulder (also called pork butt) has good marbling and becomes tender and juicy under pressure. If you prefer beef, chuck roast can be substituted with comparable results.
Why this chili works
I favor a chunky, thick, meat-forward chili rather than a thin, brothy version. This recipe combines red and black beans, diced tomatoes, onion and generous cubes of pork for body and texture. A blend of chili powders provides depth and smokiness, while two minced jalapeños (seeds and ribs removed) give a mild, family-friendly heat. Bacon is cooked first and used to brown the pork in the rendered fat, then the pot is deglazed with beer for extra complexity—bacon and beer are subtle secret ingredients that add depth.
How to Make Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Red Pork Chili
Start by trimming excess fat from the roast and cutting the pork into 1/2″–3/4″ cubes. Dice the onion and finely mince the jalapeños and garlic. Set the pressure cooker to the sauté or brown setting to preheat.
Add olive oil and 1/4 pound sliced bacon and cook 2–3 minutes. Add half of the cubed pork and brown on all sides, about 4–5 minutes. Remove the browned pork and bacon to a bowl, leaving the drippings in the pot. Brown the second half of the pork the same way and add it to the bowl.
Add the diced onion, minced jalapeños (seeds and ribs removed), salt and garlic to the pot and cook 3–4 minutes until the onion softens and the garlic is fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and the spice blend and cook another minute to bloom the flavors.
Pour in the beer to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom—this step adds flavor and prevents sticking during pressure cooking. Return the browned pork and bacon to the pot, then add the rinsed beans and diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir to combine.
Lock the lid and set the pressure cooker to high for 25 minutes. When cooking completes, release the pressure using the valve according to your cooker’s instructions. Remove the lid, stir, and let the chili rest about 10 minutes; this helps it thicken and allows flavors to meld.
Serve with your favorite garnishes—shredded cheddar, sliced jalapeño, green onions, sour cream, oyster crackers or saltines all work well.
Can I cook this without a pressure cooker?
Yes. The pressure cooker shortens the cook time, but you can make this chili on the stovetop, finished in the oven, or in a slow cooker. Use a heavy Dutch oven to brown the meat and vegetables, then:
– For a slow cooker: after steps 1–8, transfer everything to the crock-pot and cook 8–10 hours on low or 4–5 hours on high until the pork is fork tender. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
– For stovetop: after steps 1–8 in a Dutch oven, cover and simmer gently for about 1.5 hours or until the pork is tender. Remove the lid and rest 10 minutes before serving.
– To finish in the oven: after steps 1–8 in a Dutch oven, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 1.5 hours. Remove lid and rest 10 minutes before serving.
Possible garnishes include sour cream, shredded cheddar, sliced jalapeño, green onion, cilantro or crackers—choose what you like.
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Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Red Pork Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 pound bacon sliced into 1/2″ strips
- 3 pounds pork shoulder roast or butt cubed to 1/2 – 3/4″ top fat cap removed from roast.
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1.5 cups diced onion
- 2 jalepenos finely minced seeds and interior ribs removed
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 cup beer
- 16 ounces black beans, rinsed and drained
- 31 ounces red beans, rinsed and drained
- 44 ounces diced tomatoes with juices
Instructions
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Trim the fat cap from the pork roast and cube to 1/2″ – 3/4″. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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Preheat pressure cooker to brown setting.
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Add olive oil and bacon and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add half of the cubed pork and cook until all sides are browned, about 4-5 minutes.
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Remove pork and bacon to a bowl while leaving drippings in the pot.
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Add the second half of the pork and cook until browned. Remove to bowl.
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Add onion, jalapeño, salt, and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until onions soften and garlic is fragrant.
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Add the tomato paste and the seasonings and cook for about one minute, stirring frequently.
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Add the beer to deglaze the pot, scraping any browned bits from the bottom.
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Add the pork and bacon back into the pot along with the beans and tomatoes. Stir to combine everything.
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Lock the lid and set the pressure cooker to high for 25 minutes. At the end, release the pressure and steam. Remove lid, stir, and let the chili rest about 10 minutes before serving.
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Garnish as desired with sour cream, green onion, shredded cheddar, jalapeño slices or crackers.
Notes
Follow directions for steps 1–8 using a Dutch oven for the browning and initial sautéing.
Slow Cooker: after steps 1–8, combine everything in the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer, then transfer to a crock-pot and cook 8–10 hours on low or 4–5 hours on high until pork is fork tender. Remove lid and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Stovetop: after steps 1–8 in a Dutch oven, cover and simmer gently for 1.5 hours or until pork is fork tender. Remove lid and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Oven: after steps 1–8 in a Dutch oven, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and bake at 350°F for about 1.5 hours. Remove lid and let rest 10 minutes before serving.