If there's one TV chef who makes comfort food feel effortless, it's Ree Drummond — better known as The Pioneer Woman. Based on her ranch in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, Ree has built a loyal following around hearty, unfussy home cooking. And when she finally embraced the Instant Pot? She never looked back.
Meet the Recipe: Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork with Cheese Grits
In this fan-favorite Food Network video (over 100,000 views), Ree walks you through a complete pulled pork dinner — tender, fall-apart pork shoulder finished with smoky barbecue sauce, served over creamy cheesy grits with crispy roasted Brussels sprouts. It feels like it took all day, but the Instant Pot gets it done in under an hour of actual cooking time.
What makes this recipe shine is Ree's two-step technique: she first uses the sauté mode to brown the pork in batches — building deep, caramelized flavor right in the pot. Then the lid locks on, and 40 minutes of pressure cooking transforms tough pork shoulder into melt-in-your-mouth shreds.
5 Things We Love About Ree's Approach
- Brown first, always. Searing in batches before pressure cooking is the secret to rich, layered flavor. Don't skip it.
- Natural release matters. Letting pressure drop naturally for 15 minutes keeps the meat juicy and tender.
- Sauce it your way. Ree uses a quality bottled barbecue sauce warmed separately — simple, delicious, fully customizable.
- Grits as the base. Pepper jack and cheddar cheese grits instead of buns. Unexpected, brilliant, and incredibly satisfying.
- Brussels sprouts as the hero. Roasted at 375°F until caramelized — a gorgeous crispy contrast that rounds out the plate.
Watch Ree Make It — Full Video
Cook along with Ree in her own kitchen as she walks you through every step:
Upgrade Your Instant Pot Game
One of our favorite tips for recipes like this is using Artisan Cookware Co's Stackable Insert Pans inside your Instant Pot. Stack vegetables or grains in the inserts above the pork and everything cooks together in one pot — zero extra cleanup. A small upgrade that makes a big difference on busy weeknights.
Give Ree's pulled pork a try this weekend. Happy cooking! 🍖
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