Prepare a flavorful paleo-friendly dish with ease when following this Instant Pot Pulled Pork Mole recipe. The meal consists of pork shoulder covered in a tasty sauce made with chili powder and other fresh ingredients.
It’s only in the past 5 years that I was introduced to wonderful dish that is mole. I had it at a Mexican restaurant with a friend in San Francisco and I fell in love immediately. The flavor is just so amazing and it’s delicious on meats, rice, and more. So I’ve been trying to perfect a homemade paleo mole sauce for years, and I’m so excited to be finally be able to share it with you!
What Is Pulled Pork Mole?
Pulled pork mole is a recipe consisting of shredded pork in a flavorful, unique mole sauce. This paleo mole sauce contains a ton of spices like chili powder, chipotle powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and more. The final result is just so moist and wonderful, and it’s not spicy either.
Using the Instant Pot allow you to prepare this meal in less time for your family. If you want to make a quick meal consisting of pork shoulder, this is a fantastic and delicious recipe to try.
What Type of Pork Do I Need to Use?
When preparing the Instant Pot pulled pork mole, you will need a boneless pork shoulder. Be sure to cut this boneless meat into four even pieces before you begin seasoning it and cooking it in your Instant Pot. This allows the pork to cook faster, rather than if you cook it whole.
Do I Have to Use Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil is a good high heat cooking oil to use in this Instant Pot mole recipe. However, if you do not have it at home, you can use avocado oil, ghee, or olive oil as replacements for it.
Can I Use a White Onion Instead of a Red Onion?
It is fine to use white onion instead of red onion, but you will need to keep the flavor differences in mind. The red onion tends to have a stronger taste, contributing more flavor to this recipe. However, yellow onions or Spanish onions are great alternatives that you can use in a pinch when you do not have the red onion.
Is There a Bone Broth Alternative?
If you do not have bone broth for this Whole30 pulled pork mole, feel free to use chicken broth as an alternative ingredient. You can use regular chicken broth or low-sodium chicken broth to reduce the sodium levels in this dish.
Can I Leave the Raisins Out?
The raisins are a great touch to the Instant Pot pulled pork mole because they offer that slightly sweet taste to balance out the spice. While they go great with the pork, you can leave them out if you do not like them. However, the dish doesn’t taste like raisins, and I highly recommend you don’t omit them for a more authentic flavor.
How Do I Shred the Instant Pot Pulled Pork Mole?
You can use two forks to shred the Pulled Pork Mole into pieces. If you would like to take a much faster, effortless approach to shredding the meat, consider adding it to a large bowl and using a hand or stand mixer to shred it into pieces within a few seconds.
How Do I Get It a Bit Crispy?
If you want to make your meat a bit crispier, you can put it in the oven and set it to broil for a maximum of five minutes after it’s cooked in the Instant Pot. You would need to spread the shredded meat out on a baking pan before placing it in the oven and setting it to broil.
How Do I Store the Instant Pot Pulled Pork Mole?
Put any Instant Pot Mole leftovers into a large food storage container and place it in the refrigerator. You can keep the meat refrigerated for up to 5-7 days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop when you are planning to use it. Leftovers can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
What Can I Make with the Pork Mole?
Once you have prepared this delicious Whole30 pulled pork in mole sauce, there are so many possibilities to repurpose it. You can:
- take the shredded pieces of meat and make a sandwich on bread.
- add it to tortillas to make tacos, and even spread it over crispy nachos with cheese and other toppings.
- make a burrito bowl using pulled pork mole as the main protein.
- serve it on a plate with side dishes, the meat will taste great with a side of rice, vegetables, and even roasted potatoes.
If you were looking for a versatile meal to make, this recipe is perfect because you can prepare plenty of meals using the Whole30 pulled pork!
If you enjoyed this paleo and Whole30 pulled pork mole, you might also like…
- Salsa Verde Paleo Pulled Pork Casserole (Whole30, Low Carb)
- Instant Pot Whole30 Pulled Pork with Dry Rub (Paleo, Low Carb, Keto)
- Whole30 Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork (Paleo, Low Carb)
- 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken
- 4-Ingredient Multi-Purpose Instant Pot Shredded Beef (Paleo, Whole30, Keto, AIP)
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Mole (Paleo, Whole30)
Ingredients
- 4 lb boneless pork shoulder cut into 4 pieces
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Mole Sauce
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 small red onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups bone broth or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1 tbsp chipotle powder
- 1 tbsp ancho chili powder or regular chili powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to SAUTÉ, then add coconut oil to the liner. Season the pork with cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Add the pork and sear for 2 minutes per side. Turn off the Instant Pot and leave the pork in the liner.
- To make the mole sauce, heat coconut oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, and sauté for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
- Add bone broth, tomato paste, almond butter, chipotle powder, chili powder, cinnamon, oregano, and raisins, and stir until combined.
- Let the mixture come a to boil, then lower the heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in cocoa powder.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce together, or transfer to a regular blender to blend.
- Pour the sauce over the pork in the Instant Pot. Cook for 60 minutes on MANUAL, then quick release pressure.
- Remove the pork and shred with two forks. Add the pork back into the pot to combine with the sauce.
- OPTIONAL: Add the pork mole to a baking sheet and broil for 4-5 minutes to make it crispy.
- Serve alone, in tacos, burrito bowls, nachos, and more!
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Hi Jean! We’ve been loving your site, and also purchased your book! I just finished making this recipe and commissioned my son out to the grocery store as we didn’t have any cumin, but as I’m cleaning up, I just realized that I never used the cumin, as although it’s in the ingredients list, I don’t see it in the directions! When and how do I use the cumin?
Thanks!
Your loyal and very appreciative fan!
I’m so sorry! You season the pork with it before searing it. I just updated the instructions. SO appreciate you purchasing my cookbook. Thank you so much!!