Instant Pot Smoky Mountain Soup–a soup with shredded pork and vegetables in a sweet and savory broth.
Both the slow cooker and Instant Pot instructions are listed in the recipe card below.
Instant Pot Smoky Mountain Soup
This is my take on Brunswick stew which is packed with protein and veggies. This stick-to-your bones stew is ideal for the colder months (like right now!). Greg looooved this soup so very much and ate maybe thirds. Even if you don’t think you like lima beans (I’m raising my hand) I think you’ll appreciate them in this soup.
The Instant Pot (or Crockpot) are the perfect tool to cook the pork and get it perfectly tender. It’s practically impossible to overcook pork butt in the pressure cooker or slow cooker. I love buying something called “pork carnitas meat” at Winco. I’m pretty sure it’s the blade cut of pork but it comes in a big package and is inexpensive. There is much less visible fat on it and I love throwing these pieces of pork (they are about the size of a large, thick pork chop) into my Instant Pot and cooking until tender. I even throw them in frozen and they turn out perfect every time.
Make sure to use a barbecue sauce that you like because this the soup is very much flavored by it. I found my bowl of soup just a little sweet for my liking (I’m not a fan of sweet pork, but I know that I’m in the minority). So you may want to go easy on the barbecue sauce and add more to taste in each bowl.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Pork carnitas meat or pork butt roast–trimmed of excess fat. Pork carnitas meat is found at Winco and it is inexpensive. It gets so tender in the Instant Pot and Crockpot.
- Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon
- Smoked paprika
- Minced dried onions–or 1 cup chopped fresh onions
- Green pepper–or another color of bell pepper you like
- Canned diced tomatoes–or stewed or crushed tomatoes
- Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce-I used Tabasco
- Canned corn–or a cup of frozen corn
- Frozen lima beans
- BBQ sauce–I used Sweet Baby Ray’s. If you’re looking to cut carbs then use a low sugar bbq sauce.
- Salt and pepper to taste
The Basic Steps
- Pressure cook the pork until tender in broth and shred it.
- Add the rest of the ingredients into the broth and pressure cook for a very short amount of time.
- Stir the pork back into the soup.
- Salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Notes/Tips
- Serve with garlic bread or cornbread and honey butter.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot or halve the recipe in a 3 quart pot.
- This recipe can be gluten free if you use gluten free chicken broth and worcestershire sauce. This recipe is dairy free.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with BBQ sauce are Instant Pot Dr. Pepper Chicken and Sweet Baby Ray’s Chicken.
Try these other similar recipes…
Instant Pot Brunswick Stew
Tomato based stew with smoky pork, lima beans, corn and potatoes. Serve with a side of cornbread for a perfect dinner.
Instant Pot Alabama Camp Stew
Shredded pork and chicken in a tomato bbq sauce with potato chunks, lima beans and corn. Super tasty and made easy with your Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Kentucky Burgoo
A big pot of meat and vegetables that tastes oh so good and feeds a crowd!
Instant Pot 10 Vegetable Soup
A flavorful and colorful vegetable soup that is anything but boring! Get more veggies in your diet with this healthy and tasty soup.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.Print
Instant Pot Smoky Mountain Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
A soup with shredded pork and vegetables in a sweet and savory broth.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork carnitas meat or pork butt roast, trimmed of excess fat
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 Tbsp minced dried onions
- 1 green pepper, cored and chopped
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp hot sauce
- 1 (15.25 oz) can corn, drained
- 1 (12 oz) package frozen lima beans
- 3/4 cup BBQ sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add pork and broth into Instant Pot.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 45 minutes for pork carnitas meat or 60 minutes for pork butt. When time is up let pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes and then remove lid.
- Use tongs to place meat on a chopping board.
- Add the remaining ingredients into the Instant Pot (don’t stir the BBQ sauce in, just dump it on top). Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes.
- While soup is cooking chop or shred the meat.
- When pressure cooking time is up move valve to venting and remove the lid. Stir the meat into the pot. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Add pork and broth into slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Use tongs to place meat on a chopping board.
- Add the remaining ingredients into the slow cooker and turn to high setting.
- While soup is cooking chop or shred the meat.
- Add the meat into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
How will the cooking change if I add potatoes to this? Would I add them with the vegetables?
I would cube them and add them first in step 3.
I’m using the slow cooker recipe for this soup. After cooking the meat on low for 8 hrs, then adding the remaining ingredients, cooking in high for another two hours won’t leave meat over cooked?
Thank you
It’s hard to overcook pork butt! It’ll be great!
I’m not a fan of Lima beans..ok to leave them out or substitute black beans?
Yes either way will be great!
Hi Karen,
Can I use something else besides the lima beans ? I do not like them or pea’s
Thanks
butter beans?
Hi Karen,
I’d like to make this soup with my home canned pork.
I guess I would mix it all together and cook in IP for about 5 minutes?
Yes I would cook for 5 minutes but I wouldn’t mix it all together or you will risk getting the burn message. Just dump the ingredients in without stirring.