No products in the cart.
How will I serve carnitas tonight? Let me count the ways. As tacos. In a salad. Love them in lettuce wraps. Maybe a burrito. As the perfect quesadilla filling. Simple and easy over rice?
Carnitas offer so much versatility as a meal option that only your imagination will limit what you serve on your plate.
And you'll have fun creating them with this easy instant pot carnitas recipe.
Carnitas are a delicious Mexican pulled pork recipe. The perfectly seasoned meat is crispy and "just pull apart" tender.
When you make this simple instant pot carnitas recipe tonight, it will quickly join the short list of your family's must-have meals.
More...
Could This Be the Best Pork Carnitas Recipe?
One of the great things about this instant pot carnitas recipe is the flexibility it gives you.
The instructions include optional steps you can skip to save time. For example, the recipe includes an aromatic blend of onion, jalapeno, and garlic. If you're short on time, you don't need to sauté the blend before cooking the pork. However, if you do take this step, you'll find it releases and intensifies the flavor.
Another option: Again, if time is a factor, you can shred the pork as soon as it's done. But, if you want those crispy edges found in traditional carnitas recipes, you'll want to go the extra step of tossing the pork with some cooking liquid and broiling it under high heat. The choices are yours.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes + 20 - 25 minutes for natural steam release
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- ¾ cup low-sodium or organic chicken broth
- ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 large oranges)
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 - 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided for later use
- 3½ - 4 lbs. pork shoulder roast, trimmed and cut into 6 - 8 chunks
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1 medium jalapeno, diced
- 2 - 3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
- Cilantro for garnish (optional)
Instructions for Perfect Instant Pot Carnitas
Note: Different instant pot models offer different features and buttons. The instructions that follow are for the Instant Pot-DUO series. Your instant pot may use different button names.
- 1In a medium bowl, whisk together chicken broth, fresh orange juice, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, Mexican oregano, and ground cumin. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and set aside.
- 2On the instant pot, press the "Sauté" button to turn it on.
- 3Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and half the pork shoulder pieces to the container. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook until the pork is browned on all sides, approximately 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
Caution!
DO NOT use the lid while using the “Sauté” function on an Instant Pot!
- 4Once browned, transfer the seared pork to a plate and repeat this process with additional olive oil and the rest of the pork. After it browns, remove it from the instant pot and set it aside.
- 5Optional: Add the remaining olive oil to the instant pot. Then, add the red onion, jalapeno, and fresh garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. (This step heightens the flavor!)
- 6Add the browned pork back into the pot. Then, pour the chicken broth/orange juice mixture over it. Add the lid and seal the instant pot, making sure the steam release handle is positioned toward “Sealing.”
- 7Press the “Manual” button and set the time to 30 minutes at high pressure. After 30 minutes, allow 20 to 25 minutes for the “natural release” of the steam built up inside the instant pot. Next, perform a manual “quick release” to release the lid. This will vent any remaining steam inside safely.
- 8A few minutes before releasing the steam, preheat the oven broiler to high. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Transfer the pork to the baking sheet.
- 9Gently shred it using two forks. Drizzle it with a ¼ cup of juices from the instant pot. Toss to combine before spreading it into a thin, even layer.
- 10Place the pork under the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and add a little more juice before turning the meat to brown the other side. Place it back under the broiler for another 4 to 5 minutes or until the pork is nice and crispy on the edges.
- 11Once the pork is under the broiler, press “Sauté” on the instant Pot to reduce the cooking liquid by one half while the pork is broiling.
- 12When finished broiling, remove the baking sheet from the oven.
- 13Serve immediately with the reduced cooking liquid, fresh lime wedges, and chopped cilantro.
Pair this easy instant pot carnitas recipes with your favorite bottle of wine. You won't believe how good something so simple can taste!
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to let us know how it turned out in the comments below.