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Juicy Crispy Instant Pot Carnitas

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This Instant Pot Carnitas recipe is a guaranteed pleaser. Made in less than an hour, this juicy pork is flavorful, easy to make and great for using all week for meal prep .
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A plate of crispy, browned Instant Pot Carnitas topped with cilantro and lime wedges, surrounded by small bowls of lime slices, pickled onions, and fresh cilantro on a light surface.

These crispy pork carnitas are made in the instant pot with pork shoulder, fresh juices and a few simple seasonings for a flavorful meat that’s ready in about 45 minutes.

Pork is rich and fatty and when cooked in the instant pot it soaks up all that wonderful flavor, giving you authentic carnitas in half the time. The juice from the instant pot is used to fry your corn tortillas over the stove and you’ll be obsessed with how delicious and crispy it gets your taco shell.

Serve these buffet style and watch them disappear. I like to put out everyone’s favorite toppings and sides: pico de Gallo, avocado crema, red onion, lime wedges, Mexican rice, and warm tortillas and let people go to town.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Classic carnitas in half the time of a slow cooker.
  • Delicious meal to serve to bbq’s and potlucks.

Ingredients and Substitutes:

These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions for instant pot carnitas. 

A flat lay of Instant Pot Carnitas ingredients, featuring raw pork shoulder, orange juice, lime, chicken broth, garlic, onion, and small bowls of oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, salt and pepper, and cumin.
  • Boneless Pork Shoulder: pork shoulder is an inexpensive cut of pork with lots of fat marbling, making it flavorful and perfect for carnitas. Available in both boneless and bone-in options, you want boneless because it’s easier to cut. If you can only find bone in you can cut around the bone. You can substitute the shoulder for pork butt.
  • Fresh Orange Juice
  • Fresh Lime Juice 
  • Chicken Broth: vegetable broth, beef broth or even water.
  • White Onion: yellow works great too
  • Spices: we’re using smoked paprika, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper

Variations

Dietary Modifications

  • To make dairy-free, use non-dairy yogurt alternative for the chipotle sauce and omit the cheddar cheese.
  • The meat for this instant pot carnitas recipe is gluten-free. If using tortillas, use a gluten-free tortilla.

How to make instant pot carnitas

Step 1: add spices & meat

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside (image 1).

Place the chopped onion and minced garlic in the bottom of your Instant Pot (image 2). Next, add the pork shoulder pieces on top of the onion mixture (image 3), and sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the pork. Then, pour the orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth over the pork (image 4). Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, and set the pressure release valve to the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” mode, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.

A four-step collage: 1) A bowl of spice mix with a wooden spoon. 2) Chopped onions and minced garlic in a pot. 3) Raw pork pieces in the pot. 4) Pork pieces coated with spice mix, ready for Instant Pot Carnitas.

Step 2: shred and crisp the pork

After the cooking time is up on the carnitas, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to the “venting” position to release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pork to a baking sheet (image 5). Shred the pork using two forks.

Turn the oven on broil and place the shredded instant pot carnitas on the sheet pan in the oven for 5-7 minutes until crispy (image 6). Be careful not to burn. Alternatively, you can do this in batches in a hot pan with some cooking spray but I find the sheet pan to be easier.

Side-by-side images show chunks of cooked, juicy pork for Instant Pot Carnitas on the left (labeled 5), and the same pork shredded and spread out on a baking sheet, crispy and browned, on the right (labeled 6).

Expert Tip!

Meal prep this on a Sunday night without crisping and then just crisp up servings in the oven when you’re ready to enjoy throughout the week.

A plate of crispy, shredded Instant Pot Carnitas garnished with cilantro and lime wedges, with a bowl of lime slices and a dish of pickled red onions in the background.

Recipe FAQs

How to serve these instant pot pork carnitas?

Make burrito bowls, tacos, salads or just snack on the meat throughout the day. The tacos are superb but wrapped in a large tortilla with the chipotle sauce and pan seared is pretty darn delicious as well.ย 

How to store leftover carnitas?

When storing your leftover instant pot carnitas I suggest adding some of the liquid from the instant pot. You can add it all or just a couple cups of the broth. This will keep the meat from drying out in the fridge. You can also use the liquid for making the soaked tortillas throughout the week or add the meat to a sandwich and use the liquid as a au jus sauce like a French dip sandwich.

Can I use a slow cooker instead of the instant pot?

Yes!
1. Combine the chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.ย 
2. Place chopped onion, minced garlic, and chopped jalapeรฑo in the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Add the pork shoulder pieces evenly on top. Pour the orange juice, lime juice, and chicken or veggie broth over the pork.
4. Cover with the lid and set on high 4-6 hours or low 8-10 hours.
5. Once cooked, transfer to a plate and shred with two forks.ย 
6. To make it crispy: heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the shredded pork in batches to the hot skillet for 3-4 minutes per side or until crispy and golden brown. If desired, add some cooking liquid from the slow cooker with the crispy pork to keep it moist, but be careful not to add too much or else it can get soggy.ย 

Check out some of our other instant pot meals!

A plate of crispy, browned Instant Pot Carnitas topped with cilantro and lime wedges, surrounded by small bowls of lime slices, pickled onions, and fresh cilantro on a light surface.

Instant Pot Carnitas

Danielle Lima
This Instant Pot Carnitas recipe is a guaranteed pleaser. Made in less than an hour, this juicy pork is flavorful, easy to make and great for using all week for meal prep .
5 from 12 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 18 servings
Calories 177 kcal

๐Ÿ“ฑ MyFitnessPal & MacrosFirst App Users

You can find this recipe and many others on MyFitnessPal and MacrosFirst by searching: Ohsnapmacros – Instant Pot Carnitas

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients
  

Instant Pot Carnitas

  • 3.5 lbs. boneless pork shoulder cut into 2 inch chunks
  • 1 medium white onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice 2-3 oranges
  • 2 limes juiced
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth any broth works or water
  • 2 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. ground oregano
  • 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions
 

Instant Pot Carnitas

  • In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.
  • Place the chopped onion and minced garlic in the bottom of your Instant Pot. Next, add the pork shoulder pieces on top of the onion mixture, and sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the pork. Then, pour the orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth over the pork.
  • Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, and set the pressure release valve to the โ€œsealingโ€ position. Set the Instant Pot to โ€œManualโ€ or โ€œPressure Cookโ€ mode, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
  • After the cooking time is up on the carnitas, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to the โ€œventingโ€ position to release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pork to a baking sheet. Shred the pork using two forks.
  • Turn the oven on broil and place the shredded pork on the sheet pan in the oven for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Be careful not to burn. Alternatively, you can do this in batches in a hot pan with some cooking spray but I find the sheet pan to be easier. This meat is amazing in tacos, burritos, salads and burrito bowls.

Notes

  • All nutrition facts are an estimate and will change with any substitutions.ย 
  • When storing your leftover instant pot carnitas I suggest adding some of the liquid from the instant pot. You can add it all or just a couple cups of the broth. This will keep the meat from drying out in the fridge. You can also use the liquid for making the soaked tortillas throughout the week or even adding the meat to a sandwich and using the liquid as a au jus sauce like a French dip sandwich.
  • Meat makes 18, 2 oz. cooked servings.

Nutrition

Serving: 2oz.Calories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 16gFat: 13gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 92mgPotassium: 26mgSugar: 1g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
5 from 12 votes

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