Instant Pot Carnitas
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 .
Servings: 18 servings
Calories: 177kcal
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 “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” 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 “venting” 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.
- 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: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 26mg | Sugar: 1g
