If dinner time is becoming a bit of a drag for your family, consider changing up dinner with some delicious Instant Pot Pork Carnitas! With just five ingredients and a few spices, dinner can start tasting like an all-star meal.
Whether you serve the carnitas as tacos or make something completely unique, dinner will feel fresh and new again thanks to this amazing recipe. When dinner is quick to prepare, full of flavor, and the whole family loves it - you've definitely got a family best on your hands. So get ready to please everyone with Instant Pot Pork Carnitas!
Making a delicious dinner doesn't get any easier than with this Instant Pot Pork Carnitas recipe!
Making a delicious dinner doesn't get any easier than with this Instant Pot Pork Carnitas recipe! Just toss in the ingredients and let it do the work for you, transforming ordinary pork into flavor-packed carnitas in no time. Whether you're looking to feed your family on a busy weeknight or impress guests at your next dinner party, this easy recipe is guaranteed to be a hit. Everyone can enjoy flavorful, Mexican-inspired Pork Carnitas made with minimal effort – it's easy enough to satisfy even the most novice cook without sacrificing quality. So go grab your Instant Pot and get ready to make a tasty dish that the whole family will love!
This was inspired by my other recipe on this site, and pairs well with this amazing sidedish recipe.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes + 20-25 minutes for natural steam release
Serves: 4
Important Note: Different Instant Pot models offer different features and buttons. (These instructions are for the IP-Duo series).
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Ingredients needed to make Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
- ¾ c. chicken broth, preferably organic
- ¾ c. fresh orange juice (approximately 2 large oranges)
- 3 T. lime juice
- 1 T. chili powder
- ½ t. smoked paprika
- 1 t. dried Mexican oregano
- 1 t. ground cumin
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 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
Instructions for making Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
- In a medium bowl, whisk together chicken broth, fresh orange juice, and lime juice with the chili powder, smoked paprika, Mexican oregano, and ground cumin. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and set aside.
- Push the “Sauté” button on Instant Pot. Once the display reads “On,” add 1 tablespoon olive oil and half the pork shoulder pieces to the container. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and cook until pork is browned on all sides, approximately 1-2 minutes per side.
Note: DO NOT use lid while using the “Sauté” function on an Instant Pot! - Once browned, transfer seared pork to a plate and repeat this process with additional olive oil and the rest of pork. Remove browned pork from the Instant Pot and set aside.
- *Optional Step: Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to the container, along with red onion, jalapeno, and fresh garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Add browned pork back to the pot and pour chicken broth/orange juice mixture over top. Add lid and seal, making sure the steam release handle is positioned toward “Sealing.”
- Press the “Manual” button and set the time to 30 minutes at high pressure. Once the cooking time is up, allow 20-25 minutes for the “natural release” of the steam inside the Instant Pot. After that time, perform a manual “quick release” to vent any remaining steam to release lid, if necessary.
- A few minutes before the steam is fully released, preheat oven broiler to high and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Transfer pork to the prepared baking sheet and gently shred with two forks. Drizzle with ¼ cup juices from the Instant Pot and toss to combine before spreading into a thin, even layer.
- Place pork under broiler for 4-5 minutes, then remove from oven and add a little more juice before turning the meat to brown the other side. Place back under broiler for another 4-5 minutes or until the pork is nice and crispy on the edges.
- Once 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.
When finished broiling, remove the baking sheet from oven and serve immediately with the reduced cooking liquid, fresh lime wedges, and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
Variations
If you’re looking to switch things up by adding variations to an easy Instant Pot Pork Carnitas recipe, then look no further! You can take this traditional dinner favorite and transform it into something new with just a few simple ingredients. Whether you add some unique seasoning with chili powder or onion powder, lift the flavors of your dish up with a healthy dose of herbs like oregano and rosemary, or just throw in some diced jalapeño for a spicy kick, this easy recipe is sure to become a fast family favorite. With so many variations at your hands, don’t be afraid to get creative and try out different combinations for this Instant Pot Pork Carnitas dish!
Equipment
Storage
Cooking family dinner doesn't have to be a hassle or a time-consuming activity. The Instant Pot Pork Carnitas recipe is one of the best solutions for easy storage, preparation and serving. This tasty recipe can spice up your meal rotation and is sure to become one of the family's favorites. Plus, once you're done prepping and cooking, you don't need to worry about storage as long leftovers can easily be stored in the fridge without having to worry about soil or contamination. You can store this delicious dish for up to three days in an airtight container and enjoy delicious pork carnitas with your family anytime.
Top tip
Start by preparing your ingredients the night before. This step is important in order for all of the flavors to really come together. Add a few teaspoons of taco seasoning to give it that extra punch.
The next day, simply add all of them to the Instant Pot, set it to high pressure or manual mode, and when it’s finished cooking,
top with your favorite condiments like cilantro or fresh pico de gallo. Pair those carntias with some freshly made guacamole for the perfect meal!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
Making a delicious dinner doesn't get any easier than with this Instant Pot Pork Carnitas recipe! Just toss in the ingredients and let it do the work for you, transforming ordinary pork into flavor-packed carnitas in no time.
Ingredients
¾ c. chicken broth, preferably organic
¾ c. fresh orange juice (approximately 2 large oranges)
3 T. lime juice
1 T. chili powder
½ t. smoked paprika
1 t. dried Mexican oregano
1 t. ground cumin
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
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
Instructions
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together chicken broth, fresh orange juice, and lime juice with the chili powder, smoked paprika, Mexican oregano, and ground cumin. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and set aside.
-
Push the “Sauté” button on Instant Pot. Once the display reads “On,” add 1 tablespoon olive oil and half the pork shoulder pieces to the container. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and cook until pork is browned on all sides, approximately 1-2 minutes per side.
Note: DO NOT use lid while using the “Sauté” function on an Instant Pot! -
Once browned, transfer seared pork to a plate and repeat this process with additional olive oil and the rest of pork. Remove browned pork from the Instant Pot and set aside.
-
*Optional Step: Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to the container, along with red onion, jalapeno, and fresh garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, approximately 3-4 minutes.
-
Add browned pork back to the pot and pour chicken broth/orange juice mixture over top. Add lid and seal, making sure the steam release handle is positioned toward “Sealing.”
-
Press the “Manual” button and set the time to 30 minutes at high pressure. Once the cooking time is up, allow 20-25 minutes for the “natural release” of the steam inside the Instant Pot. After that time, perform a manual “quick release” to vent any remaining steam to release lid, if necessary.
-
A few minutes before the steam is fully released, preheat oven broiler to high and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Transfer pork to the prepared baking sheet and gently shred with two forks. Drizzle with ¼ cup juices from the Instant Pot and toss to combine before spreading into a thin, even layer.
-
Place pork under broiler for 4-5 minutes, then remove from oven and add a little more juice before turning the meat to brown the other side. Place back under broiler for another 4-5 minutes or until the pork is nice and crispy on the edges.
-
Once pork is under the broiler, press “Sauté” on the Instant Pot to reduce the cooking liquid by one half while the pork is broiling.
When finished broiling, remove baking sheet from oven and serve immediately with the reduced cooking liquid, fresh lime wedges, and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
This highly versatile and fall-apart-tender pork recipe can be served in so many ways. For starters, this seasoned, tender pork is delicious in lettuce wraps, tacos, salads, or served over rice.
The instructions for this recipe include a couple of optional steps that can be omitted to save time. For example, the aromatic blend of onion, jalapeno, and garlic does not need to be sautéed before cooking the pork, but doing so deepens and releases more flavor. In addition, the pork can be shredded and served as soon as it is done cooking. However, the extra step of tossing it with some cooking liquid and broiling under high heat delivers the delicious, crispy edges found in traditional carnitas recipes.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 55 min
