Instant Pot Carnitas are easy and quick to make in the electric pressure cooker. This pork carnitas recipe makes perfectly seasoned, tender and juicy Mexican pork with crispy bits.
Pork Carnitas is one of the most popular Mexican pork dishes and for a good reason. It is hard to resist a perfectly seasoned pork roast cooked until juicy and tender then shredded and made crispy under a broiler.
Whether you serve Instant Pot Carnitas with rice, beans or rolled on a tortilla in a burrito or a taco, one thing is certain, this pork carnitas recipe is the absolute best and mouthwatering delicious!
I often make carnitas in the crockpot with excellent results. However, cooking pork roast in the pressure cooker is quick, easy and the pork always turns out perfect! This instant pot recipe may not be made in an instant, but it sure cuts the cooking time by a fraction.
What are Carnitas?
Think of carnitas as a savory Mexican pulled pork. Traditional carnitas are usually seasoned with spices, citrus juice and onions and then cooked slowly in lard. When the pork is fork tender, it is crisped up in a skillet with some more lard. The crispy edges and bits are as tasty as fried pork while some parts of the shredded pork remains juicy and tender. Seriously delicious!
Instant Pot Carnitas Ingredients
- Pork – Any boneless pork roast, like pork shoulder or pork butt (Boston butt) work well for this pork carnitas recipe. I cut the meat in big chunks (about 2-inches). Trim any excess fat.
- Beer – Mexican beer, pilsener or lager beer works well. You can also use chicken broth or stock.
- Orange Juice – Fresh orange juice is best as bottled juice has a high sugar content and tends to make the dish a bit sweet.
- Lime Juice – Freshly squeezed.
- Oil – Canola, vegetable or olive oil. Very little oil is used as it is just to sear the pork.
- Garlic – I highly recommend using fresh garlic however, in a pinch you can use 2 teaspoons of garlic powder instead.
- The Spices and Seasonings- Chili powder, onion powder, dried oregano, cumin. Salt and ground black pepper.
How To Make Instant Pot Carnitas
This recipe has 3 easy steps.
- STEP ONE – Season and Sear the Meat:
Season the pork with salt and pepper. Click the SAUTE function and heat the oil. Sear the pork until it browns on all sides. You may need to do this in 2 batches not to overcrowd the pot. Remove the pork from the instant pot and click CANCEL. - STEP TWO – Cook on High Pressure:
Pour all your liquids (beer, orange juice and lime juice) into the pot. With a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any brown bits. Add the spices and return the meat to the pot. Close the lid and cook on HIGH pressure for 60 minutes. Do a natural release for 15 minutes. - STEP THREE – Broil:
With a slotted spoon, remove the pork from the pressure cooker and click SAUTE. Reduce the cooking liquid for about 5 minutes while shredding the pork. Click CANCEL and return the shredded pork to the instant pot. Toss the meat so it is all coated with the cooking liquid.
Turn the broiler to high. Transfer the pork to a baking sheet and spread the meat into an even layer. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooking liquid over the meat. Broil for a few minutes until the pork edges begin to get golden brown and crispy
Mexican Pulled Pork or Carnitas is best made with well-marbled pork, that is pork that has enough fat to either be braised for a long period of time or be cooked in a pressure cooker while retaining it’s moisture. Pork shoulder, pork butt or Boston butt and even picnic but are ideal cuts.
Although boneless pork shoulder or pork butt are much easier to cut into chunks, bone-in pork roast can be used as well.
No. Picnic ham comes from the lower part of the pork shoulder (that is the lower part of the hog’s leg). It has more muscles and connective tissue making it tougher.
Pork shoulder comes from the upper part of the shoulder. This area is fat marbled and less used by the animal so it hasn’t developed a tough muscle.
Absolutely! Let the pulled pork sit in the cooking liquid overnight and heat and broil when ready to serve.
Yes! Divide the shredded Mexican pork into smaller portions and place in resealable freezer bags with some of the cooking liquid.Â
Defrost in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave for a few minutes or preheat the oven to 325 degree Fahrenheit, spread the meat on a baking sheet, cover it with aluminum foil and reheat until warm through (it may take about 12 – 15 minutes). Remove the foil and turn on the broiler. Broil for a couple of minutes or until crispy.
Pressure Cooker Carnitas Tips
- Add a little bit of spicy and smoky taste to your carnitas by adding chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the marinade. About a tablespoon is all you need.
- You can make this instant pot recipe with chicken thighs or chicken breast.
- If cooking pork in the pressure cooker while frozen, skip the searing part. If you decide to make this easy and quick recipe with frozen chicken, you must skip the searing part as well.
- Instant Pot Carnitas is the perfect recipe to feed a crowd. Carnitas tacos are always a favorite and can be served with many toppings like guacamole and pico de gallo.
Take A Look At These Amazing Recipes
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken (Mexican Style)
- Oven Baked Pork Chops
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Chipotle Barbacoa
- Mojo Pork
- Charro Beans
- Mexican Three Bean Salad
- Mexican Rice Casserole
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
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Instant Pot Carnitas
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 (4-pounds) boneless pork shoulder roast trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons canola oil or olive oil
- 1 (12-ounces) Mexican beer (Pilsner or lager beer)
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Chopped cilantro to garnish (optional)
Suggestions for Serving (optional)
- Warm corn tortillas, chopped onions. chopped cilantro, salsa, crumbled Queso Fresco, lime wedges.
Instructions
- Season the pork with salt and pepper.
- Click the "Saute" setting on the instant pot. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and working in 2 batches, add the pork pieces and sear until evenly brown, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl or plate and proceed with the remaining oil and pork. Remove the browned pork from the instant pot and press "cancel" to turn off the heat.
- Pour the beer, orange juice and lime juice into the pressure cooker and using a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and return the pork and any collected juices to the instant pot.
- Close the lid and make sure the valve is in the sealed position. Cook on HIGH pressure for 60 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before fully releasing the pressure. Then remove the lid.
- Remove the pork from the pressure cooker and shred the meat. Meanwhile turn the pressure cooker to "Saute" mode and reduce the liquid for about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
- Return the shredded pork to the instant pot and toss to get the meat all coated with the cooking liquid. Press "cancel" to turn off the heat.
- Turn on the oven broiler to high. The oven rack should be at about 6 inches from the heat source.
- Transfer the pork to a baking sheet and spread the meat into an even layer. Spoon about 2 – 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid over the pork and broil for about 4-5 minutes or or until the edges of the pork begin browning. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and with a spatula, flip the meat over. Broil for an additional 4 -5 minutes to get the meat browned and crispy on the edges. Remove from the oven. You can pour some extra cooking liquid over the pork or serve as is sprinkled with some chopped cilantro (optional).
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Amanda says
I know this is odd, but id love to try this recipe with chicken. Is there any chicken you recommend to try it with ?
Kathy says
Not odd at all! Boneless thighs or breast will work. Here you can read more about cooking chicken in the Instant Pot! https://www.lemonblossoms.com/blog/instant-pot-chicken-breasts/