Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
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There’s nothing better (or easier!) than making perfectly shredded, juicy, tender pork carnitas right in your pressure cooker!
Is there anything better than super tender, perfectly shredded, juicy pork carnitas?
I THINK NOT.
It’s so stinking good, and you can serve them in any way possible – tacos, quesadillas, over rice, or you can legit just serve them off a baking sheet.
Hey, that’s what I did all week.
Ain’t nobody got time for tacos after a 10-hour work day. Just give me the shredded pork, a fork and I’m good.
Especially with this Instant Pot situation. Simply brown the meat, add your seasonings, and close the lid. 30 minutes later, you have carnitas perfection.
Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 4 pound boneless pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed and cut into 3-inch chunks
- 12 ounces pilsner or lager beer
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting.
- Heat canola oil; working in two batches, add pork and cook until evenly browned, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in beer, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 30 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Remove pork shoulder from the Instant Pot® and shred the meat using two forks; season with salt and pepper, to taste, if needed.
- OPTIONAL: Preheat oven to broil. Place pork onto a baking sheet and broil until crisp and crusted, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
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This recipe alone should sell Instant Pots! Just prepared this (for like the tenth time!) for tomorrow’s dinner. Reduced the pot juices to half and poured it over the shredded pork. Tomorrow I’ll spread the pork on a sheet tray to crisp it under the broiler. Can’t wait!
As I go to make this for probably the 30th time, I figured I needed to write a review. This is hands down the best carnitas EVER. You don’t need to tweak this recipe at all. It’s legit perfect and the most incredible tasting carnitas ever. It will look like you slaved away at this for hours, but with the instant pot, it’s such a quick and fresh tasting meal. I know this will be one of those recipes that my kids will ask for long after they’ve moved out on their own.
Very good recipe. May I suggest the pressure cooker liquid be put to good use? Pour it into a fat separator fitted with a screen to prevent the detritus from clogging the spout. Carefully pour the liquid into a large skillet and crank up the burner, if they still exist, electric coil on induction unit to high and bring to a roiling boil. Reduce the liquid, stirring often, until it is nearly syrupy thick. When a trail is left behind as you drag a spatula across the bottom of the pain, you sauce is ready. Put the shredded meat on a sheet pan and ladle the sauce on top and mix if you like. Place the pan near the bottom of you oven and broil until bubbly.
How many tacos is considered one serving?
I keep this website as my secret weapon when I don’t know what to have for dinner. These recipes never fail me and this is one recipe I just treasure. I usually don’t have any oranges or orange juice, but pineapple juice is a great substitute. I open a can of pineapple and put the juice in with the other goodies in the Instant Pot but reserve the pineapple bits. Then once I am ready to crisp the pork, I add the pineapple bits in just after the meat crisps and it not only adds great flavor, it keeps the pork from getting too dry. I also add a ladle full of the liquids from the instant pot and once that cooks off it picks up all the carmelized bits and it ready to serve.
It’s delicious. If I want to double the recipe, do I double every other ingredient as well (as long as I don’t go over the fill line in my Instant Pot)?
OMG, the best pork carnitas I have ever had! I have made this 20+ times and my family and friends love them!! I only oven crisp what we will be eating right away and then I can save the rest to heat up later or tomorrow. They taste equally as good the next day!
This is the third time I have made this recipe with the same results each time. I get rave reviews and empty plates. Super easy to make. I accompanied the dish with flour tortillas, avocado, sour cream, and salsa. A corn salad rounded out the dinner.
I made this ahead for a taco bar. Broiling the meat just before setup. The previous reviews gave me an idea I transferred the broth to a sauce pan and reduced it a bit with an extra splash of orange juice so it could be drizzled on the tacos as they were built. It was still a bit thin and a little will go a long way for flavour. Super easy recipe too!
I have made this several times and it truly is one of the best IP recipes I have ever tried. If I don’t have an orange in the fridge, I use a half cup of Naranja Agria (Bitter Orange) It’s a bottled orange based marinade that I learned about from a friend who is Honduran. It makes a rich, delicious marinade, too, and I always have some on hand.
When I browse recipes, Damn Delicious is my go to. Thanks!!
Meat came out as suggested. REALLY DAM DELICIOUS!
i just got a new instant pot and this is the 2nd recipe i’ve used from this site. both were outstanding! the carnitas are so so good and the left over broth is a rich tasty treat. i used a pork shoulder cut and did have to increase the time in the pressure cooker – but then it was perfect. i made it ahead for guests and will put it under the broiler when we get ready to eat it.
the other recipe i used was the rotisserie chicken. the chicken was flavorful and again the broth was delicious.
i put off getting an instant pot for a couple of years because i had all the other things already – slow cooker, pressure cooker, saute pans, etc. now i know this is easier than any of them and so far, everything has turned out “damn delicious”
I would really love to make this but I only have a pork loin roast. Would it still work or would I have to add some type of fat?
I am making right now with pork loin. I know fat adds flavor but I think it will be fine. It smell heavenly!
Awesome recipe, quick and very tasty! Will make again and vacuum seal for future meals!
I’ve tried making carnitas many times and they’ve never turned out that great. I made these tonight and they were perfect! Tender, flavorful and crisped up nicely! Delicious!
This is one of my favorite recipes! Thank you so much for sharing! I just received a new 8 qt instant pot and am wondering how to adjust the recipe. What would you recommend?
No change. I have the 8 qt and all recipes work…most are created for 8 qt.
This was a little hit and miss. First, the pork came out perfectly tender. However, I found the flavor of the meat to be lacking. The broth that was left in the pot was amazingly flavorful, but I didn’t find that that flavor translated to the pork. And there was a ton of broth left. Easily three cups worth, which I’ll use as a soup base. Not sure why that much liquid is needed so I’ll cut down the beer next time. However, when i put the meat into a tortilla with some onion and cilantro, it tasted good.
I agree. The sour cream, scallions, and cilantro that I served with it gave it most of the flavor.
Amazing simple recipe. Everyone I’ve made it for loves it!
Made this a couple times now and followed the recipe exactly the first two times. Most recently I used tablespoons for the spice measurements and traded out pork shoulder for Chuck roast and it came out amazing. Either way you do it you can’t go wrong this always turns out great!
since I did not have any beer in the house nor orange juice what I did was I substituted beef broth 12 oz for the beer and I substitute lemon juice for the orange juice. Both of them worked together and the carnitas came out absolutely perfect.
I served it with diced avocado, fresh chopped cilantro, chopped tomato, and homemade Chipotle salsa.
I made fresh homemade corn tortillas while this was in the instant pot cooking away.
As they say, Magnifico!
My two teen boys LOVE this recipe! In fact, the carnitas are cooking in the IP as I type this since they are home for the Thanksgiving break…perfect lunch. Thank you for such great, easy recipes 🙂