Instant Pot Carnitas are made with pork shoulder, fresh orange and lime juice, seasoning and cooked in your pressure cooker until juicy and tender. Broil until crispy and use it to make tacos, burritos, bowls or Mexican salads!
Instant Pot cooks meat in half the time without much prep work. These carnitas are so easy to make, just like my Instant Pot pulled pork or the ultra-tender pot roast.
As soon as these carnitas came out of my Instant Pot, I knew I hit the jackpot! The meat is super tender, juicy and full of flavor. So much better than slow cooking, in my opinion! I broiled the shredded meat in my oven to get the signature, classic crispy bits. Don’t skip this step! They are delicious!
Serve it as tacos or burritos. I also love to serve them with beans and rice in bowls, with our favorite toppings. This meat freezes and reheats great so you can make it ahead of time.
Ingredients:
- pork shoulder: I used about 3.5 lbs
- vegetable stock: I recommend low-sodium
- garlic: fresh, minced
- juice: orange and lime
- seasoning: ground cumin, dried oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper
How to make Instant Pot Carnitas?
- Start by cutting the pork into large chunks.
- In a small bowl, mix together the seasoning. Sprinkle half of it over the meat and rub it in.
- Turn on your Instant Pot. Press saute setting.
- Wait 2 minutes, then add olive oil to the pot.
- Place meat in the Instant Pot and sear on all sides until lightly brown.
- Remove the meat onto a plate.
- Add all liquids to the pot and deglaze the bottom by scraping it with a wooden spoon.
- Add garlic and rest of seasoning. Add the meat back into the pot.
- Close the lid, set valve to sealing position. Press manual setting, then set timer to 40 minutes.
- Once done, let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally. Do not switch the valve to venting. It should take about 12 to 15 minutes. You can turn off your IP.
- Once the pressure is out, carefully open the lid away from your face and remove the meat onto a baking sheet.
- Pull it apart with two forks.
- Broil meat for 2 to 3 minutes, if desired.
Serving:
I like to serve carnitas with pico de gallo or salsa and rice. Guacamole or avocado dip is perfect too! Black beans and rice make for a perfect side dish as well.
Don’t forget freshly chopped cilantro (or parsley) and a squeeze of lime!
What do to with leftover liquid?
First of all, do not discard it! It’s full of flavor. Use it to drizzle over shredded meat before broiling. Save it and store it in the fridge for reheating leftovers. You can also turn it into an incredible gravy for another meal. Just add cornstarch and heat up until it thickens.
Expert tips:
- Use fresh lime juice, as the store-bought tends to have a metallic taste.
- Make sure to deglaze the bottom of the pot after browning meat, to ensure the flavor is in the dish and it won’t burn.
- Add brown sugar if you like your carnitas sweeter.
- Crisp up the meat in a pan or under the broiler for the classic carnitas texture. You won’t regret it!
Storing and freezing:
Any leftovers should be stored in a container with lid, in the fridge, for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Make sure to use freezer-safe ziploc bags or containers.
To reheat, place it in a pan and add a little bit of stock or leftover juice from cooking carnitas.
More Instant Pot recipes:
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
- Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
- Instant Pot Taco Meat
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Instant Pot Corned Beef
For more recipes like this one, feel free to browse our Instant Pot category.
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment!
Instant Pot Carnitas
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lbs boneless pork shoulder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 8 oz vegetable stock
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup lime juice
Instructions
- Start by cutting the pork into large chunks.
- In a small bowl, mix together the seasoning. Sprinkle half of it over the meat and rub it in.
- Turn on your Instant Pot. Press saute setting.
- Wait 2 minutes, then add olive oil to the pot.
- Place meat in the Instant Pot and sear on all sides until lightly brown.
- Remove the meat onto a plate.
- Add all liquids to the pot and deglaze the bottom by scraping it with a wooden spoon.
- Add garlic and rest of seasoning. Add the meat back into the pot.
- Close the lid, set valve to sealing position. Press manual setting, then set timer to 40 minutes.
- Once done, let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally. Do not switch the valve to venting. It should take about 12 to 15 minutes. You can turn off your IP.
- Once the pressure is out, carefully open the lid away from your face and remove the meat onto a baking sheet.
- Pull it apart with two forks.
- Broil meat for 2 to 3 minutes or crisp up in a pan.
Notes
- For leftover liquid: do not discard it! It’s full of flavor. Use it to drizzle over shredded meat before broiling. Save it and store it in the fridge for reheating leftovers. You can also turn it into an incredible gravy for another meal. Just add cornstarch and heat up until it thickens.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
- Any leftovers should be stored in a container with lid, in the fridge, for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Make sure to use freezer-safe ziploc bags or containers.
Laura says
I am a novice at instant pot…does your instruction of “Press manual setting, then set timer to 40 minutes.” in step 9, mean high pressure? Mine doesn’t have a manual setting…just choice between high and low pressure cook.
Anna says
Hi Laura! I always cook on HIGH pressure, unless the recipe specifies otherwise. If you don’t have a manual setting button, you might have the “pressure cook” setting. The high or low pressure is a different setting. I hope this helps!
Matt Taylor says
Instant pot carnitas is awesome! So flavorful and easy to make. Yummy!! 🙂
Toni Dash says
This is such a great carnitas recipe! Such an amazing recipe to have on hand!
Lisalia says
Yum! Thanks for this excellent instant pot recipe. It turned out beautifully!
James Edmisson says
Substituted a beef roast for the pork shoulder, it turned out awesome! Thank you for sharing it with us Anna.
The left over beef will be rolled inside of corn tortillas to be baked and served as taquitos.