Make the most delicious and crispy pork with this Instant Pot Carnitas recipe in a fraction of the time. Serve in tortillas for one tasty Taco Tuesday!
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Crispy Instant Pot Pork Carnitas Recipe
I love carnitas, but I hate that I don’t always have the time to make them!
These Instant Pot carnitas are everything you’d expect; full of flavor and perfectly crispy, but they require very little effort to make and are much quicker to make compared to the traditional method.
Pile them high in tacos, burritos, quesadillas and anything. else you fancy for an easy dinner.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, be sure to check out my sangria pork carnitas or crockpot beef carnitas.
Why you’ll love these Crispy Pork Carnitas:
- HANDS OFF COOKING: These carnitas, although quicker than the traditional method, still take a little while to cook, but, the time is all pretty much hands off, leaving you free to get on with other things.
- HEALTHY: High in protein and under 20g of carbs per serving, you can feel good about this shredded pork recipe.
- MAKE AHEAD: Be sure to make a big batch, as these carnitas are freezer friendly and great for meal prep.
If you like this recipe, you’ll love these Birria tacos too!
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How to make Instant Pot Carnitas
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Coat the meat on all sides with the seasonings.
- Place the meat in the Instant Pot and add the onion, chilis and garlic.
- Pour the orange and lime juice and coke over the pork.
- Cook and let slow release.
- Cut the meat and shred with two forks.
- Place on a cookie sheet, spoon over some of the broth and broil til crispy.
How long does it keep?
If, by some miracle, you have some leftovers, they will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them on a cookie sheet at 400F for around 10 to 15 minutes until heated through to serve.
Can you freeze it?
Yes! These Instant Pot carnitas are freezer friendly and are great for easy meal prep. Let the cool before placing in freezer bags or an airtight container, and it will keep well for up to 6 months.
Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These pulled pork carnitas can be used in so many ways! I love to pile them on tortillas to make street tacos, and they are awesome in burritos and quesadillas. Add the to Mexican salads or taco bowls for some added flavor.
Remember, it’s all about the toppings, so be sure to pair them with some of these favorites:
Tips!
- Use pork shoulder (pork butt) for this recipe. It has just the right amount of fat and is full of flavor.
- If you prefer your carnitas spicier, feel free to add in some cayenne pepper to the seasoning.
- If making ahead of time, be sure to let the carnitas cool completely before storing.
These Instant Pot carnitas take all of the effort out, and best of all they are super delicious! I can’t wait to hear whet you think of this recipe!
More Instant Pot Recipes we Love
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Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe
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Ingredients
- 5 pounds pork shoulder pork butt, washed and cut into large chunks
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 onion cut into large slices (like apple slices)
- 1 head of garlic outer husk removed and top sliced off to expose the garlic
- 3 Serranos peppers or 2 Jalapenos, cut in half and seeds removed
- 2 oranges juiced
- 2 limes juiced
- 1 ½ cups Coca Cola
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- In a large flat container or bowl, mix the oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Sprinkle all sides of the meat with the mixture and place in the instant pot.
- Place the onion and chilis in the instant pot. Then place the garlic, cut side down, on the meat.
- Pour the orange juice, lime juice, and coke over the meat.
- Seal the instant pot and set the meat cycle for 90 minutes.
- When the time has finished, let it slow release.
- Open and place the meat on a cutting board or plate. Remove any pieces of fat and using two forks pull the meat apart.
- Set the broiler for 500° and cover a cookie sheet in tin foil.
- Place meat on the cookie sheet. Spoon some of the broth over the meat. Place under the broiler till crispy, about 5 minutes. Stir the meat and crisp again.
- Remove meat from the oven and serve.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Use pork shoulder (pork butt) for this recipe. It has just the right amount of fat and is full of flavor.
- If you prefer your carnitas spicier, feel free to add in some cayenne pepper to the seasoning.
- If making ahead of time, be sure to let the carnitas cool completely before storing.
Nutrition Information
Tried this last week , worked great , my carnitas are delicious and most of all quick , thanks Becky !
This are not carnitas at all, this pull pork. Carnitas are cooked in lard in a big cooper pot for at least 4 hours. You won’t find this carnitas in any carnitas place in México, and if you do, they won’t call it carnitas. So please, stop calling carnitas what are not carnitas.
I am sorry you are not a fan of the recipe name!
David Nila, you live in the U.S. and yes this recipe is correct. Mexico makes their recipes different and I truest love this recipe!🌮🌮🌮🌮 I ❤️ My Pork Carnitas!!!!
You really mean cook 90 min. under pressure in Instant Pot? A third of that would leave pork ready to shred.
You can definitely modify it to your liking!
I made this and we all loved it. One night we had the pork carnitas on tacos with a roasted sweet corn rice and cilantro slaw and we had the leftovers on nachos. So good! Can’t wait to make it again
Thanks for sharing, Jen!!
Do you remove the onions and peppers before shredding the pork?
Do you remove
This is amazing!!! I only wish I made a bigger batch. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I will definitely be making it again.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Teresa!