Traditional carnitas take all day long to simmer, but pork cooks quickly in the Instant Pot! Have dinner ready in a fraction of the time when you make Instant Pot … The post Instant Pot Pork Carnitas appeared first...

Traditional carnitas take all day long to simmer, but pork cooks quickly in the Instant Pot! Have dinner ready in a fraction of the time when you make Instant Pot Pork Carnitas. It’s tender, shredded pork that’s full of flavor thanks to the spices and vegetables it cooks in. Serve the meat in tacos or over chips for an easy weeknight dinner.

The Instant Pot makes pork fall off the fork tender. It’s juicy and savory, and you can finish it with a little crisp if you want even more texture. It’s one of my favorite meats to cook because it’s so versatile. One night I’m adding the meat to flour tortillas for tacos and the next night I’m throwing it on top of a salad. Get several dinners out of this pork without being boring.

Looking for even more great Instant Pot recipes? We love using our Instant Pot to save time and ensure we get sit down family dinner time. Check out these other great Instant Pot recipes:

Instant Pot Taco Pasta Instant Pot Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Tips For Making Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

Of course, you’ll need an Instant Pot! Basically, it’s a pressure cooker that has advanced settings for different types of cooking. You’ll use the saute setting and the manual setting. Once your pork is cooked, use two forks to shred the meat. If you want to be fancy, use meat shredders instead of forks to get the job done quicker.

These Instant Pot Pork Carnitas make a fantastic weeknight dinner option!

What Cut Of Meat You’ll Use To Make Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

Traditionally, carnitas is made with pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) because of its higher fat content. The fat helps to keep the meat extremely juicy and tender while cooking. You definitely want that higher fat content. That’s what makes it so dang delicious.

What To Serve With Carnitas

Warm, Homemade Flour Tortillas pair perfectly with the Carnitas. I know that the Instant Pot saves time on the meat, so go ahead and use that extra time for tortillas from scratch. Other great options are serving the Carnitas over chips for nachos or throwing it on top of fresh lettuce for a salad. My family loves all of the topping options along the side: shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, onions and shredded lettuce. The possibilities are endless!

How To Make A Spicier Version

Add 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper and a jalapeno (seeds and stem removed) to the Instant Pot if you want a spicier version of the pork. The Jalapeno just adds flavor, along with the vegetables, and won’t be included with the meat when shredding.

How To Crisp The Pork Carnitas After The Instant Pot

Once your meat is cooked in the Instant Pot, it’s going to be fork tender. It’ll shred easily. If you like a crisper texture, spread the meat onto a baking sheet. Place it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. That will give you a crisper texture, but still juicy.

How To Store Leftover Pork Carnitas

Once your meat has been served, package any leftovers in an airtight food storage container. For the best freshness, enjoy the meat within 4-5 days of cooking. Use it several nights in a row and mix up how you serve the Carnitas. To reheat the meat, I use the microwave (on high) for 2-3 minutes.

Can You Freeze Carnitas?

Yes! Pork Carnitas freezes so well. Store the meat in the back of your freezer where the temperature is more stable. Freeze the meat for up to three months. Let it thaw, overnight, in the refrigerator before reheating.

What You’ll Need From The Grocery Store:

2 ½ -3lb Pork Shoulder (Pork Butt) Red Onion Bell Pepper Chipotle Sauce Adobo All Purpose Seasoning Bay Leaves Oregano Garlic Powder Cumin Salt Chicken Broth

How To Make Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

On saute mode, sear meat on both sides and then turn saute off.

Saute the pork shoulder until seared on both sides

Combine the remaining ingredients in the Instant Pot.

Adding the spices and vegetables to the Instant Pot

Close the lid on the pressure cooker and turn the valve to the sealing position. Set to a manual high time for 80 minutes. When the cooking time has finished, allow for a manual pressure release before removing the meat from the pot to shred.

Once the meat has been shredded, combine it with juices and seasonings from the pot in a serving dish.

Yield: 8 Servings

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

How to make Pork Carnitas in the Instant Pot. These Carnitas have a savory flavor spiced with chipotle, cumin, and red onion. Serve the meat in tacos or over chips.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 ½ -3 pound pork roast ½ large red onion, sliced 1 bell pepper (any color, or half of two colors- we used red and orange) 7 ounce can Chipoltle sauce (found in Mexican or International food aisle of larger grocery stores) 1 teaspoon Adobo all purpose seasoning (also found in Mexican or International food aisle) 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon cumin ½-1 teaspoon salt 1 cup chicken broth

Instructions

On saute mode, sear meat on both sides and then turn the saute off.
Combine the remaining ingredients in the Instant Pot.Close the lid on the pressure cooker and turn the valve to the sealing position. Set to a manual high time for 80 minutes. When the cooking time has finished, allow for a manual pressure release before removing the meat from the pot to shred. Once the meat has been shredded, combine it with juices and seasonings from the pot in a serving dish.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight food storage container. For the best freshness, enjoy within 4-5 days of cooking the meat. Or freeze the meat for up to three months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

Tips For Making Instant Pot Pork Carnitas