Instant Pot Carnitas Upgrade Taco Night Wellplated Com

Plus, since this recipe is coming from your own kitchen, you can add as many to your flight as you like! Thanks to my extensive sampling, the carnitas taco has become my baseline for judging the overall quality of a taco joint. (I do the same thing with Instant Pot Pulled Pork when comparing BBQ establishments.)

Put simply, caritas are a Mexican version of pulled pork.Pork shoulder (or pork butt) is the meat typically used for carnitas.The pork is cooked with Mexican spices like chili powder and cumin, oregano, and citrus juice until fall-apart tender.

Freshly shredded, carnitas taste fabulous, but what makes them truly impossible to stop eating is the way the pork is finished off. Once the pork is cooked and shredded, the meat is fried on the stove top (or my preferred easier and more healthy carnitas method, under the oven broiler like this Slow Cooker Carnitas) until the edges are tantalizingly crispy. The contrast of the crispy edges with the juiciness of the meat is a thing of beauty. It’s why I can’t help but order carnitas any chance I get!

How to Make Instant Pot Carnitas

Pork shoulder and pork butt are tough, fatty cuts of meat, meaning they traditionally need a long, slow cook time to tenderize (like this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork). The fat breaks down and turns the pork melt-in-your-mouth juicy.

Pros: it’s basically impossible to overcook pulled pork in the Instant Pot or anytime you are cooking it over low heat.Cons: pulled pork can take forever to cook.

SOLUTION: The Instant Pot! The Instant Pot locks in moisture and makes it possible to cook traditionally low-and-slow cuts of meat in a fraction of the time.

The Ingredients

Pork Shoulder. This tough cut of meat becomes fall-apart tender and cooks in the pressure cooker in a fraction of the time compared to other methods.

Orange Juice. Freshly squeezed citrus juice will set your carnitas apart from the rest. It balances the spices and gives the meat needed acidity.Garlic + Onion. These aromatics give the carnitas depth. One of my favorite parts about cooking with an Instant Pot is that everything sautés in the same pot, saving dishes.

Apple Cider Vinegar. This bright acid helps cut the fat in the pork and makes for extra scrumptious cooking juices.

Chili Powder + Chipotle Chile Powder + Cumin. This trio of smoky spices gives the carnitas cooked-all-day flavor.

Oregano. Used often in traditional Mexican cooking, oregano gives a subtle herbal note and one more dimension.Jalapeño. To make sure everyone is awake. Be sure to remove the seeds and membrane or your carnitas will be VERY spicy.Chicken Broth. Combined with the pork’s juices, it makes for a STELLAR finishing sauce to spoon over the juicy pork. (Forget Instant Pot carnitas Dr. Pepper style. Using the pork’s own liquid is a serious upgrade and better for you too!)

The Directions

How to Serve Carnitas

Once the carnitas meat is cooked, you can use it any way you like.

15 minutes: estimated time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and the timer to begin.45 minutes: cook the pulled pork on high pressure for 45 minutes. (This might not seem “instant” but remember, you are saving hours here.)15 minutes: allow the pressure to release naturally prior to opening the Instant Pot.10 minutes: crisp the pork under the broiler (soooo worth it!).

Pork butt and pork shoulder both come from the shoulder of the pig.If you want to get technical, pork butt (also called Boston butt) comes from above the shoulder blades, while pork shoulder meat extends down to the pig’s front hoofs.Pork butt contains more fat and marbling, but both are nicely marbled and make stellar pulled pork carnitas.

Tacos. Our go-to. Try them topped with this Healthy Coleslaw or the avocado slaw from my Shrimp Tacos.Quesadilla. Take a note from this Pulled Pork Quesadilla, but use carnitas meat for an extra layer of Mexican flair.Burrito. Wrap your carnitas up in a tortilla with rice, Instant Pot Refried Beans, and cheese.Nachos. Swap the carnitas for the chicken in these crockpot Healthy Nachos.Salad. Change up this Healthy Taco Salad by using carnitas in place of the ground turkey.Chipotle Bowl. You’ll put the fast-food version to shame!Right off the Pan. You must nibble a few bites of the carnitas meat hot off the pan with your fingers. This Instant Pot pork recipe is that kind of good.

Storage Tips

To Store. Refrigerate leftover shredded pork in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers on the stovetop in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat or in the microwave.

To Freeze. Freeze pulled pork in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Measuring Cups. Made with thick, durable glass.Tongs. The locking feature is great for no cluttering kitchen drawers.Baking Sheet. This commercial baking sheet is made with aluminum so it won’t rust.

I brought these Instant Pot carnitas over to friends for a group dinner, and I thought we’d have leftovers.

Mexican Salad

45 mins

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

55 mins

Grilled Zucchini

15 mins Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe. Wrong. The meat VANISHED. My pals (also taco night regulars) declared this recipe some of the best carnitas meat they’d ever eaten. I can’t wait for you to try it too! [wrpm-recipe-video]