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    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot

    Instant Pot Carnitas Made My Way

    Published on March 1, 2018 - Updated on January 13, 2023 by Chef Rodney - Leave a Comment - This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Instant Pot Carnitas is the easiest & quickest way to make pork carnitas for your tacos or burritos. If you love carnitas then try this recipe
     
    Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

    I’ve said it before and I will say it again, Mexican food is my favorite. I could eat it every day. And one of my favorites Mexican dishes is Pork Carnitas. So making Carnitas in my Instant Pot Pressure cooker was really a no-brainer for me.

    Shredded Pork on Baking Sheet ready to be broiled
    Carnitas ready for the Broiler

    You can eat carnitas as an entrée with a side of Mexican Rice and Beans or in tacos or even burritos. There’s a little Mexican joint down the street here that makes some of the best Carnitas. Every chance I get I order Carnitas from them and it’s interesting how there are so many different ways to make it.

    Pork Carnitas Tacos

    This recipe is super easy to make with a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot. All you need is a few ingredients and about 1 hour and you will have delicious pork carnitas!

    Carnitas Tacos with Candied Jalapeños

    For a complete meal don’t forget the Mexican Rice, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole! If you prefer chicken tacos over pork, you MUST try my Slow Cooker Honey Bourbon Chicken Street Tacos. You won't regret it.

    Pork Carnitas

    🌶 How to Handle Hot Peppers

    The capsaicin in hot peppers is what makes peppers hot. If you handle hot peppers gloveless, it’s a guarantee that you’re in for a nasty case of chili burn, both on your fingers and anywhere you rub. Like your face. Ouch!

    Even if you wear disposable gloves, be careful about what you touch. The gloves are going to protect your fingers, but touching any part of your body with the gloves after you’ve handled hot peppers can lead to severe chili burn. Resist the temptation to rub your eyes. Wait until you’ve removed your gloves and washed your hands thoroughly with soap.

    fresh jalapeños
    Fresh Jalapeños

    If you've ever wondered what part of the pig the Pork Butt comes from check out the picture below. Surprised?

    pork cuts diagram

    💭 Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

    The Instant Pot is a combination pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer with a few other capabilities. With an Instant Pot, you can make some recipes in minutes compared to hours the traditional way. While not always the case, it's a very handy appliance if you are always on the run.

    The Instant Pot comes with several safety features. If you happen to encounter an error message on the display of your IP, I suggest you visit Instant Pot's Official Customer Care Center.

    If you frequently use your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, you've probably experienced a "smelly" lid. Here's a simple way to get rid of the smell. Fill the Instant Pot with 2 Cups of White Vinegar. Seal the lid. Use the steam setting for 2 minutes. Remove the rubber ring from the lid and let dry completely before using it.

    Instant pot
    Instant Pot

    🌡️ How Hot are the Peppers

    The Scoville Scale is the measurement that tells you the spiciness of a given type of pepper.

    Pepper TypeScoville Rating (Heat)
    Bell Pepper0-0
    Banana Pepper0-500
    Poblano Pepper1000-1500
    Jalapeño Pepper2500-8000
    Serrano Peppers10,000-25,000
    Manzano Pepper12,000-30,000
    Tabasco & Cayenne30,000-50,000
    Habanero Pepper100,000-300,000
    Ghost Pepper855,000-1,000,000
    Carolina Reaper1,500,000-2,300,000

    For more delicious recipes with Pork, I suggest you check these recipes out:

    • Smoked Pulled Pork
    • BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders with Ranch Slaw
    • Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches
    • Slow Cooker Mexican Carnitas

    📋 What Ingredients do I need

    You will need the following ingredients to make this Carnitas recipe in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker (see recipe card for quantities): Pork Butt or Shoulder, Orange, Bay Leaf, Cinnamon Sticks, Garlic Cloves, Jalapeños, Yellow Onion, Ground Cumin, Salt and Ground Black Pepper.

    🥣 How to Make Instant Pot Carnitas Made My Way

    Cut the pork into medium-sized chunks. Rub salt, pepper, and cumin into the pork. Place pork in Instant Pot.
    Cut oranges in half and juice them into the pot. Place juiced oranges in the pot along with bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, garlic quartered onion and jalapeño.
    Add 1 ½ Cups of water to the instant pot.
    Cook on manual for 35 minutes with natural pressure release for 20 minutes then quick pressure release for the rest.
    Place pork on a baking sheet and shred using two forks. Broil for approximately 5 minutes.

    Instant Pot Carnitas Made My Way

    Instant Pot Carnitas Made My Way

    Instant Pot Carnitas is the easiest & quickest way to make pork carnitas for your tacos or burritos. If you love carnitas then try this recipe
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 12
    Calories 219 kcal

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients
     

    • 4 lbs Pork Butt or Shoulder
    • 2 Oranges
    • 2 Bay Leaves
    • 2 Cinnamon Sticks
    • 6 Garlic Cloves
    • 1 Fresh Jalapeño, Stemmed
    • 1 Yellow Onion
    • 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
    • 1 tablespoon Salt
    • 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Cut the pork into medium sized chunks. Rub salt, pepper and cumin into the pork. Place pork in Instant Pot.
    • Cut oranges in half and juice them into the pot. Place juiced oranges in pot along with bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, garlic quartered onion and jalapeño.
    • Add 1 ½ Cups of water to the instant pot.
    • Cook on manual for 35 minutes with natural pressure release for 20 minutes then quick pressure release for the rest.
    • Place pork on baking sheet and shred using two forks. Broil for approximately 5 minutes.

    Notes

    → I recommend wearing disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers. Avoid touching your face.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 219kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 28gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 681mgPotassium: 580mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 70IUVitamin C: 14.1mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2.3mg

    Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

    Tried this Recipe?Leave a Comment below and share a picture on Instagram and tag @hot_rods_recipes and hashtag #hotrodsrecipes!

    More Instant Pot Recipes

    • Easy Instant Pot Beef Meatballs
    • Instant Pot Mexican Rice
    • Instant Pot Apricot Chicken
    • Instant Pot Homemade Vanilla Extract
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