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
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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 Instant Pot Carnitas was really a no brainer for me.
I 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.
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!
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.
🌶 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.
💭 Instant Pot
What is an Instant Pot
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 recipes in minutes compared to hours the traditional way.
Burn Message
The Instant Pot comes with several safety features. If you happen to encounter a "burn" message on your IP, make sure you read this article about the burn message.
How to Clean
If you frequently use your Instant Pot, 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.
Buy Instant Pot
If you don't already have an Instant Pot, you can get one right off the Official Instant Pot Website.
📋 What Ingredients do I need
You will need the following ingredients to make this Carnitas recipe: 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.
🍳 Recipe Card
Instant Pot Carnitas Made My Way
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Pork Butt or Shoulder
- 2 Orange
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 2 Cinnamon Stick(s)
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Jalapeño(s), Stemmed
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
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
Nutrition
Any nutritional information provided on this site 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.
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