Instant Pot Carnitas Made My Way
Updated on June 25, 2024 by Rodney • This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. • 1 Comment • Jump to Recipe
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
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 favorite Mexican dishes is Pork Carnitas. So making Carnitas in my Instant Pot Pressure cooker was really a no-brainer for me.
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.
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.
If you’ve ever wondered what part of the pig the Pork Butt comes from check out the picture below. Surprised?
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
If you have any questions about your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, I suggest you visit Instant Pot’s Official Customer Care Center.
How Hot Are the Peppers
The Scoville Scale is the measurement that tells you the spiciness of a given type of pepper.
Pepper Type | Scoville Rating (Heat) |
---|---|
Bell Pepper | 0-0 |
Banana Pepper | 0-500 |
Poblano Pepper | 1000-1500 |
Jalapeño Pepper | 2500-8000 |
Serrano Peppers | 10,000-25,000 |
Manzano Pepper | 12,000-30,000 |
Tabasco & Cayenne | 30,000-50,000 |
Habanero Pepper | 100,000-300,000 |
Ghost Pepper | 855,000-1,000,000 |
Carolina Reaper | 1,500,000-2,300,000 |
Gather your Ingredients
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
- 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 1/2 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.
More Recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe Card
Instant Pot Carnitas Made My Way
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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 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 1/2 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
Equipment Needed
Nutrition
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.
I love making meals in my instant pot and this recipe tops them all