Description
This Easy Instant Pot Carnitas recipe delivers juicy, tender, and flavorful Mexican-style shredded pork made effortlessly using an Instant Pot. The pork shoulder is seasoned, browned, then pressure cooked with a blend of citrus juices, spices, and beer or broth to create rich and succulent carnitas perfect for tacos and a variety of dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder/Boston butt, cut into chunks
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to season
- 2–3 tablespoons high-heat oil (avocado oil)
- â…“ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 10–12 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle/can of beer (Modelo) or 1 ½ cups chicken broth/stock
Optional Garnishes
- Tortillas
- Chopped onion
- Sliced radish
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Season the Pork Shoulder: Generously season the pork chunks with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Massage the seasoning into the meat to ensure even flavor penetration.
- Brown the Pork: Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of high-heat oil, such as avocado oil, in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting set to high. Brown the pork chunks on all sides in batches to develop a rich crust, then transfer the browned pork to a plate.
- Assemble the Braise: Return all the browned pork pieces to the Instant Pot. Add the fresh squeezed orange juice, lime juice, roughly chopped onion, ground cumin, dried oregano, minced garlic, brown sugar, and bay leaves.
- Add Liquid: Pour in the beer (Modelo) or substitute with chicken broth/stock. Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly in the pot.
- Pressure Cook: Seal the Instant Pot lid securely and set it to pressure cook on high for 45 minutes to tenderize the pork thoroughly.
- Natural Pressure Release: Once cooking is complete, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for maximum juiciness and tenderness before opening the lid.
- Shred the Pork: Remove the pork chunks from the pot and shred them finely using two forks. Reserve some of the cooking liquid to add moisture later.
- Crispy Carnitas (Optional): To crisp up the carnitas, either spread the shredded pork on a baking sheet and broil it in the oven until edges are crispy or pan-fry it on the stovetop with a bit of reserved cooking liquid until crisp and golden.
- Serve Carnitas: Season the shredded carnitas to taste if needed. Serve hot in warm tortillas topped with optional garnishes like chopped onion, radish slices, cilantro, and lime wedges for authentic tacos.
Notes
- For best flavor, brown the pork well to develop a rich crust before pressure cooking.
- You can substitute beer with chicken broth or stock for a non-alcoholic version.
- Natural pressure release helps keep the pork tender and juicy.
- Crisping the carnitas after shredding adds a traditional texture contrast and depth of flavor.
- Store leftovers with some cooking liquid to maintain moisture.
- Reheat in a skillet to get the edges crispy again.
