Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

5 from 8 votes

Traditional and authentic shredded pork, but with a fast cooking time! Instant Pot Pork Carnitas are full of flavor and can be used in your favorite Mexican recipes such as tacos, burritos, nachos, and more. Gluten free.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2

Total Time2 15

Cuisine: Mexican

Course: Main Course

Servings: cups shredded (about 6-8 servings)

Calories: 230kcal

Equipment

Instant Pot
Paper Towels
Tongs
Measuring spoons
Measuring Cups
Knife
Cutting board
Large Skillet

Ingredients

4 pounds pork shoulder (pork butt)
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
½ Tablespoon garlic powder
3 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil for searing
¾ cup fresh orange juice
1 yellow onion sliced thickly
1 jalapeno halved, stem removed

Instructions

Combine the spices together in a small bowl to make a rub mixture.
1 Tablespoon paprika, 1 Tablespoon ground cumin, 1 Tablespoon dried oregano, ½ Tablespoon garlic powder, 3 teaspoons salt
Trim the pork roast of any excessive fat, if desired. Pat dry with paper towels.
4 pounds pork shoulder
Rub the pork on all sides with the dry rub, pressing into the meat.
Heat your Instant Pot over the sauté function.
When hot, add the oil.
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Add the pork roast and sear on all sides, approximately 3 minutes per side.
Remove the pork from the pot and set aside.
Add the orange juice and scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pot.
¾ cup fresh orange juice
Add the sliced onions and halved jalapeno to the liquid.
1 yellow onion, 1 jalapeno
Put the pork roast back into the pot.
Turn off the sauté function. Put the lid on and set to manual pressure for 90 minutes.
Once cooking is done, let sit on natural release for 15 minutes. Then use manual release to remove the remaining pressure.
Shred the pork with forks or a hand mixer.
To sear the pork, mix the shredded pork with a little of the juice, just enough to coat.
Heat a large skillet over high heat.
Add the shredded pork and cook to develop color and a crust, approximately 2 minutes. Flip if desired to sear the other side.
Serve the pork as desired such as for tacos, burritos, nachos, or on its own.

Notes

This recipe will work for pork roasts from 2-4 pounds. Increase cooking time by 20 minutes per additional pound.

Portions: Plan on your pork shrinking by about 40% in the cooking process. A serving of carnitas is 1/3-1/2 pound depending on how you are using it and if you want standard or larger portions.

A 4 pound roast will give you around 2.5 pounds of cooked carnitas which is approximately 6-8 servings and 8 cups of shredded meat.

Pork carnitas is traditionally seared off to develop a little crust and additional flavor. This is recommended, but optional.

Nutrition