Instant Pot Carnitas
User Reviews
5
-
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
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Servings
4 - 6
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Calories
373 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
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Cuisine
Mexican
Instant Pot Carnitas
Description
This carnitas recipe uses pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into uniform cubes with retained fat for juiciness. The meat is marinated with crushed garlic, chopped onion, ground cumin, cinnamon powder or stick, bay leaves, soy sauce, and fresh orange juice. This blend combines savory, warm spice notes with citrus brightness and umami from soy sauce.
The pork is then pressure cooked in the Instant Pot with unsalted chicken stock until tender. The cooking liquid can be saved to make a gravy or for reheating. Post-cooking, the pork can be served as is or given a quick broil to develop a crisp exterior while maintaining juicy interior.
These carnitas suit a variety of uses, from fillings for corn tortillas with salsa and lime to a flavorful meat component in many meals. Adjust seasoning and spice levels to preference. The recipe notes considerations about cinnamon strength, meat cuts, marinade timing, and reheating to maintain optimal texture and taste.
Freezing leftovers is possible; reheat gently with the cooking liquid to preserve moisture. The recipe is flexible for various Instant Pot sizes without adjusting liquid amounts but may require minor cooking time changes.
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ pounds (~1475g) pork shoulder cut into 2 - 2 ¼ inches cubes, aka pork butt
- 200 ml (~⅘ cup) chicken stock unsalted
Marinade
- 4 (13g) garlic crushed, cloves
- 1 (200g) onion roughly chopped, medium
- 1 teaspoon (2g) cumin seed , ground
- ½ - 1 teaspoon (1g - 2g) cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick, powder
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce regular
- 55 ml orange juice from 1 fresh orange
- kosher salt
- black pepper ground
Optional:
- 8 - 12 corn tortillas
- salsa pico de gallo
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Cut Pork Shoulder: Remove rind and bone from pork shoulder. Cut pork shoulder into ~2 – 2¼ inches cubes as uniformly as possible. Keep the excess fat. Amy + Jacky's Tip: Don't trim off the fat from cubed pork shoulder.
- Marinate Pork Shoulder Cubes: Place pork shoulder cubes and excess fat in Instant Pot. Season very generously with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Add 4 crushed garlic cloves, chopped onion, 1 tsp (2g) ground cumin, ½ - 1 tsp (1g - 2g) cinnamon powder, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, and 55ml orange juice (from 1 orange) in Instant Pot. Mix well, then let the pork marinate for 20 minutes.
- Pressure Cook Pork Shoulder Cubes: Pour ~⅘ cup (200ml) unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot. Close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 30 minutes, then Natural Release for 15 minutes. Release the remaining pressure. Open the lid carefully.
- Crisp Pork Shoulder: Take a bite and see if the pork is salty enough. If the pork is not salty enough, add more kosher salt to the cooking liquid. Taste and adjust accordingly.Transfer the pork shoulder to a baking tray. Brush some of the cooking liquid on each piece of pork before crisping.Amy + Jacky's Basting Tip: The cooking liquid should be mostly fat. If not, mix ¼ cup (63ml) cooking liquid with 2 tbsp (30ml) vegetable oil, then drizzle over each piece of pork. The fat & oil will protect the pork from drying out and the surface will crisp faster.Place pork shoulder under a broiler or the top rack of a preheated 450°F toaster oven until the surface is crisped. Roughly 8 to 10 minutes. Flip the cubed pork, brush each piece with more cooking liquid, then place them in the oven again until the surface is crisped.
- (Optional) Heat Corn Tortillas: If you are serving the carnitas with corn tortillas, heat up the corn tortillas when the pork is browning in the oven.
- Serve & Enjoy: Place piping hot Carnitas on top of the warmed corn tortillas with a spoonful of salsa (Pico De Gallo). Serve immediately!
Notes
- Use pork butt with good marbling for tender, juicy carnitas; leaner cuts are not recommended.
- Marinating for at least 20 minutes enhances flavor; overnight marinating is possible but may affect texture.
- Broiling after cooking crisps the pork and adds flavor but is optional.
- Cinnamon adds unique warmth; adjust amount according to strength or omit if desired.
- Freshly squeezed orange juice is preferred for balanced sweetness and acidity.
- Using unsalted chicken stock allows precise seasoning during cooking.
- Soy sauce adds depth but is not traditional; it contributes umami flavor.
- Freezing cooked carnitas with cooking liquid is possible but may dry the meat slightly.
- Reheat carnitas covered with cooking liquid using pot-in-pot method to maintain moisture.
- Adjust cooking times slightly when using different Instant Pot sizes or batch amounts.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4- 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 373 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 373kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 29.3g | 59% |
| Fat | 26.4g | 41% |
| Sodium | 165mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 0.3g | 1% |
| Sugar | 1.4g | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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