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Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
5 from 39 votes

Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas feature tender, flavorful shredded pork shoulder cooked with citrus juices and Mexican spices, then finished under a broiler for crisp edges. This method infuses the meat with bright orange and lime notes alongside savory spices, providing texture contrast with crispy bits.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
8 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 7
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs pork shoulder trimmed of excess fat, boneless
  • 3/4 cups chicken broth low-sodium
  • 3/4 cup orange juice about 2 - 3 oranges, fresh
  • 3 Tbsp lime juice about 2 limes, fresh
  • 2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 2 tsp cumin ground
  • 2 tsp oregano dried Mexican
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ancho chili powder
  • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to taste
  • 1 small yellow onion chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic minced (2 Tbsp
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • corn tortilla for serving, warmed (tortillas), diced (onions
  • yellow onion
  • cilantro

Instructions

Slow cooker method:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Place pork in slow cooker. Pour in chicken broth, orange juice and lime juice. 
  2. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, coriander, chili powder and cayenne pepper, onions and garlic.
  3. Cover and cook on low heat 8 hours.
  4. Leave liquid in slow cooker, remove pork and shred with two forks.
  5. Spray a rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  6. Place pork on baking sheet, pour over 1 cup reserved broth (try and strain out onions when ladling broth out), drizzle with oil and toss and spread into an even layer.
  7. Position oven rack near broiler and preheat broiler to high.
  8. Broil until pork is browned and crispy in places about 3 - 6 minutes.
  9. Serve warm in tortillas with desired toppings.
Instant Pot method:
  1. Cut pork into 4 chunks and place pork in Instant Pot, pour over chicken broth, orange juice and lime juice.
  2. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, coriander, chili powder and cayenne pepper, onions and garlic.
  3. Cover and seal lid (make sure valve is set to "sealing" position), press "manual" (or high pressure) and select 60 minutes.
  4. Once cooking is done, let pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes then use quick release method to release any remaining pressure.
  5. Once steaming has stopped remove pork from pressure cooker while leaving broth in pressure cooker. 
  6. Shred pork and proceed with broiling method starting at step 5 above.
  7. Instant Pot method will take approx. 80 minutes + 10 minutes prep.
  8. Recipe source: Cooking Classy, recipe updated from archives originally shared July 2013.

Notes

  • Italian oregano may be used if Mexican oregano is unavailable.
  • Oven cooking methods for finishing the carnitas are detailed in accompanying notes beyond the main recipe.
  • Tortillas and toppings such as onions and cilantro are served with the carnitas but not included in nutritional calculations.