Published 12/19/2019 • Updated 7/12/2020 Carnitas are such a wonderful thing to make for the family or as a meal to share. Our Slow Cooker Carnitas recipe is a fan favorite, which is why we’re excited to bring you an Instant Pot variation!
What cut of meat should I use?
This recipe calls for a 2.5 – 3 lb. boneless pork shoulder roast. A pork shoulder is an excellent cut of meat for carnitas because it’s got a good amount of fat layered in and typically comes in larger cuts. Pork shoulders can also be known as a pork butt. Size matters: If you get a cut of pork shoulder that weighs less than 2.5 lbs. you will likely need to lower your cook time. If you get a pork shoulder that is larger than 3 lbs. you will likely need to increase your cook time.
How to Make Instant Pot Carnitas
Step 1: Pulled Pork Dry Rub
Creating a delicious dry rub for your pork is very important for the end flavor. For this step, you’ll need the following spices OR you can simply use our homemade pork dry rub recipe if you have it in your cabinet!
chili powdergarlic powderpaprikacayennesalt (don’t skimp on the salt!)
Step 2: Sear Pork in Instant Pot
In my opinion, one of the best parts about carnitas is the crispy parts. In order to get some great, crispy texture, you’ll want to sear all edges of your pork shoulder. You can do this right in your Instant Pot on the sauté feature. YAS. Make sure to use enough oil as a 3 lb. pork shoulder is pretty big! We suggest browning for 2-3 minutes on each of the 4 sides. Don’t skimp on this part, people!
Step 3: Pressure Cook
Now it’s time to add a few more things into your Instant Pot (green chiles and water) along with the seared pork to pressure cook away.
How Long to Cook Instant Pot Carnitas
Set your Instant pot to high presser and then set the timer to 90 minutes. Make sure you seal the vent before setting the time. It will take around 10-15 minutes to build up enough pressure for your timer to start counting down, so be patient. Once the 90 minutes are up, you’ll hear it beep. Open the vent and let all of the steam out to quick release your Instant Pot pulled pork.
STep 4: Shred and Serve
Once your pulled pork carnitas are done cooking, shredding should be VERY easy. If your pork still seems a little tough, we suggest cooking it a little bit longer to make it tender and easy to shred! Remove any fatty parts of the pork and discard it. Then, take 2 forks and shred away. We like to keep all of the sauce/liquid because there is such great flavor. If you remove any of it, you may need to add more pork dry rub to amp the flavor up!
Serving Suggestions
We know that these IP carnitas serve a crowd, but they’re also great for meal prep because you can serve it in so many different ways. Here are some creative ways to serve your Instant Pot carnitas!
Tacos (serve in a tortilla)Meal Prep Bowl (serve with brown rice and fajita veggies like this recipe)BBQ Pork Sandwiches (mix in your favorite bbq sauce similar to this recipe)
Got leftovers?
Carnitas pretty much taste good in anything savory and boy do we have some ideas for you to make the best out of your leftovers!
Chili: add pulled pork to chiliMac and Cheese: make our homemade mac and cheese and add carnitas!Nachos (top on tortilla chips like this recipe)Breakfast skillet (mix with breakfast potatoes and scrambled eggs)
Can you freeze carnitas?
You can absolutely freeze carnitas. Let them cool completely and then transfer into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Our Fav Instant Pot Recipes
42 Healthy Instant Pot RecipesInstant Pot Moroccan ChickenInstant Pot Korean BeefInstant Pot Shredded ChickenInstant Pot Pork Chops
Instant Pot Pork Recipes
Instant Pot Pork ChopsInstant Pot Pork Roast
Watch How to Make This Recipe!
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