If you’ve been looking for a quick and easy Carnitas recipe, you’ve come to the right place. Instant pot carnitas is easy, fast and hella delicious. Did I mention how versatile it is? I mean you can add them to just about anything. You can’t go wrong with Instant Pot Carnitas. It’s tender, juicy, and packed with all the flava.
“Carnitas” is braised or roasted pork served shredded usually in tacos, burritos, enchiladas…etc. Of course, I enjoy having it in the traditional way, but I also love how versatile it is. I am all about making a big batch of Carnitas and putting those babies on everything! I mean eggs, salads, meal prep bowls, hashbrowns, soups. Honey, you name it, and I am putting some Carnitas on top.
Instant Pot Carnitas
This recipe is so packed with flavor, everyone will enjoy it. Whether you are on a Whole30, or not. They are a game changer. After the Instant Pot process, what really ties this recipe together is finishing it off under the broiler. Comes out with crispy edges, yet it’s still incredibly tender and flavorful. Add this to your meal prep menu today and you will not be disappointed.
Let’s get cooking
Let’s get cooking
Crispy Instant Pot Carnitas
The perfect tender and juicy carnitas for any dish. Pressure cooked with rich spices and herbs.
The perfect tender and juicy carnitas for any dish. Pressure cooked with rich spices and herbs.
Prep Time:20 mins
Cook Time:25 mins
Total Time:45 mins
Yields:4 Serves
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Ingredients
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2
dried chipotle chili peppers
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1
small onion
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3
garlic cloves
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1.5
lbs heritage breed boneless pork shoulder
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salt and pepper
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1
tbsp grass-fed ghee
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1/4
tsp. salt
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1/2
tsp. ground cumin
Instructions
- To begin, soak the chili peppers in ~ 1 cup hot water and set aside for about 15 mins. Then, chop onions and garlic and add them to a food processor with chili peppers. Pulse until finely chopped and set aside.
- Now, cut pork shoulder into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes. Season pork with a generous amount of salt and pepper. On the Instant Pot, select “Sauté” and use the adjust button to select “normal”. Wait for the Instant Pot to read “HOT” and add ghee to the pot. Sear pork pieces for ~5 minutes on each side until they have formed a brown crust (sear in two batches if necessary depending on the size of your Instant Pot).
- Now, turn off the Instant Pot and pour the processed onions, garlic and chili peppers over the seared pork and stir to combine. Season with salt and ground cumin and stir. Attach the lid onto the Instant Pot, select “Stew/Meat”, and use the +/- button to adjust the time to 15 mins.
- When the cook time is up, allow the steam to release naturally for 10 mins. Then, open the valve to release the rest of the steam. Carefully remove the lid and use two forks to gently shred the pork. Taste and season with more salt if necessary.
- Set the oven to broil “HI”. Now, transfer the shredded pork to a large baking sheet and place under the broiler for 7-10 minutes (turning once). Remove the pork from the oven and serve inside tacos, burritos, enchiladas or with prepped vegetables.
Notes
- To store, transfer any leftover pork to a glass container with a tight lid. Store in the fridge for up to a week. Or, store any extras in freezer bags and freeze for easy and convenient meals.
How can this be cooked in the crockpot?
All you would have to do is brown the meat and put it in the crockpot with the other ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 1/2 hours.