By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On January 15, 2023

If you’ve never tried your hand at making homemade versions of your favorite restaurant dishes, that will change after you make Instant Pot Carnitas.

This instant pot carnitas recipe uses everyday ingredients and it's ready in under and hour.

For another amazing taco recipe idea, try this Instant Pot Salsa Chicken.

Do you love using your instant pot? You'll want to make my Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs. My Instant Pot Mongolian Beef is also simple to make.

Carnitas

Traditional carnitas is typically made with pork roast that you shred after cooking. You can enjoy this carnitas straight from the instant pot, or you can broil it for a few minutes after for a crispier finish.

The pork is marinated in a Latin American-style combination of broth, vinegar, and citrus juices along with a mixture of spices commonly found in taco seasoning.

You can serve this instant pot carnitas with your favorite sides, as a carnitas burrito bowl, or our favorite way - carnitas tacos!

How to make instant pot carnitas

1. Season pork chunks on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. Click the SAUTE setting on the Instant Pot. Add the oil, and half of the pork. Sear on all sides, remove from the instant pot to a bowl, and sear the second half. Return the first half of the seared pork to the instant pot.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together, except the oil, to make the sauce.
4. Add the sauce and stir until the pork is evenly coated. Close lid securely and make sure it locks into place. Select PRESSURE COOK and set the timer for 25 minutes.
5. When the time is up. Press CANCEL and allow the steam to naturally release (about 10 minutes). Transfer the pork to a cutting board.
6. Shred with two forks. For crispier pork carnitas, transfer the shredded pork to a baking sheet and broil in the oven 6-8 minutes, or until the desired crispiness is achieved.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and they are for illustration purposes only. Please see the printable instant pot carnitas recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient quantities.

Tips For Making Instant Pot Carnitas

I used a 6 QT Ultra Instant Pot, for a larger instant pot, add an additional 1 cup of broth to the instant pot before cooking. This will help it come to pressure quicker and prevent burning.

You can use pork roast or pork shoulder to make this traditional pork carnitas.

Trim excess fat from the pork before cutting into chunks.

Don’t discard the juices after cooking in the instant pot. Save the juice to add to the pork while shredding for additional flavor, or for after you broil the pork to add back in some of the moisture.

What is carnitas served with?

Consider serving carnitas in tacos, quesadillas or on a burrito bowl. You can also serve it with grilled fajita veggies like sliced green bell pepper or poblano pepper, onion, and serve it with rice and beans.

If you're gluten free, my Gluten Free Tortillas are simple to make and are perfect with carnitas.

Other staples like tomato salsa, cheese or guacamole and sour cream make great accompaniments. A lime wedge on the side is the perfect way to top off your meal with a squeeze of bright citrus flavor. Serve it with a batch of gluten-free cornbread to give your pork  carnitas meal a bit of Southwestern flair.

This instant pot carnitas recipe is also perfect for anyone who likes to meal prep. You can use any leftover carnitas to make a variety of meals including a carnitas fried rice. It might sound strange, but it's one of our favorite ways to enjoy leftover carnitas.

Did you try this instant pot carnitas recipe? Please let us know how it went for you in a comment below.

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Yield: 12 servings

Instant Pot Carnitas

Print

Easy to make and bursting with flavor, instant pot carnitas is the perfect meal. Serve it as carnitas tacos or your favorite way. This instant pot carnitas recipe uses everyday ingredients and it's ready in under and hour.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs boneless pork roast or pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• salt and cracked pepper
• olive oil for searing the pork
• 1 cup beef stock (or chicken, or veggies stock)
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 large limes, juiced (or ¼ cup lime juice)
• ½ cup orange juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Season pork chunks on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together, except the oil, to make the sauce; set aside.
3. Click the SAUTE setting on the Instant Pot. Add the oil, and half of the pork. Sear on all sides, remove from the instant pot to a bowl, and sear the second half.
4. Return the first half of the seared pork to the instant pot. Add the sauce and stir until the pork is evenly coated.
5. Close lid securely and make sure it locks into place.
6. Select PRESSURE COOK and set the timer for 25 minutes.
7. When the time is up. Press CANCEL and allow the steam to naturally release (about 10 minutes).
8. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Serve hot in tacos, burritos, or in quesadillas.
9. For crispier pork carnitas, transfer the shredded pork to a baking sheet and broil in the oven 6-8 minutes, or until the desired crispiness is achieved.

Notes

• I used a 6 QT Ultra Instant Pot, for a larger instant pot, add an additional 1 cup of broth to the instant pot before cooking. This will help it come to pressure quicker and prevent burning.
• You can use pork roast or pork shoulder to make this traditional pork carnitas.
• Trim excess fat from the pork before cutting into chunks.
• Don’t discard the juices after cooking in the instant pot. Save the juice to add to the pork while shredding for additional flavor, or for after you broil the pork to add back in some of the moisture.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 180mgSodium: 585mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 20g

This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands that I used a the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.