Instant Pot Carnitas

Name: Instant Pot Carnitas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: ½-1 tablespoon cumin (optional); 3 teaspoons smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon salt & pepper (or a pinch); 3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder or butt; 1 large onions; 5 cloves garlic; 1 cup orange juice; 1 lime juice

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You will love this simple Instant Pot Carnitas recipe. It’s juicy, flavourful, and tender! In addition, it is a super easy and versatile recipe! Great for meal prepping, a quick dinner, or for freezing for later.

Pressure Cooker Carnitas

So what are carnitas? Carnitas is braised or roasted pork served shredded in small pieces. They are often used as a filling in tacos, burritos, etc. You may even recognize it on the Chipotle menu!

Carnitas are quite easy to make – even easier if you have an Instant Pot! As recommended by the official Instant Pot website, pork is cooked for 15 minutes per pound, so this recipe only takes 45 minutes to “braise” in the Instant Pot. If you have a smaller piece of pork, it would take even less time!

What I love about these Instant Pot Carnitas is that when a batch is made, they can be used in many ways. Having a batch in the fridge can make mealtime much easier. Serve it with some tortillas, over nachos, in a salad, over rice, and more!

What You Need To Make This Instant Pot Carnitas

seasoning — smoked paprika, chili powder, dried basil, dried oregano, salt & pepper.
pork — I recommend using pork shoulder or pork butt. You want there to be fat on the meat so the pork doesn’t dry out as it slowly cooks. Skip the pork loin or tenderloin when making carnitas. The fat keeps the pork juicy and moist!
onion & garlic — aromatics are always a must!
orange juice — orange juice adds natural sweetness to the carnitas and helps balance out the flavor. I recommend freshly squeezed orange juice to ensure it’s just pure orange juice.
lime

Instant Pot Carnitas - an easy and versatile recipe! Great for meal prepping, a quick dinner, or to freeze for later.

How To Make This Easy Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe

Mix together all your spices and rub onto the pork.
Place the pork into the Instant pot, then onions, garlic, 1 cup of orange juice, and the juice of one lime.
Press the “manual” button and set Instant Pot to high pressure for 45 minutes.

Quick release, remove the pork, and shred. Place the meat back into the IP and put it on sauté mode and let the juices thicken and coat the meat more.
Optional: Using a slotted spoon, place the shredded pork onto a sheet pan and put some of the liquids on before placing it under the broiler for 5 minutes to crisp it up.

Don’t have a pressure cooker? Try this slow cooker carnitas recipe.

Serving Ideas

Need some ideas of what to serve with your instant pot carnitas?

avocado — sliced avocado or guacamole
cheese
onions — sliced, diced, or pickled
jalapeño
shredded cheese or queso fresco
sour cream or crema
cilantro
lime wedges
salsa
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
salsa or pico de gallo (try this avocado corn salsa or pineapple salsa)
air fryer tortilla chips
Instant Pot basmati rice with butter and garlic
Instant Pot cilantro lime rice
Stovetop cilantro lime rice

Are Instant Pot carnitas Whole30 friendly?

Yes! The carnitas themselves are Whole30 friendly – you can also use lettuce wraps as a sub for tortilla shells if you want them taco style!

How do I store leftovers?

To store the leftover crockpot carnitas, allow the pork to cool to room temperature and then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Tips for Freezing Carnitas

You can prepare carnitas as a freezer meal by adding the seasoned pork, onion, and garlic to a large freezer-friendly ziptop bag. When ready to enjoy, thaw it overnight and add it to your pressure cooker alongside the orange and lime juice.
Alternatively, you can cook your carnitas in a large batch and then freeze the cooked carnitas. Make sure you use an airtight container or press all the air out of the Ziploc to avoid freezer burn. To reheat and crisp the carnitas back up, place thawed meat in the oven for around 20 minutes.