Enter these Instant Pot Carnitas! They are easy, crispy yet juicy, flavorful, and a huge crowd-pleaser. Quick-cooking shredded pork, braised in orange juice and flavored with Mexican spices. Then stuffed into warmed corn tortillas to make super delicious crispy carnitas tacos. Serve these tacos with hot and juicy pico de gallo salsa and lime wedges. It’s incredible.
Start off by adding the pork shoulder cubes and fat to the Instant Pot inner pot. Pour in the orange juice, and add the seasonings. Let marinate for 20 minutes and then set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. Once that is done, release the pressure, transfer the pork shoulder cubes to a baking sheet, drizzle with the cooking liquid, and broil until crisp all around. To build the tacos, layer the pork shoulder cubes and pico de gallo in warm corn tortillas. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
To make the Instant Pot Carnitas, you will need the following ingredients:
To the Instant Pot inner pot, place the pork shoulder cubes and reserved fat. Season generously with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Add in 4 crushed garlic cloves, 1 chopped onion, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and juice from 1 orange. Mix well and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
Pour in 200 milliliters unsalted chicken stock. Close the lid and cook at High Pressure for 30 minutes. Then allow 15 minutes for natural release. Move the Venting Knob from Sealing Position to Venting Position to release the remaining pressure, and open the lid.
Preheat the broiler or toaster oven to 450 °F.
Place the pork shoulder cubes onto a baking sheet. Taste the meat and add salt to the cooking liquid if needed. If the cooking liquid isn’t mostly fat, mix ¼ a cup cooking liquid with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and drizzle over each piece of pork. This will protect the meat from drying out and allow the surface to crisp faster.
Place the pork shoulder cubes under a broiler or the top rack of the toaster oven and broil until the surface is crisped, about 8-10 minutes. Flip the pork shoulder cubes, drizzle with more cooking liquid, and place in the oven again until crisped all around.
Warm the corn tortillas while the pork is browning in the oven.
Serve hot on top of the warmed corn tortillas with a spoonful of pico de gallo and lime wedges. Enjoy!
These Instant Pot Carnitas are loaded with bright Mexican flavors. Crispy yet juicy pork and hot pico de gallo stuffed into corn tortillas will definitely make for a delicious dinner. Give this recipe a go, and please come back to leave a comment below with your thoughts.
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