• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Ebook!Subscribe to updates & get a recipe book!

Subscribe & Receive My Free Recipe Ebook!

The Chunky Chef

Comforting Family Recipes

  • All Recipes
  • Learn to Cook
  • Shop
    • My eBooks
    • Favorite Products
  • About
  • Contact
  • Trending:

    Slow Cooker

    Easy Dinners

    Desserts

    My Saved Recipe Box
  • Browse By:
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Sides
    • Drinks
    • Desserts
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Sandwiches
    • Healthy-ish
  • Ingredient
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Pork
    • Turkey
    • Seafood
    • Meatless
    • Pasta
  • Cuisine
    • Asian
    • Italian
    • Mexican
    • Hawaiian
    • Middle Eastern
    • Comfort Food
  • Method
    • One Pot
    • Crockpot
    • Instant Pot
    • Oven
    • Fried
    • Grilling/BBQ
  • Trending:

    Slow Cooker

    Easy Dinners

    Desserts

Home / Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Instant Pot Carnitas

5
/5
1 hour 35 minutes
8 Comments
Jump to Recipe Print Pin
By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 04/19/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This recipe for Instant Pot Carnitas has perfectly seasoned and ultra tender pork with plenty of crispy bits for texture. So easy to make, and perfect for taco night, meal-prep, nachos and more! #carnitas #mexican #pork #pulledpork
This recipe for Instant Pot Carnitas has perfectly seasoned and ultra tender pork with plenty of crispy bits for texture. So easy to make, and perfect for taco night, meal-prep, nachos and more! #carnitas #mexican #pork #pulledpork
This recipe for Instant Pot Carnitas has perfectly seasoned and ultra tender pork with plenty of crispy bits for texture. So easy to make, and perfect for taco night, meal-prep, nachos and more! #carnitas #mexican #pork #pulledpork
This recipe for Instant Pot Carnitas has perfectly seasoned and ultra tender pork with plenty of crispy bits for texture. So easy to make, and perfect for taco night, meal-prep, nachos and more! #carnitas #mexican #pork #pulledpork

This recipe for Instant Pot Carnitas has perfectly seasoned and ultra tender pork with plenty of crispy bits for texture. So easy to make, and perfect for taco night, meal-prep, nachos and more!

This is one of my Instant Pot recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!

three pork carnitas tacos on a white plate
Pin this recipe for later!

I’ve had a version of pork carnitas on the website for years (since 2015!), but I thought it was high time I get an Instant Pot version on here! Especially since that’s the only way I’ve been making them lately.

Instead of having to get up earlier to get everything in the slow cooker and then being tortured by the amazing smell all day, these carnitas are ready in a fraction of the time!

It may not fit in your weeknight dinner time-frame, since let’s face it, weeknights are pretty hectic for most of us. However, this recipe can absolutely be made ahead of time, and they’re fabulous for a weekend meal.

Even better, make them and invite some family or friends over to enjoy them with you! Serve up some classic margaritas and Mexican rice and have a great fiesta-style party.

There are a lot of step by step photos for this recipe, but let me assure you, it’s not because it’s a complicated recipe. There are just several steps and I wanted to really illustrate those.

I promise you, this is a recipe you can absolutely pull off, and it’s a meal that is sure to impress just about anyone!

How to make pork carnitas in the Instant Pot?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

step by step how to make cooking liquid for carnitas image collage
  1. Add all cooking liquid ingredients (except the beer!) to a bowl.
step by step how to sear pork for carnitas - image collage
  1. Season pork, really rubbing it into the meat.
  2. Sear pork in the Instant Pot in Saute mode. Do this in batches, and set aside on a plate.
step by step how to pressure cook pork for pork carnitas - image collage
  1. Deglaze with beer. Add the beer to the pot and scrape with a wooden spoon to get all those browned bits from the pork off the bottom of the pot.
  2. Pour in cooking liquid.
  3. Return pork to pot.
  4. Cook. Pressure cook for 45 minutes, NPR for 15 minutes, then QR to release any remaining pressure.
  5. Shred pork.
step by step how to broil pork for crispy carnitas - image collage
  1. Add pork to baking sheet and toss with a bit of the liquid from the pot.
  2. Broil. Then stir.
  3. Add a bit more liquid from the pot, stir, then broil again to crisp.
  4. Serve!

Helpful Tip!

If at all possible, don’t skip the broiling step. It adds amazing texture and flavor, as well as being a bit more traditional. You can also sear the pork in a hot skillet with some oil.

crispy pork carnitas

Variations of this recipe

  • Alcohol-free – I really think the beer adds fantastic flavor to the pork, but if you can’t use alcohol, an equal amount of chicken or beef broth would work.
  • No sear – since the broiling step adds crispness and color, searing isn’t 100% necessary. I still like to do it, as it does add flavor, but if you need to skip a step, it will still taste delicious.
  • Chicken – chicken breasts or thighs can be used in place of the pork.
  • Salsa options – I love the sweet spiciness of the pineapple salsa, but these carnitas are great with any salsa you’d like! Pico de gallo, salsa verde, red salsa, etc.
  • Serving options – normally we serve these taco-style, in either flour or corn tortillas, but carnitas are amazing in burritos, taco bowls, taco salads, quesadillas, in a salad, as the meat in nachos, etc.
carnitas tacos with pineapple salsa on white plate

FAQ’s

What’s the best pork to use for carnitas?

Traditionally it’s made using a very tough cut of meat, like a pork shoulder or pork butt. You’re welcome to use a pork shoulder for this recipe, but we normally use a boneless pork loin. Not the tenderloin, the bigger loin. It’s not as marbled with fat, which is why we do recommend searing it in a bit of fat (vegetable oil). I promise, it’s not dry at all!

My pork isn’t tender enough to shred. What happened?

It’s a common misconception that when meat is tender after pressure cooking or slow cooking, it means it was overcooked. Most of the time, it’s actually because it needed to cook a bit longer. Since all pressure cookers will cook a little differently, pork loins may be slightly different in size, etc, if you try to shred the pork and it doesn’t want to pull apart, keep cooking it a bit longer.

How do I top carnitas tacos?

You can add anything you’d like! Crumbled Cotija cheese, Mexican crema, onion, cilantro, salsa, jalapeno, basically anything you’d put on a taco. Normally, we just add some red onion and chopped cilantro… but once we tried it with pineapple salsa, we fell in love. The flavors really go so well together!

Pineapple Salsa

step by step how to make pineapple salsa for carnitas image collage

Making this pineapple salsa is super simple, and can absolutely be made ahead of time. It has that amazing sweet/spicy flavor combination that works really well with the spiced pork.

You can also tweak it to your tastes by adjusting the amount of jalapeno, red onion, spices, etc. Use it as a guide and truly make it your own!

Making carnitas ahead of time

I love making these pork carnitas one day, and serving the next. It makes dinner the next day ready in a snap!

Just cook the pork, shred it, but don’t broil it. Add the cooking liquid from the Instant Pot and the shredded pork to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.

Then just reheat and broil!

crispy edges of pork carnitas on baking sheet

Freezing

The pulled pork in this recipe freezes beautifully! Just add the pork to freezer safe containers, with the cooking liquid, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then heat and broil as directed.

To reheat, I like to add the pork to a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes, until hot. You can also microwave the pork if you prefer.

Storage

Leftover carnitas can be stored with plenty of cooking liquid in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Other Great Instant Pot Recipes:

crack chicken chili in pressure cooker
Instant Pot “Crack” Chicken Chili
white bowl filled with rice, broccoli and sesame chicken
Instant Pot Sesame Chicken
beef barbacoa
Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa
shredded mexican chicken
Instant Pot Shredded Mexican Chicken
instant pot

My Favorite Instant Pot!

I love this model’s features like a completely flat bottom insert, as well as a locking insert, making stirring super easy. Plus, it automatically switches to sealing when you lock the lid!

Get on amazon
three shredded pork tacos

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

three pork carnitas tacos on a white plate

Instant Pot Carnitas

5 from 6 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Calories: 413
Servings: 8 servings
(hover over # to adjust)
Print Rate Pin
This recipe for Instant Pot Carnitas has perfectly seasoned and ultra tender pork with plenty of crispy bits for texture.

Ingredients

Meat/Seasoning

  • 2 tsp packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 4 lbs boneless pork loin cut into 2 inch pieces (pork shoulder may also be used)
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil

Cooking Liquid

  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 12 oz Mexican beer (like Modelo)

Pineapple Salsa (optional)

  • 2 1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple
  • 1/3 cup minced red onion
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno minced
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder regular chili powder can be substituted
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Instructions

Make Pineapple Salsa (if making)

  • Add all pineapple salsa ingredients to a bowl, and stir to combine.  Cover and refrigerate while you cook the pork.

Whisk Cooking Liquid

  • Whisk all cooking liquid ingredients (except beer) together in a separate mixing bowl and set aside.

Cook the Pork

  • Mix brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, oregano, basil, and coriander in a small bowl.
  • Season pork pieces with seasoning mix, rubbing it into the meat.
  • Select “Saute” on the Instant Pot, and add oil.  Once hot, add half the pork pieces and sear for 1-2 minutes per side.  Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining pork pieces, adding more oil if needed.
  • Select “Cancel”.  Pour in beer, using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits.  Once there are not browned bits left on the bottom of the pot, pour in the sauce you whisked together earlier.
  • Add seared pork pieces, along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate, and give a quick toss to coat.
  • Secure lid and select “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” and hit the +/- buttons until you select 45 minutes.
  • Once pressure cooking time has elapsed, don’t do anything and let the pot naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes, then turn the knob to release any remaining pressure.

Crisp the Edges

  • While pork is cooking, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside.
  • Remove lid and shred pork.
  • Preheat broiler on HIGH and move an oven rack to be about 6 inches from the heat.
  • Spread shredded pork on prepared baking sheet and toss with about 1/4 cup of the cooking juices from inside the Instant Pot.
  • Broil for 4-5 minutes, until edges of the pork start to brown.  Remove from oven and add another 1/4-1/3 cup of the juice and stir.
  • Broil another 4-5 minutes, until edges are browned and crispy.

To Serve

  • To serve, add carnitas to a charred tortilla (flour or corn), and top with a bit of pineapple salsa and a sprinkle of minced fresh cilantro.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

To make in the Slow Cooker follow the recipe, but with the following changes.

  1. Halve all the cooking liquid ingredients.
  2. Sear the pork in a skillet on the stovetop.
  3. Deglaze the skillet with beer, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen those browned bits, and add the contents of the skillet, seared pork, cooking liquid, etc. to the slow cooker insert.
  4. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for about 4 hours, until pork is easily shredded.

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!
Tag on Insta! Leave a Rating Save for Later Saved!

You May Also Like...

  • Tender shredded chicken, smothered in the most mouthwatering Mexican sauce made from salsa, green chiles, tomatoes and plenty of bold spices!  Perfect pantry meal, and can be used for so many things (tacos, enchiladas, etc). #chicken #mexican #salsa #shredded #instantpot #pressurecooker #slowcooker #crockpot #cincodemayo #taconight
    Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken
  • This Instant Pot Sesame Chicken is ready in about 20 minutes.  Tender chicken pieces coated in a glorious sweet sesame sauce with a little kick of spice, better than any takeout! #chicken #sesamechicken #asianchicken #instantpot #pressurecooker #sesame #sweetnspicy #dinner #easyrecipe #chickenrecipe
    Instant Pot Sesame Chicken
  • This hearty, old-fashioned chicken and dumplings recipe is always a family-pleasing meal and is ready quickly which makes it a great weeknight dinner option! #chicken #dumplings #chickenanddumplings #instantpot #pressurecooker #weeknight #easyrecipe #dinner
    Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
  • The most incredibly tender pulled pork, made easily in an hour in the Instant Pot!  With just 4 ingredients, it's perfect to throw together for dinner with minimal effort! | #pork #pulledpork #bbq #instantpot #pressurecookerrecipes #easyrecipe
    Instant Pot Pulled Pork (4 ingredients)
Previous Post
Next Post

Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

Learn More

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question, comment, or review below.

Recipe Rating




  1. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

    Posted on 4/22 at 6:42 am

    Get in my belly! This Instant Pot Carnitas looks so good!

    Reply
  2. Beth says

    Posted on 4/21 at 5:11 pm

    We can’t get enough of these carnitas! So delicious and very tasty! My family loves this recipe! Definitely making these again very soon!

    Reply
  3. Beti | easyweeknightrecipes says

    Posted on 4/21 at 1:05 pm

    I can’t wait try these Pork Carnitas! They look and sound incredibly delicious!! YUM!

    Reply
  4. katerina @ diethood.com says

    Posted on 4/21 at 1:04 pm

    Pork Carnitas are a family favorite! I have to try this amazing recipe asap!!

    Reply
  5. Amanda Livesay says

    Posted on 4/21 at 8:51 am

    The pineapple salsa goes perfectly with the crispy pork! Everything was delicious.

    Reply
  6. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says

    Posted on 4/20 at 7:53 pm

    I just wrote “boneless pork loin” on the grocery list, based on your recipe!

    Reply
  7. Patricia @ Grab a Plate says

    Posted on 4/20 at 10:47 am

    Pork carnitas is a favorite in my home! This is a great recipe for getting it together quickly and with big flavor!

    Reply
  8. Connie says

    Posted on 4/20 at 9:58 am

    This sounds amazing. I am so glad to recommended the name of the beer you used. I do not drink beer and never know which one to use in recipes. This will be a great recipe when company comes to visit. Love your blog and the many wonderful recipes. ThanIs for sharing.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

welcome!

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

New! Save Recipes To Your Own Account!

Free eBook!

Subscribe & receive my most popular recipes compiled into an easy ebook format!

download now!

Subscribe & Receive My Free Recipe Ebook!

Game Day Recipes!

These crowd-pleasing tender meatballs are smothered in a super flavorful honey garlic bbq sauce.  Perfect for parties, this crockpot meatball recipe couldn't be more simple to make! #meatballs #crockpot #slowcooker #honeygarlic #bbq #appetizer #party #honey #garlic #easyrecipe

Honey Garlic Crockpot Meatballs

2 hours 5 minutes

Smooth and silky queso dip, made using NO velveeta!  Packed with flavor, yet so easy to make, and party ready in just 20 minutes! #queso #dip #cheese #mexican #appetizer #party #cincodemayo #easyrecipe

Queso Dip Recipe

20 minutes

Creamy, cheesy, and oh so addicting, this bacon cheeseburger dip is just like your favorite gooey cheeseburger... but in a party-ready dip form! #bacon #gameday #cheesy #cheeseburger #party #appetizer #dip #easyrecipe

Creamy Bacon Cheeseburger Dip

32 minutes

Insanely tasty chicken wing recipe, dry rubbed, then hickory smoked to perfection.  And don't forget the homemade bourbon bbq sauce! #chickenwings #wingrecipe #smoked #smoker #smokedchickenwings #bourbon #bbq #crispy

Bourbon BBQ Smoked Chicken Wings

3 hours

This easy game day appetizer combines classic buffalo wing flavors with cool creaminess in an easy dip made in the crockpot. Perfect for any party, serve it up with chips or celery sticks and watch everyone go back for seconds!

Buffalo Chicken Dip (Crockpot Recipe)

2 hours 10 minutes

Chicken Taco Mexican Pinwheels | These pinwheels are filled with a creamy chicken taco filling, which is easily customizable, and rolled up to make a perfect appetizer or party food! | http://thechunkychef.com

Chicken Taco Mexican Pinwheels

15 minutes

More Holiday Recipes >

Who doesn’t love free stuff?

Who doesn't love free stuff? Get an ad-free ebook of my most popular recipes, plus be the FIRST to know about new things coming to the site!

Looking for something?

As Seen On…

Stay Connected

subscribe to get new posts via email:

Quick & Easy

Dinner Favorites

Hearty and positively soul-warming, this beef barley soup simmers all day in the slow cooker, which makes for an incredibly rich soup recipe! #beefbarley #soup #slowcooker #crockpot #comfortfood #barley #beefsoup #easyrecipe #dinner
M

Crockpot Beef Barley Soup

white bowl of chicken and dumplings
T

Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings

HONEY GARLIC SALMON - Succulent and tender salmon filets cooked in a mouthwatering simple honey garlic sauce, then broiled until sticky and caramelized.  Made with simple ingredients, in one pan, and in just 20 minutes! #salmon #honeygarlic #onepan #easyrecipe #dinner #seafood #fish
W

Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon

Light and filling, this Italian Wedding Soup is perfectly delicious comfort food, all year round.  Made in one pan, and ready in 30 minutes, this recipe is great for a weeknight meal! #soup #souprecipe #Italianweddingsoup #onepot #30minutemeal #weeknight #dinner #easyrecipe #homemaderecipe
R

Italian Wedding Soup

This Honey Garlic Chicken is one incredible weeknight dinner idea. Juicy chicken coated and cooked with a glorious sauce made with soy, hoisin, garlic, honey and more! Toss it all in the slow cooker and let it do the work for you! #dinner #chicken #asian #honey #garlic #honeygarlic #easyrecipe #weeknight #slowcooker #crockpot
F

Honey Garlic Chicken

S

Swedish Meatballs

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window
free e-book!

Download MY Free Recipe eBook!

Subscribe & receive my most popular recipes compiled into an easy ebook format!

get my copy!

Subscribe & Receive My Free Recipe Ebook!

As Featured On:

Back to Top

Recipes

Dinners

Appetizers

Desserts

Slow Cooker

Learn to Cook

Start Here

Tips & Tricks

e-Cookbook

Easy Recipes

  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Privacy
  • Contact
© 2023 The Chunky Chef
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top