Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe

Instant Pot Carnitas are made with orange juice, spices, and Coke to create deliciously tender little meats that can be used on burritos, tacos, or whatever you like.

Carnitas can be so delicious in a burrito or taco, especially when crisped up a little bit. However, it’s a really long process to make them at home the traditional way, slow cooked in lard. I want to make them as authentic as possible, but I don’t have time to cook them all day in lard. Though I understand that it’s not the traditional way of making carnitas – and some might question if these are actually carnitas – pork can be made in a similar way in the Instant Pot.

Maybe these Instant Pot carnitas shouldn’t be called carnitas because they aren’t being cooked the traditional way, but I do think there’s room for interpretation when cooking and this recipe doesn’t aim to change it up in any way except what is necessary to cook them in a different fashion.

The Coke might seem like a strange addition, but believe me – it’s really integral to the outcome. The acid and sugar really give the carnitas a boost of flavor. Be sure to use the real cane sugar Mexican Coke, if you can find it. Don’t use Coke Zero or Diet Coke as a substitute.

Why You’ll Love It

• Instant Pot carnitas are incredibly versatile – there are endless ways to enjoy it! It can be added to burritos, tacos, and even melted into quesadillas, for a burst of flavor.
• This carnitas recipe isn’t the usual way to make carnitas, but it’s a faster way to get that tasty dish on the table. When you’re short on time, this shortcut lets you enjoy the deliciousness of carnitas without the lengthy cooking process of the traditional method.

Jessica says: So easy and delicious!

» Just looking for an Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Recipe?

Ingredients You’ll Need For Instant Pot Carnitas

• Pork shoulder – I prefer to use boneless pork shoulder for carnitas and cut it into large chunks. You can also use bone-in pork shoulder and leave it whole, though it usually takes longer to cook. Because of it’s high fat content it helps the meat become super tender and juicy.
• Herbs and spices – Salt, black pepper, paprika, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves.
• Garlic
• Orange juice – freshly squeezed from oranges is best – we also put in the orange rinds for more flavor.
• Coke – Original cane sugar Coke for sweetness. This can be substituted with brown sugar and water, if necessary.
• Optional Taco fixings – Corn tortillas, diced onion, fresh cilantro, lime, and jalapeno.

Tips For a Great Outcome

• Be sure to use the real cane sugar Mexican Coke, if you can find it. If you can’t then regular Coke will work. Don’t use Coke Zero or Diet Coke as a substitute.
• Be careful when deglazing the pot. Adding the water to a hot pot will produce very hot steam and can burn your hand. Make sure to turn the Instant Pot off and let it cook for a minute or two before adding the liquid just to be safe.
• Shred the carnitas up into small, bite-sized pieces, then crisp it up either on a pan on the stove, or on a baking sheet under the broiler.

What Pork to Use

As I mentioned, I always use pork shoulder, but you can use pork butt as well. It should have some larger fatty pieces on it. When I buy a pork shoulder, it comes with the skin and fat still in tact. I do remove it from the meat, but I still cook it with the meat.

If you can, buy boneless pork shoulder. It’s easier to cut into pieces. You can buy bone-in, but it will either be harder to remove the meat from the bone, or if you leave it on the bone, it will take longer to cook.

The most authentic way to make carnitas is in lard. However, I don’t cherish the idea of buying a ton of lard just for this purpose. Buying a fatty piece of shoulder is the best way to add more flavor and juiciness to the meat without lard. Cook the fat with the rest of the meat to create juicy and unctuous Mexican carnitas.

How to Make Pork Carnitas

Carnitas are often made in the oven or slow cooker, because they need a lot of time for the meat to break down and become tender. I am going to show you how to cook pork carnitas in the Instant Pot, which is a much faster way to get the same result.

Step One: Brown the Pork

Cut the pork into large chunks, about 4″ square. Mix together the salt, black pepper, paprika, and oregano. Season the pieces well. Turn on sauté mode on the Instant Pot and pour in some cooking oil. Once it’s hot, add in the pork, a few pieces at a time, and brown them on all sides. This takes about 5 minutes per side.

Remove browned pieces to a plate and continue to brown all the pieces until complete.

Step Two: Deglaze the Pot

Turn off the sauté mode let it cool for a minute before pouring in the water. Be careful when you pour as it can be very hot and burn your hand.

Deglazing the pot is very important so you don’t get the burn notice. Using a whisk, remove all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Step Three: Cook the Carnitas

After deglazing, add the pork back to the pot. Add in the rest of the ingredients on top. This includes the orange juice and rind, and Coke. If the meat isn’t at least 3/4 covered, you can add some extra water to get it 3/4 submerged.

Lock on the lid and set the vent to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. If you’re cooking a whole bone-in shoulder, set it for 70 minutes. It will take 10-15 minutes to come up to pressure before it starts to cook.

After the cook time is up, allow the pressure to naturally release. This takes between 10-20 minutes. When the pressure is fully released, remove the lid. You will need to break up the carnitas into small pieces to use it for your tacos or burritos.

What to Use Carnitas For

The pork shoulder comes out fall apart tender, and perfect for carnitas tacos, burritos, or tortas.

There are so many ways you can use the carnitas pork. You can even just serve it by itself. It’s THAT good. Use it on top of a salad, or on a sandwich, or get creative and put on top of poutine, gnocchi, sweet potatoes, etc.

For carnitas tacos, I shred the meat up into small, bite-sized pieces, then crisp it up either on a pan on the stove, or on a baking sheet under the broiler. Top it with some sliced onions, cilantro, and limes.

For just a couple of servings, the pan works just fine. Add a little oil and heat on high. Then add the meat and allow it to brown without moving it for around 30 seconds per side.

Questions About the Recipe

Like this recipe? We’d love for you to share it on your Pinterest boards! Click to follow our Pinterest boards so you can find all our recipes! You can also find us on Facebook!