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A bowl of pork carnitas

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.

Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot

4.98 from 38 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Pressurize Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 236 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 2.5 pound (1 kg) boneless pork shoulder cut into large chunks
  • 2 tablespoons (36 g) salt divided
  • 1 tablespoon (9 g) Spanish paprika
  • 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup (118 ml) water
  • 2 teaspoons (4 g) dried Mexican oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 oranges juiced (or 1/2 cup orange juice)
  • 12 ounces (340 g) Coke sugar cane version, if possible
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions
 

  • Pat dry the pork pieces with a paper towel. Mix together half the salt, paprika and black pepper. Season the pork well.
  • Turn on sauté mode on your Instant Pot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot, add pork pieces and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and add more pieces until all are browned. Turn off saute mode. Transfer all pork to a plate.
  • Pour the water into the pot and deglaze with a whisk to remove all browned bits.
  • Transfer the pork back to the pot.
  • Add in the remaining salt, oregano, garlic, orange juice and orange rinds, Coke and bay leaves to the pot.
  • Lock on the lid and set the vent to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes (70 minutes if cooking bone-in whole roast). When done, allow for a natural pressure release.
  • Remove the pork from the braising liquid and shred it into small pieces to use however you wish.

Notes

  • 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.
  • Be careful when deglazing the pot. Adding the water to a hot pot will produce very hot steam and can burn your hand.
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 33gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 1825mgPotassium: 646mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 527IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Pork
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