Instant Pot Carnitas
These Instant Pot carnitas are juicy, tender, and packed with flavor from fresh citrus and aromatics, then crisped under the broiler until golden brown.
Ingredients
For the Pork
- 5 lbs pork shoulder (Boston butt roast), bone-in
- 3 lbs pork belly, skin-on
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
Citrus Blend
- ½ cup fresh orange juice, reserve 2 peel halves
- ½ white onion, roughly diced
- 1½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 4 cloves
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 cup water, divided
Aromatics
- 1 head garlic, end trimmed off
- 3 bay leaves
Serve as Tacos
- Corn tortillas, hot
- White onion, diced
- Cilantro, chopped
- Lime, wedges
- Mexican salsa
Instructions
Prepare the Citrus Blend
- After juicing the oranges, reserve 2 orange peel halves. Add the orange juice, onion, oregano, peppercorns, thyme, cloves, salt, and 1/2 cup water to a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
Prepare the Pork
- Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks, cutting around the bone. Reserve the bone.
- Remove the skin from the pork belly and cut it into large squares. Cut the remaining pork belly into similarly sized chunks.
Brown the Pork
- Set an 8-quart Instant Pot to HIGH SAUTÉ and allow it to preheat. Add the avocado oil.
- Working in batches, brown the pork shoulder on 2 sides. Avoid overcrowding the pot. As each batch is ready, remove it from the Instant Pot and transfer it to a large dish.
- Following the same process, brown the bone and pork belly pieces. Do not brown the pork skin.
- Press CANCEL when finished.
Pressure Cook
- Return all the pork to the Instant Pot, including the pork skin and bone. Pour in the blended citrus blend.
- Pour the remaining 1/2 cup water into the blender, swirl to gather any remaining mixture, and pour it into the pot. Add the garlic, bay leaves, and reserved orange peel halves.
- Secure the lid and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 40 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release, then carefully quick release the remaining pressure.
- Press CANCEL and remove the lid. The carnitas should be very tender.
Crisp the Carnitas
- Transfer only the pork to a sheet pan and spread it into an even layer. Leave the pieces whole for now to help prevent them from drying out.
- Broil on HIGH for 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the carnitas to become golden brown and crisp up a bit. Watch closely, as broilers vary and occasional grease popping may occur.
- Remove from the oven and shred the pork.
Serve as Tacos
- Serve in hot corn tortillas with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, your favorite salsa, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Notes
Disclaimer: Use your Instant Pot according to the manufacturer's instructions and safety recommendations.
Nutritional information is calculated for the carnitas only and does not include tortillas or toppings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SERVINGCalories: 790kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 33gFat: 71gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 159mgSodium: 1289mgPotassium: 647mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 48IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and intended as an approximation only.