Instant Pot® Recipes

Instant Pot® Carnitas

Traditional Mexican carnitas are not shredded. They are cubes of pork that are fried in the fat they render. Regardless of how you cut the meat, this Instant Pot® recipe will set you on the right path to delicious, crispy carnitas. Carnitas can be used to make tamales, tacos, etc. I personally like them tossed in a creamy sauce and used for a burro filling.

Instant Pot® Carnitas recipe

Equipment

  • Instant Pot®

Ingredients

Avocado Salsa

  • 2 cups premade green salsa
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 2 handsful cilantro/onions (for topping)

Carnitas

  • 1 (7 pound) pork shoulder or butt
  • 1 large brown or white onion , cut into wedges
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1 small head garlic, smashed
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano (or Mexican oregano)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin (comino)
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 3/4 cup cola
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions

Avocado Salsa

  1. Place salsa and avocados in food processor until it is a smooth consistency.

Carnitas

  1. Remove bone from pork and cut into 2-inch strips
  2. Save the water for the pot.
  3. Blend all other ingredients and marinate pork in mixture for 1 hour.
  4. Put all ingredients into Instant Pot® liner for 90 minutes, then quick release.
  5. Remove from Instant Pot, discard bay leaves, shred pork and brown it on a hot griddle or in a pan.*
  6. Place on heated tortillas and top with cilantro/onion mixture and avocado salsa.

Notes

To crisp in the oven: Transfer the pork to a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking oil spray (or lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper). Pour 1 ladle full (about 1 cup) of the liquid from the Instant Pot® over the pork to season. Broil for 5 to 10 minutes on high heat until the meat becomes golden browned and crispy on the edges.

To crisp on the stove: Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick pan or cast iron skillet over high heat. When pan is hot, add drained pork in batches of two or three, and sear until just beginning to crisp.



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