Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
This moist and tender Instant Pot Pork Carnitas recipe can be enjoyed all year round in a fraction of the time…
Ingredients
PORK
- 3 lbs. boneless pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 tbsp. canola oil, or as needed and divided tips & tricks
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 2 medium jalapeño peppers, ribs and seeds removed, and chopped
- 5 to 6 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup orange juice
- ½ cup Coca-Cola
- 3 to 4 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice tips & tricks
- 2 large bay leaves
RUB
- 1 tbsp. ground cumin
- ½ tbsp. ancho chili powder (substitute chili powder)
- ½ tbsp. dried oregano leaves
- 1 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp. freshly ground mixed peppercorns, or to taste
Directions
- In a bowl, combine all the rub ingredients. Whisk until well blended and set aside.
- In a bowl, add the pork chunks and pour in 2 tbsp. canola oil, enough to lightly coat. Sprinkle on half of the rub and mix well. Add the remaining rub and toss to coat.
- On the Instant Pot control panel, press the “Sear/Sauté” setting, and press it again to switch from ‘Medium’ to ‘High’. Add 2 tbsp. oil, swirl it around, and when temperature is reached, it will display ‘Hot’.
- Working in batches, sauté meat pieces on all sides. Transfer to a bowl while browning the remaining chunks – add more oil if needed.
- Add onion pieces, jalapeño peppers, and garlic; sauté for 30 seconds. Add orange juice, Coca-Cola, lime juice and bay leaves; stir well, scraping the bottom of the inner pot to dislodge any brown bits.
- Return the meat, including any accumulated juices, place the lid on, and lock it, making sure the vent knob is turned to ‘Sealing’.
- On the control panel, cancel previous function (sear-sauté), and hit the ‘Pressure Cook’; press until it indicates ‘High’. Set the timer for 30 minutes, using the minus/plus button.
- When time is up, allow the steam to release naturally for 10 minutes (don’t touch anything else).
- When the silver or red float valve goes down, using a folded towel, turn the release handle to let the stem escape.
- When there’s no more steam coming out from the top, unlock and remove the lid.
- Transfer meat pieces into a large bowl, and shred it using two forks.
- Place the shredded meat onto a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish, spreading it out evenly, and add about 1/3 of reserved liquid from the Instant Pot.
- Transfer under the broiler and cook for 5 minutes, or until the edges start to caramelize and get crispy.
- Remove from the heat, and add 1 cup of reserved liquid. Flip meat over, making sure there is no darker meat facing up, and return under the broiler for another 5 minutes.
- When time is up, transfer meat to a bowl, pour on the remaining liquid from the baking sheet/dish and mix well. Serve in tacos, bowls, burritos, quesadillas, or on nachos.