Instant Pot Crispy Pork Carnitas
These Instant Pot Crispy Pork Carnitas are fall-apart tender on the inside with irresistibly crispy edges. Packed with bold, citrusy flavor and ready in a fraction of the time, they’re perfect for tacos, burritos, and rice bowls.
Best Carnitas
If you love pork and are short on time, this Instant Pot recipe is about to be your new best friend! I’ll be honest – I don’t use my Instant Pot for everything, but for certain recipes it’s an absolute game changer. Think beef roast, rice, quinoa, steel cut oats, and hard-boiled eggs. And now? This pork is officially on that list!
That being said, if I have time and patience, it’s really hard to beat our Smoked Pork Butt Recipe. The smoky flavor is unmatched!
Reasons to love Crispy Pork Carnitas:
- Short on time – the Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting in a fraction of the time
- Incredibly flavorful – tender, juicy pork with bold, smoky seasoning in every bite
- Versatile – perfect for tacos, burrito bowls, salads, nachos, and more
- Feeds a crowd – great for meal prep, family dinners, or your next gathering
Ingredients Used:
- Avocado Oil – Used to sear the pork shoulder.
- Pork Shoulder – If you purchase a larger pork shoulder, you can freeze whatever you don’t use.
- Dry Rub – This is a rub I use on many of my grilled recipes and convenient to keep in the pantry.
- The liquid – Just use a simple combo of freshly squeezed lime juice and orange juice, and chicken broth.
How to make Instant Pot Crispy Pork Carnitas:
Step 1
Cube the pork shoulder. Slice the pork into 2-3 inch cubes, removing some of the fat as you go. Discard the shoulder bone.
Step 2
Prep the spice rub. Combine the brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder in a small mixing bowl. Stir well.
Pro-Tip: Make my large-batch dry rub, and keep it on hand for all the things, including:
Step 3
Marinate the meat. Massage the spice rub into the pork, and let it sit at room temperature, about an hour.
Step 4
Sauté pork. Start your instant pot on the sauté function. Add avocado oil and sear the pork on all sides, flipping as it browns. You will need to do this in two batches.
Step 5
Add liquids. Then add the lime juice and orange juice to the instant pot. Add chicken broth until meat is covered.
Step 6
Pressure Cook. Place lid on the instant pot and close vent. Select the Pressure Cooker button and adjust time to 50 minutes. After 50 minutes, let the IP do a natural release for 15 minutes. Then open vent and let the remaining steam escape. Open lid and remove pork to a clean dish.
Step 7
Shred the pork. Let the pork cool for about 15 minutes and then shred.
Step 8
Crisp the pork. When ready to serve, arrange a single layer of shredded pork on a large sheet pan. Add some of the broth drippings, and broil for about five minutes or until crispy. Add chopped cilantro if desired.
Step 9
Serve. We love serving carnitas in a variety of ways.
Ways to serve Crispy Carnitas:
- Tacos – Serve in soft corn or flour tortillas with salsa, onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
- Burritos – Wrap carnitas with rice, beans, cheese, and veggies for a hearty meal.
- Bowls – Layer over rice or quinoa with beans, roasted veggies, avocado, and a drizzle of lime crema.
- Quesadillas – Add carnitas and cheese between tortillas, then grill until crispy.
- Nachos – Top tortilla chips with carnitas, melted cheese, jalapeños, and guacamole.
- Sandwiches or Sliders – Pile carnitas on a bun with pickled onions and slaw.
- Salads – Add warm carnitas to a bed of greens for a protein-packed, flavorful salad.
- Breakfast Hash – Mix carnitas with potatoes, peppers, and eggs for a savory morning meal.
Storing and Freezing:
- Store leftover carnitas in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Store shredded pork with some of the cooking juices in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs:
Pork shoulder (also called pork butt) is ideal because it has enough fat to stay tender and flavorful under pressure.
After shredding the pork, spread it on a baking sheet, drizzle with some cooking juices, and broil for 3–5 minutes until the edges are golden and crispy.
Yes! Cook and shred the pork in advance, then crisp it under the broiler right before serving.
Citrus (often orange juice), garlic, and simple seasonings combined with slow cooking create that rich, slightly tangy flavor.
xoxo ~Sue
Instant Pot Crispy Pork Carnitas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 4-5 pounds boneless pork shoulder – cut into 3-inch cubes
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 medium oranges – freshly squeezed
- 2 large limes – freshly squeezed
- 4 cups lower-sodium chicken broth – or more to cover pork
Instructions
- Cube the pork shoulder. Slice the pork into 2-3 inch cubes, removing some of the fat as you go. Discard the shoulder bone.4-5 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- Prep the spice rub. Combine the brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder in a small mixing bowl. Stir well.Pro-Tip: Make my large-batch dry rub, and keep it on hand for all the things, including:3 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Marinate the meat. Massage the spice rub into the pork, and let it sit at room temperature, about an hour.
- Sauté pork. Start your instant pot on the sauté function. Add avocado oil and sear the pork on all sides, flipping as it browns. You will need to do this in two batches.2 Tablespoons avocado oil
- Add liquids. Then add the lime juice and orange juice to the instant pot. Add chicken broth until meat is covered.2 medium oranges, 2 large limes, 4 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
- Pressure Cook. Place lid on the instant pot and close vent. Select the Pressure Cooker button and adjust time to 50 minutes. After 50 minutes, let the IP do a natural release for 15 minutes. Then open vent and let the remaining steam escape. Open lid and remove pork to a clean dish.
- Shred the pork. Let the pork cool for about 15 minutes and then shred.
- Crisp the pork. When ready to serve, arrange a single layer of shredded pork on a large sheet pan. Add some of the broth drippings, and broil for about five minutes or until crispy. Add chopped cilantro if desired.
- Serve. We love serving carnitas in a variety of ways.
- Store shredded pork with some of the cooking juices in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to four days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Tacos – Serve in soft corn or flour tortillas with salsa, onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
- Burritos – Wrap carnitas with rice, beans, cheese, and veggies for a hearty meal.
- Bowls – Layer over rice or quinoa with beans, roasted veggies, avocado, and a drizzle of lime crema.
- Quesadillas – Add carnitas and cheese between tortillas, then grill until crispy.
- Nachos – Top tortilla chips with carnitas, melted cheese, jalapeños, and guacamole.
- Sandwiches or Sliders – Pile carnitas on a bun with pickled onions and slaw.
- Salads – Add warm carnitas to a bed of greens for a protein-packed, flavorful salad.
- Breakfast Hash – Mix carnitas with potatoes, peppers, and eggs for a savory morning meal.
I’m drooling right now! Can’t wait to make this!
Thanks so much Karly! 🙂
Your husband is a smart man! Why eat out when you can eat awesome recipes like this? Tip: Don’t forget the rub!