The Best Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe (juicy + crispy)

Name: The Best Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 85 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 3-3.5 lb boneless pork butt or shoulder (cut into 2” cubes and trimmed of excess fat); 1 1/2 Tbsp fine sea salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 Tbsp avocado oil; ½ cup apple juice; ½ cup fresh orange juice; 3 limes (juiced); 10 large cloves garlic; 2 tsp cumin; 1 tsp Mexican oregano

Gluten-Free
Dairy-Free
Paleo
Low Carb
Keto
Whole30

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This is the BEST recipe for Instant Pot carnitas! It’s so easy to make and turns out super flavorful, juicy, and with the perfect crispy edges. With only 5 minutes to prep, this recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner and even for meal prep!

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas Recipe

Weeknight dinner, made! This easy Instant Pot carnitas recipe is such a pro move for a weeknight dinner. This easy recipe only takes about 5 minutes to prep, and then you just sear the meat, add the rest of the ingredients and forget about it!

And with just a few simple ingredients, you’ll be amazed at how flavorful these turn out! So good!

These Instant Pot crispy carnitas are perfect shredded pork for tacos, quesadillas, nachos, burritos, or even a delicious breakfast hash! My favorite way to use them is in my Baked Carnitas Tacos! Such a great recipe!

What are carnitas?

Carnitas is a Spanish term that translates to “little meats” in English. They can be made with any kind of meat, but it’s usually pork or chicken. Most of the time when someone says carnitas, they are referring to pork.

Carnitas are traditionally made on the stovetop by searing/frying pork pieces in lard, adding fruit juices and spices, and then slow cooking on the stovetop for hours until tender. YUM!!

Why use the Instant Pot to make carnitas?

While there are many different ways to cook carnitas, I love this Instant Pot version because you can sear the meat and then quickly pressure cook for the perfect, juicy carnitas. In half the cook time as traditional oven-roasted carnitas or slow cooker carnitas. The cooking time is truly a game-changer!

When using a slow cooker or crock pot, the effort required is minimal, but you don’t have the option to sear it before cooking. And searing = FLAVOR! It’s a must, in my opinion. Plus, the crock pot can actually take a really long time to cook. Which isn’t ideal if you didn’t plan ahead.

I love that you can sear right in the Instant Pot to minimize dirty dishes and still get that amazing flavor from the sear.

And pressure cooking cooks the meat in literally a fraction of the time as other methods! I’m talking like 1/2 or even 1/4 of the time! Making a dish that you might usually reserve for weekends accessible for weeknights as well. I love that!

white bowl with Instant Pot Carnitas side view

Ingredients to make Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

3 to 3.5lb boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into 2” cubes and trimmed of excess fat
1 1/2 Tbsp fine sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp avocado oil
½ cup apple juice
½ cup fresh orange juice
3 limes, juiced
10 large cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp Mexican oregano
Fresh cilantro to garnish

How to make Instant Pot Pork Carnitas (full instructions)

Dry the meat with a paper towel. Season meat with salt and pepper.
Set Instant Pot to sauté setting (this saute function is similar to a medium-high heat), when it reads “HOT” add your 1 tablespoon of oil and sear first batch of meat on all sides for 7 minutes total, turning about every 2 minutes. Remove to a plate. Repeat with second batch of pork pieces. Place pork pieces on a plate and set aside. Turn off Instant Pot.
Add in apple juice, orange, juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and oregano and scrape the bottom well with a flat wooden spoon. Scraping the bottom of the pot will prevent you from getting the burn notice that some Instant Pots tend to show if there are browned bits on the bottom.
Nestle the meat into the Instant Pot. Place lid on top and set to “sealing”. Set to manual high pressure for 30 minutes, then allow natural release for 20 minutes. This natural pressure release is a slow release where you just basically let it sit and don’t touch it after the timer goes off for the cooking process. Follow with a quick release of any remaining pressure.
Shred meat with forks and enjoy! You can also broil on a sheet pan to get the edges crispy (the best part!). Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat. Spread meat on a baking sheet, add some of the juices, then broil on high for about 10 minutes total, turning the meat and adding more cooking liquid halfway through.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Are these carnitas just as good as traditional carnitas?

Yes! Honestly, yes. I’ve lived in Southern California long enough to know my way around some authentic carnitas and ALL the tacos. And yes, these pressure cooker carnitas are just as flavorful, juicy, and crispy as traditional stove top carnitas.

What version of the Instant Pot do you use?

I use the classic 6-qt Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker. There are larger versions as well, but I find that this size is perfect for my family of 4, even when we are cooking enough for leftovers or meal prep. This is the perfect size for a 3 to 4 pound cut of meat like a pork roast or beef roast.

If this is your first time cooking with the Instant Pot, make sure to watch some YouTube videos on the general functionality of the Instant Pot before beginning, as my instructions are geared toward those who already have a general idea of how to use the machine.

What cut of pork is best for these Instant Pot carnitas?

I use a boneless pork shoulder roast or boneless pork butt for this recipe. You’re only going to need around 3.5lbs though and most are sold around 7-9lb. What I do is just cut the large piece in half and freeze the other part for another recipe.

You can also use a Boston Butt for this recipe, which are leaner and slightly smaller.

I wouldn’t recommend using a leaner piece of pork for this recipe like pork tenderloin or pork chops because they are too lean and the meat will likely turn out dry and won’t shred well. Shredded meat is best when it has a little more fat content to it.

Love pulled pork? Check out my Hawaiian pulled pork bowls (kalua pig!)

Equipment Needed:

Instant Pot or other pressure cooker with a searing function
Tongs
Citrus juicer or citrus reamer
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Paring knife
Small bowl for dips or toppings

Other ingredients you could use:

Red onion
Chili powder
Onion powder
Ground cumin
Bay leaves
Chicken broth or chicken stock
Olive oil
A little bit of brown sugar

Serving ideas:

Corn tortillas
Pineapple salsa
Sour cream
Flour tortillas
Queso fresco
Pico de gallo (try my delicious Tequila Lime Salsa!)
Salsa verde (one of my favorite toppings!)
Diced yellow onion
Black beans
Hard taco shells
Burrito bowls
Reduced sauce (just boil the cooking liquid until it is reduced to a super flavorful sauce)

My other Instant Pot Recipes:

Here are some of my other amazing recipes using the Instant Pot!

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