The Ultimate Instant Pot Pork Carnitas Recipe: Easy & Authentic Flavor
Are you ready for a dinner that’s both incredibly delicious and surprisingly easy to make? Look no further than these mouth-watering Instant Pot Pork Carnitas. Imagine sinking your teeth into tender, juicy pork shoulder, perfectly seasoned and nestled in soft flour tortillas. Crowned with fresh onions, vibrant cilantro, and a zesty squeeze of lime, this dish is a culinary triumph that brings the authentic flavors of Mexico right to your table, all thanks to the magic of your Instant Pot.
As a huge fan of Mexican cuisine, I know the joy of whipping up classic dishes that bring smiles all around. From Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas to Beef Tostadas, there’s something undeniably special about these vibrant flavors. But when it comes to a truly show-stopping meal that’s simpler than its traditional counterpart, these Instant Pot Pork Carnitas are a game-changer. Forget spending hours slaving over a hot stove; with your pressure cooker, you can achieve fall-apart tender pork with that desired crispy finish in a fraction of the time.
What Are Carnitas? A Taste of Mexican Tradition
Welcome to a world of unparalleled deliciousness! The word “carnitas” directly translates to “little meats” in Spanish, a charming name for a dish that packs a huge punch of flavor. Originating from Michoacán, Mexico, carnitas are a traditional staple cherished for their incredibly tender texture and rich, savory taste. Traditionally, this dish involves braising pork, typically pork shoulder or butt, in its own fat (lard) along with spices for several hours until it’s melt-in-your-mouth soft. The final step involves increasing the heat to crisp up the edges, creating a delightful contrast between the succulent interior and the slightly crunchy exterior.
While the classic method is a labor of love, the beauty of making Instant Pot Carnitas is that you can achieve a remarkably similar result without the lengthy cooking time. Your pressure cooker transforms tough cuts of pork into unbelievably tender shreds in just over an hour, cutting down the “low and slow for hours” process dramatically. This means you can enjoy authentic-tasting carnitas on a weeknight, proving that speed doesn’t have to sacrifice flavor.
How Much Carnitas Do You Need Per Person?
When planning your meal, portion sizes can vary depending on appetite and whether you’re serving other side dishes. However, a good rule of thumb for pork carnitas tacos is to estimate about 1/3 lb (approximately 150g) of cooked carnitas per person, or roughly two well-filled tacos. If you’re hosting a dinner party or have big eaters, it’s always safer to err on the side of generosity. The good news is that carnitas leftovers are fantastic for meal prepping and reinventing into new dishes, so don’t be afraid to make a little extra!
Essential & Delicious Carnitas Toppings
The beauty of carnitas tacos lies in their versatility, especially when it comes to toppings. While the pork itself is the star, the right accompaniments elevate the experience. Here are some of our favorite ways to dress up your Instant Pot Pork Carnitas, adding layers of flavor and texture:
- Avocado: Creamy, rich avocado or a dollop of homemade guacamole adds a buttery smoothness that complements the savory pork.
- Lime: A fresh squeeze of lime juice is non-negotiable! Its bright acidity cuts through the richness of the pork, adding a zesty, refreshing finish.
- Cheese: Crumbled cotija, shredded Monterey Jack, or a mild cheddar can add a salty, creamy dimension.
- Cilantro: Freshly chopped cilantro brings a burst of herbaceous freshness that is classic in Mexican cuisine.
- Onions: Finely diced white or red onions provide a sharp, pungent bite that contrasts beautifully with the tender pork.
- Sour Cream: A dollop of cool sour cream or Mexican crema offers a tangy, cooling element, especially if your carnitas have a bit of a kick.
- Homemade Salsa: Whether you prefer a mild pico de gallo, a smoky salsa roja, or a vibrant salsa verde, a good salsa adds moisture and a burst of complex flavors.
- Tomatoes: Diced fresh tomatoes contribute a sweet, juicy acidity.
- Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice: While not a topping, this is an excellent side dish to serve alongside your carnitas, perfect for building a hearty carnitas bowl.
- Mango Salsa: For a sweet and spicy tropical twist, a homemade mango salsa offers a refreshing counterpoint.
- Guacamole: A more elaborate avocado preparation, offering more flavor and texture than plain avocado.
Tips For The Ultimate Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
Achieving truly spectacular Instant Pot Pork Carnitas is easy when you follow a few key tips. These simple steps will ensure your carnitas are flavorful, tender, and perfectly crispy.
- Customize Your Toppings: Don’t feel constrained by traditional toppings like onions and cilantro, especially if you or your guests aren’t fans. The best tacos are the ones you love! Experiment with shredded lettuce, pickled jalapeños, radishes, or even a spicy avocado crema. The possibilities are endless, so feel free to get creative and personalize your taco experience.
- Sear the Pork for Max Flavor: This step is non-negotiable for deeply flavorful carnitas. Searing the pork shoulder on all sides before pressure cooking creates a rich, caramelized crust through the Maillard reaction. This locks in juices and builds a foundational layer of savory flavor that infuses into the meat during the cooking process. Don’t skip it!
- Master the Salt Balance: Proper seasoning is crucial for any great dish. For each pound of pork, a general guideline is to use about a teaspoon of kosher salt. This provides a good starting point, but always remember to taste and adjust after cooking. Different types of salt (kosher, sea, table) have varying levels of salinity, so be mindful and season to your preference.
- Use the Right Size Instant Pot: While a 6-quart Instant Pot can work for smaller batches, for the best results with a typical 5-pound pork shoulder, an 8-quart Instant Pot is ideal. The larger pot provides ample space for searing the pork without overcrowding, allows for sufficient liquid, and prevents potential “burn” notices, ensuring even cooking and perfect tender carnitas every time.
- Get Those Crispy Edges: The hallmark of great carnitas is the contrast between tender meat and crispy, caramelized edges. After shredding the pork, don’t just serve it straight from the Instant Pot. Utilize your broiler in the oven or pan-fry the shredded pork in a little oil on the stovetop. Spread the shredded pork on a baking sheet and broil for a few minutes until golden and crispy, or crisp it up in a hot skillet. This extra step elevates the texture and flavor immensely.
- Beyond Tacos: Make Carnitas Bowls or Salads: While carnitas tacos are iconic, the shredded pork is incredibly versatile. Use leftovers – or even prepare them from the start – for delicious and healthy carnitas bowls topped with rice, beans, corn, and avocado. They also make a fantastic protein addition to salads, offering a flavorful and satisfying meal that’s perfect for lunch or dinner.
- Adjust the Spice Level to Your Liking: If the chipotle sauce brings too much heat for your palate, don’t worry! You can easily swap it out for a milder Mexican chili sauce. Alternatively, reduce the amount of chipotle or omit the seeds from canned chipotle peppers for a gentler flavor. Always taste your sauce before adding it to ensure the spice level is exactly how you like it.
- Don’t Overcrowd When Searing: If searing the pork in batches, resist the urge to pack too much meat into the Instant Pot at once. Overcrowding lowers the temperature, preventing a proper sear and resulting in steamed rather than browned meat. Sear in batches to ensure each piece gets that beautiful, flavorful crust.
- Let the Pork Rest: Once cooked, allow the pork to rest for a few minutes before shredding. This helps redistribute the juices, resulting in even more tender and moist carnitas.
What is the Difference Between Carnitas and Pulled Pork?
While both carnitas and pulled pork share the commonality of being incredibly tender, slow-cooked shredded pork, there are distinct differences that set them apart, primarily in their cooking process, seasoning, and traditional serving methods.
- Origin and Cuisine: Carnitas are a traditional Mexican dish, deeply rooted in the cuisine of Michoacán. Pulled pork, on the other hand, is a staple of American barbecue, particularly popular in the Southern United States.
- Cooking Method and Fat: Both are slow-cooked, but traditionally, carnitas are braised in lard (pork fat) or oil until exceptionally tender, then often finished with a higher heat to achieve crispy, caramelized edges. Pulled pork is typically slow-cooked in a smoker, oven, or slow cooker with a broth or sauce, and while it’s tender, the crispy finish is not a defining characteristic.
- Seasoning: This is arguably the largest difference. Carnitas are seasoned with a specific blend of Mexican spices that often includes cumin, oregano, garlic, onion powder, and sometimes a hint of citrus. Pulled pork uses various barbecue rubs that typically feature paprika, brown sugar, mustard powder, chili powder, and other savory spices, often finished with a tangy or sweet barbecue sauce.
- Texture: Carnitas offer a delightful textural contrast: incredibly tender, moist interior pieces alongside crispy, browned exterior bits. Pulled pork is uniformly tender and shredded, without the emphasis on a crispy crust.
- Serving Style: Carnitas are most commonly served in tacos, burritos, tortas, or as part of a platter with rice and beans, typically garnished with fresh ingredients like onions, cilantro, and lime. Pulled pork is usually served on a bun as a sandwich, often with coleslaw, or as part of a barbecue platter.
In essence, while both dishes transform pork shoulder into succulent shreds, carnitas aim for a complex flavor profile with a crispy finish, distinct from the smoky, saucy, and uniformly tender nature of pulled pork.
Are Carnitas Healthy? Making Smart Choices
When considering the health aspects of carnitas, it’s helpful to look at the dish holistically. The primary ingredient, pork shoulder, is a good source of protein. While traditional carnitas can be cooked in a generous amount of lard, modern recipes (especially those using an Instant Pot) often use less fat or rely on the pork’s natural fats, which can be easily discarded after cooking.
The main component often perceived as “unhealthy” in many carnitas preparations is the flour tortilla, which can be higher in refined carbohydrates. However, you have plenty of options to make your carnitas meal incredibly healthy and satisfying:
- Choose Your Wrapper Wisely: Swap flour tortillas for healthier alternatives like corn tortillas (which are naturally gluten-free), lettuce wraps for a low-carb option, or simply enjoy your carnitas in a bowl without any wrapper.
- Load Up on Fresh Toppings: The fresh ingredients like avocado, cilantro, onions, tomatoes, and homemade salsas are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The more fresh veggies you add, the healthier your meal becomes.
- Leaner Preparation: Using an Instant Pot allows you to control the amount of added oil. After cooking, you can easily skim off excess fat from the liquid or discard fatty pieces from the shredded pork, significantly reducing the fat content without sacrificing flavor.
Overall, especially when made with fresh ingredients and mindful choices for accompaniments, Instant Pot Pork Carnitas can be a pretty healthy, very satisfying, and undeniably tasty meal that fits into a balanced diet.
Storage and Reheating Your Delicious Carnitas
One of the many benefits of making a batch of Instant Pot Pork Carnitas is how well they store, making them perfect for meal prep or enjoying flavorful leftovers. Proper storage ensures your carnitas remain fresh and delicious.
- Fridge: Store the cooked and shredded carnitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Make sure they are completely cooled before sealing to prevent condensation.
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the shredded pork mixture on its own (without toppings). Place it in a freezer-safe, airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. It will keep well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: There are several excellent ways to reheat carnitas to bring them back to their delicious best:
- Microwave: For a quick reheat, place a portion in a microwave-safe dish and heat in 30-60 second intervals until warm. This method is fast but won’t crisp the meat.
- Oven/Broiler: For a crisper result, spread the carnitas on a baking sheet and reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes, or under the broiler for a few minutes until the edges are golden and slightly crispy.
- Stovetop: Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carnitas and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and nicely crisped on the edges. This is one of the best ways to restore that fresh-made texture.
- Air Fryer: An air fryer is fantastic for crisping! Place the carnitas in a single layer in your air fryer basket and cook at 375°F (190°C) for 5-7 minutes, shaking halfway, until hot and crispy.
- Instant Pot (Saute Function): You can even reheat a larger batch in the Instant Pot using the “Saute” function with a little oil, stirring frequently, to warm and crisp the meat.
No matter how you reheat them, these carnitas will be a delicious treat waiting for you!
Give these mouth-watering Instant Pot Pork Carnitas tacos a try – your taste buds (and your family) will be incredibly glad you did!
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Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
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Equipment
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Instant Pot (8-quart recommended for 5lb pork shoulder)
Ingredients
- 5 lb Pork Shoulder , Bone-in (or boneless pork butt)
- 5 tsp Kosher salt, or to taste
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup chipotle sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup onions, roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
- Oil
- lime wedges
- cilantro
- tortillas
Instructions
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In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the dry seasonings: salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, granulated garlic, onion powder, brown sugar, and chili powder. Mix well to create your carnitas spice rub.
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Generously season the pork shoulder on all sides with the spice mixture. Rub it in well, ensuring an even coating without leaving too much seasoning clumped in one spot.
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Press the “Saute” function on your Instant Pot and add a tablespoon or two of oil. Once hot, carefully place the seasoned pork shoulder into the pot. Sear for 3-4 minutes on each side until deeply browned and caramelized. Remove the pork shoulder from the Instant Pot and set it aside on a plate.
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Add a little more oil to the Instant Pot if needed, then add the roughly chopped onions and finely minced garlic. Stir and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock, add the bay leaf, and the chipotle sauce (I used the sauce that comes in a can with peppers; avoid adding the seeds if you prefer less heat).
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Deglaze the Instant Pot by using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This is a crucial step to prevent a “burn” notice during pressure cooking.
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Carefully place the seared pork shoulder back into the pot, along with any remaining spices or juices from the plate. Ensure the pork is mostly submerged in the liquid.
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Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and make sure the sealing valve is set to the “Sealing” position. Press the “Pressure Cook” (or “Manual”) function and set the cooking time for 90 minutes on high pressure.
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Once the 90 minutes of pressure cooking are complete, perform a quick release by carefully turning the sealing valve to the “Venting” position to release all of the steam. Once the float valve drops, open the lid. Carefully remove the pork from the Instant Pot and transfer it to a large cutting board or shallow dish. Using two forks or your fingers, shred the meat until tender. Discard any large pieces of fat or bone.
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For the best results, return the shredded meat to the Instant Pot with some of the cooking liquid and press the “Saute” function again. Allow the meat to simmer and crisp up slightly, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes. Check for seasoning and adjust with more salt or lime juice if desired. Serve immediately with warm, grilled tortillas, raw onions, fresh cilantro, and a generous squeeze of lime. Enjoy!
Notes
- I used an 8-quart Instant Pot for this recipe, which is ideal for a 5-pound pork shoulder. A 6-quart can work but might be a tight fit and require less liquid.
- Please note that the cooking time listed does not include the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure (which can be 15-20 minutes) or the time for natural or quick release.
- For this recipe, I used a 5 lb bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder. If using a boneless cut, adjust cooking time slightly (can be 80-85 minutes).
- The vibrant green tomatillo sauce featured in the photos was a store-bought variety from my local Mexican restaurant, not part of this specific recipe but a fantastic serving suggestion!
- If you desire extra crispy carnitas, you can remove the shredded pork from the Instant Pot after the final sauté, spread it on a baking sheet, and broil it for 3-5 minutes until the edges are nicely browned and crispy. Alternatively, you can pan-fry smaller batches in hot oil on the stovetop for ultimate crispiness.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
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