Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

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I have to tell you guys, I am having a blast with my Instant Pot®! So far I have managed to not screw anything up, LOL. My latest creation is these super delicious, Instant Pot Pork Carnitas…and you are going to love them…seriously, you will. The recipe is naturally Whole 30 and Paleo, so they are healthy too…..

Okay, so the flour tortillas are not Whole 30 or Paleo, but I needed them for the photos. I was afraid that a big ‘ol bowl of Instant Pot Pork Carnitas just wouldn’t have the same appeal, LOL

So I lied, I was craving tortillas. 😉 Are you ready to get cooking?

How to make Instant Pot Pork Carnitas:

Add orange juice, garlic, lime juice, and bay leaf in the bottom of your Instant Pot insert…..

Mix the pork chunks in a large bowl with the seasonings. Toss to coat…..

Place the seasoned pork in the Instant Pot {in the orange juice, no rack this time}…..

Place the lid on the Instant Pot and twist to lock. Check to make sure the knob is in the “sealing” position. Press the Manual button {High Pressure}and adjust time to 50 minutes…..

When the time is up, allow the pressure to naturally release, about 20 minutes. Open the lid…..

Remove the pork chunks from the pot and place them in a large bowl, or platter. Break apart the chunks and set aside…..

Remove the liquid from the Instant Pot, reserving about 1 cup.

Set Instant Pot to Saute and add the ghee or olive oil. Add the pork back to the insert, tossing with a wooden spoon to “crisp” up the meat. Add some of the cooking liquid to the pot to moisten the meat…..

Serve immediately with diced onions, guacamole, salsa, chopped cilantro…..

You know what else was really good? I added my Ancho-Orange Barbecue Sauce and made burritos for breakfast. 🙂

Notes:

• You do not need to “shred” the pork. Breaking it up into smaller chunks is perfect.
• To be honest, it would be easier to saute the cooked pork in a large skillet if you don’t mind messing up an additional pan. The Instant Pot liner is not all that big, and it’s deep so it’s kind of cumbersome…but it is possible as you see above.
• To keep your leftovers from drying out in the refrigerator, add some of the remaining cooking liquid to the container.

Check out these other recipes for Cinco de Mayo:

Mexican Style Shredded Beef {Instant Pot} Whole30/Paleo

Adobo Slow Cooker Chicken – Whole30/Paleo

Shredded Beef Chimichangas – my favorite!

Baked Fish Tacos – Whole30/Paleo

Instant Pot Red Chile Pork

Instant Pot Salsa Verde Shredded Chicken – Whole30/Paleo

Instant Pot Spanish Rice

Cassava Flour Tortillas – Paleo

And Margaritas…we need Margaritas.

Enjoy!!

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

You really need this crispy and delicious Instant Pot Pork Carnitas for dinner tonight, trust me! Whole 30 and Paleo compliant {minus the tortillas}

3.86 from 7 votes

Print

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 294kcal

Author: Lisa Johnson

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice 3 to 4 oranges
• juice of one lime
• 2 large cloves fresh garlic crushed
• 1 bayleaf
• 3 1/2 pounds pork butt cut into chunks
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon ghee, clarified butter, or olive oil
• diced red onions, cilantro, salsa, and guacamole
• warm tortillas (if not Whole 30 or Paleo)

Instructions

• Add orange juice, garlic, lime juice, and bay leaf in the bottom of your Instant Pot insert.
• Mix the pork chunks in a large bowl with the seasonings. Toss to coat.
• Place the seasoned pork in the Instant Pot.
• Place the lid on the Instant Pot and twist to lock. Check to make sure the knob is in the "sealing" position.
• Press the Manual button {High Pressure} and adjust time to 50 minutes.
• When the time is up, allow the pressure to naturally release, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the pork chunks from the pot and place them in a large bowl, or platter. Break apart the chunks and set aside.
• Remove the liquid from the Instant Pot, reserving about 1 cup.
• Set Instant Pot to Saute and add the ghee or olive oil.
• Add the pork back to the insert, tossing with a wooden spoon to "crisp" up the meat. Add some of the cooking liquid to the pot to moisten the meat.
• Serve immediately with diced onions, guacamole, salsa, chopped cilantro.
• Place leftovers in a sealed container and store in the refrigerator.

Notes

• You do not need to “shred” the pork. Breaking it up into smaller chunks is perfect.
• To be honest, it would be easier to saute the cooked pork in a large skillet if you don’t mind messing up an additional pan. The Instant Pot liner is not all that big, and it’s deep so it’s kind of cumbersome…but it is possible as you see above.
• To keep your leftovers from drying out in the refrigerator, add some of the remaining cooking liquid to the container.
• Nutritional Information does not include the toppings or tortillas that you choose to use.

Nutrition

Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 739mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Vitamin C: 15.5mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2.7mg