It takes almost zero prep and just 35 minutes of cook time to turn pork shoulder into a tender, shreddy version of itself. The final crisping happens in a nonstick skillet, which gives you ultimate browning with almost no cleanup.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes enough meat for about 24 tacos
Ingredients
3
2
4
1
1
1
1
1
Special Equipment
Preparation
Step 1
Place pork, jalapeños, garlic, salt, oregano, pepper, coriander, and cumin in Instant Pot. Toss with your hands until well combined. Seal lid and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
Step 2
Release pressure manually. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a large bowl; fish out jalapeños and garlic and discard. Shred meat with two forks or your hands. Pour cooking liquid over meat and toss to combine.
Step 3
Working in batches, transfer shredded pork to a large nonstick skillet set over high heat and cook, undisturbed, until underside is well browned, about 5 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until some of the edges are caramelized and crisp, 5–7 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel–lined baking sheet. Cover with foil to keep warm and moist.
Step 4
Serve carnitas with tortillas and taco toppings alongside (if using).
Step 5
Do Ahead: Carnitas (without crisping) can be made 3 days ahead. Shred, toss with cooking liquid, and let cool; cover and chill. Crisp just before serving.
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Reviews (127)
Back to TopBest carnitas ever! Thanks to helpful commenters, I made the following changes: Substituted two chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for the jalapeno. I halved the recipe for two of us using a 3 qt. IP Mini and used 1.5 lbs. of pork country boneless ribs, which don't have a lot of fat. Most importantly, I used a cup of Mojo Criollo sauce, which is a citrusy blend used with Cuban recipes. After the pressure cook and straining out the chiles and garlic, I shredded the pork and put it back in the pot for a half hour to marinate before popping them under the broiler. I'll be making this again and again. Thanks, Ms. Melian and helpful commenters
John M.
Durango, CO
2/26/2024
Wow, fantastic recipe! When I first read through it I thought, "where's the liquid," so went to the comments where others commented about the same. Not sure who said it, but I didn't add liquid, warmed the pressure cooker (stovetop) at medium-high to let the fat/liquids render, then went to pressure. The pork was fabulous. Next time, might try it with some orange rind and a couple of bay leaves, that's just tweaking. As is, is terrific.
Terry
San Francisco, Calif.
7/12/2023
basic and good but there are better recipes for this out there. Yes, this needs liquid, some beer and orange/lime juice plz! And broiling is way better then a skillet to get those nice pieces of pork crispy..
Angelo
Nolensville, TN
3/17/2022
Delicious! My only suggestion would be to trim off a bit of the fat off the pork. Also my Instapot said I was burning the food when I added the pork so I added a few splashes of chicken broth
DTM
California
2/14/2022
Delicious! Easy to make in a instant pot and crisp up after in my cast iron, perfect! We. Are soft tacos served with pineapple salsa and that was it , my husband salsa it’s a keeper
Mochi
Torrance Ca
12/19/2021
Yes, there is no added liquid. Yes, that is ok. I didn’t get a burn notice, the pot came up to pressure and when I opened it after the pressure had released there was plenty of water and fat. I made a point of placing the fattiest bits down, to help rendering. I’m not sure how much of the jalapeño came through; I deseeded mine because I was serving it to my kids. But the flavour was pure and porky. I crisped mine under the broiler after reducing the liquid and pouring the fat over. I don’t have a non stick pan. Worked great. This is a fantastic recipe. Trust it.
Rachel
Montreal
12/4/2021
As one reviewer stated, I got a burn warning also and took no action. I guess the fat melted off and the juices from the meat gathered together at the bottom of the pot and the pot corrected itself. 😊
Cacervantes
Los Angeles
10/20/2021