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Tender Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe Easy Crispy Edges Homemade

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This recipe delivers tender, juicy pork carnitas with irresistibly crispy edges using an Instant Pot and a quick crisping step. Perfect for taco nights, meal prep, or casual gatherings, it combines bold flavors with a fast cooking method.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 pounds pork shoulder
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup water or chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Trim excess fat from pork shoulder but leave some for flavor. Cut into 3-4 large chunks (about 2-3 inches each).
  2. Set Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ and heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Brown pork pieces on all sides until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side. Do in batches if needed.
  3. Turn off sauté function. Add chopped onion, minced garlic, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and 1 cup water or broth. Stir gently to mix. Nestle pork pieces into the liquid.
  4. Seal Instant Pot lid and set to ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ on high for 60 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then release any remaining pressure carefully.
  5. Remove pork chunks and shred with two forks. Discard bay leaves. Reserve cooking liquid for moistening if needed.
  6. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil, spread shredded pork in an even layer. Press down gently and cook without stirring for 5-7 minutes until bottom is brown and crispy. Flip sections and crisp other side for 3-5 minutes. Alternatively, spread pork on a rimmed baking sheet and broil for 5-7 minutes until edges crisp.
  7. Serve immediately with warm tortillas and desired toppings.

Notes

Do not rush the natural pressure release to keep meat tender. If pork seems dry when shredding, add reserved cooking liquid. For extra crispy bits, avoid stirring too often during crisping. Fresh orange juice is preferred for best flavor. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months. Reheat gently with broth to maintain moisture and crisp edges again before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: Instant Pot carnitas, crispy carnitas, pork carnitas, easy carnitas recipe, pressure cooker carnitas, Mexican pork, taco meat, quick carnitas

Find it online: https://tessierecipes.com/tender-instant-pot-carnitas-recipe-easy-crispy-edges-homemade/