Best 2 Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe By Tasty Recipes

Carnitas is a popular Mexican dish made with pork shoulder that is braised in a flavorful liquid until fall-apart tender. This recipe uses an Instant Pot to cook the carnitas, making it a quick and easy meal that can be served with a variety of sides. The pork is first browned in the Instant Pot, then cooked in a mixture of orange juice, lime juice, spices, and herbs. Once the pork is cooked, it is shredded and then cooked again in a skillet until crispy. The result is a delicious and juicy carnitas that can be used in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or simply served with rice and beans.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

INSTANT POT CARNITAS RECIPE BY TASTY

Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: Frank's Red Hot Original, oranges, garlics, chipotle peppers, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, paprika, dried oregano, cinnamon, boneless pork shoulder, corn tortilla, sliced avocado, radish, fresh cilantro, tortilla chip, shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomato, red onion, fresh scallion

Provided by Griffin Bohen-Meissner

Categories Dinner

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot Original
2 oranges, juiced
4 garlics
3 chipotle peppers, from a can
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
3 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch cubes
corn tortilla, for serving
sliced avocado, for garnish
radish, for garnish
fresh cilantro, for garnish
tortilla chip
shredded cheddar cheese
diced tomato
red onion, chopped
fresh scallion, sliced

Steps:

In a blender, add Frank's Original Red Hot, orange juice, garlic, chipotle peppers, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, paprika, dried oregano, and cinnamon. Blend on high until smooth.
Place pork shoulder in Instant Pot. Pour marinade over pork and turn with tongs to coat.
Put the cover on the Instant Pot. Be sure the pressure valve is set to "Sealing." Use the manual setting to set the timer for 40 minutes.
When the timer goes off, turn the pressure valve to "Venting" to release pressure quickly. **Be sure to read all Instant Pot instructions carefully for safety.** Be sure Instant Pot is turned off and unplugged before carefully removing the cover.
Transfer pork from the pot to a bowl. Use two forks to shred the pork. Pour some of the cooking liquid over the carnitas and toss to coat.
Serving options: Build carnitas on top of nachos or tacos.
Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 391 calories, Carbohydrate 13 grams, Fat 22 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 34 grams, Sugar 8 grams

SLOW COOKER CARNITAS RECIPE BY TASTY

Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe by Tasty image

Have you ever gone out for Mexican food, eaten carnitas, and thought "gosh, I wish I could make this myself"? Well, you can with the help of your slow cooker. Just add pork butt or shoulder to a slow cooker with citrus juice, garlic, onion, and some spices, then let it cook for about eight hours until it's tender and easy to shred with a fork. Then, you can enjoy your home-cooked carnitas in tacos, burritos, or on top of your favourite grains.

Provided by Scott Loitsch

Categories Dinner

Time 8h10m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

4 lb boneless pork butt, or shoulder, cut into six equal pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
8 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, quartered
3 leaves bay leaf
1 lime, juiced
1 large orange, juiced, save the spent halves
tortilla, taco shell
rice
1 can black beans
salsa
guacamole
sour cream
fresh cilantro
1 cup cheese

Steps:

Cut pork into 6 equal pieces. Add it to the slow cooker.
Add salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic, onion, bay leaves, lime juice and juice the orange. Add orange to the cooker as well. Mix together until the meat is well-coated.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the meat pulls apart easily.
Remove the pork and transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Shred the pork and spread across the baking sheet in a single layer.
Pour about 1 cup (235 ml) of the liquid remaining in the slow cooker over the shredded pork. Broil for 5-10 minutes until the meat browns and crisps along the edges.
Serve immediately. Great as a filling in tacos, burritos, salads, or nachos!
Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 810 calories, Carbohydrate 23 grams, Fat 48 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 72 grams, Sugar 5 grams

Tips:

Choose the right cut of pork: Pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) is the best cut for carnitas. It's a fatty, flavorful cut that will become tender and juicy when cooked slowly.
Use a good quality salsa: The salsa is an important part of the carnitas flavor, so use a salsa that you enjoy. If you can, make your own salsa using fresh ingredients.
Don't overcrowd the pot: When you're browning the pork, don't overcrowd the pot. This will prevent the pork from cooking evenly.
Cook the pork on low pressure: Cooking the pork on low pressure will help to keep it tender and juicy.
Shred the pork with two forks: Once the pork is cooked, shred it with two forks. This will help to keep the meat from becoming dry.

Conclusion:

Instant Pot Carnitas is a delicious and easy-to-make Mexican dish. It's perfect for busy weeknights or for a casual get-together. Serve the carnitas with your favorite toppings, such as salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese. You can also use the carnitas to make tacos, burritos, or enchiladas.