Pork Carnitas

Traditionally, carnitas are slow cooked for hours in a large copper cazo (pot) filled with manteca de cerdo (pork lard) and stirred occasionally with an oversize (4- to 6-foot) wooden spoon. While the resulting little pieces of crispy fried pork are absolutely irresistible, the reality is: Ain’t no one got time for that. But with the Instant Pot® you can enjoy a healthier and more flavorful version of carnitas in about an hour. Make a feast out of this easy weeknight meal by serving with Frijoles Borrachos (page 32) and Classic Mexican Rice (page 28), or serve the carnitas as a simple taco filling and top with chopped onion, cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and your favorite salsa.

Cuisine

Mexican

Course

Kids

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

1-2 hours

Diet

Dairy Free, Gluten Free

Cooking Technique

Pressure Cook, Sauté

Keywords

1-2 hours, 6 - 8 servings, bay, coarse salt, contributed, cook 1 hour, dairy free, easy, freshly ground black pepper, freshly squeezed lime juice, freshly squeezed orange juice, gluten free, ground cumin, kids, Leslie Harris de Limón, manteca (pork lard), mexican, pork shoulder roast or boston butt, prep 10 min, pressure cook, sauté

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

1 hour

Servings

6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp manteca (pork lard)
2 1/4 lbs pork shoulder roast or Boston butt
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 leaves bay

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and adjust to More or High. Heat the manteca in the pot until completely melted. Add the pork and fry for 6 to 8 minutes, or until light golden brown. Season with the salt, cumin, and pepper. Add the orange and lime juices and top with the bay leaves.
Lock the lid into place and set the steam release valve to sealed. Select Manual or PRESSURE COOK and set the timer for 25 minutes on high.
When cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally. Unlock and remove the lid. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Using two forks, shred the pork carnitas in the pot. Enjoy! Option

Notes