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Perfect Pork Carnitas (Instant Pot Recipe)

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Nicole Modic
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
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Would you believe me if I told you that the juiciest, most tender pork carnitas could be on your dinner table in less than one hour? It's true! These are my Perfect Pork Carnitas, and they are a restaurant-quality recipe that you will want to make, time and time again. They come together in an Instant Pot which cuts the cook time in 1/3, which means that you no longer need to wait around all day for the meat to cook. With this recipe, you'll have mouthwatering pork carnitas ready in minutes - what could be better than that?

Equipment

  • Instant Pot an Instant Pot is essential for making these juicy pork carnitas in a fraction of the time!

Ingredients

  • 4 - 4 ½ Pounds Boneless Pork Shoulder with the excess fat trimmed and cut into 3-inch chunks
  • 1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil
  • 1 ½ Cups Chicken Broth or broth of choice
  • ¾ Cup Orange Juice freshly squeezed
  • Cup Lime Juice freshly squeezed
  • 6 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
  • 2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

  • To make these Perfect Pork Carnitas, start by turning the Instant Pot on to the sauté setting.
  • Add the avocado oil to the Instant Pot and allow it to heat.
  • While the pot is heating, prepare the pork shoulder by trimming away the fat and cutting it into cubes, approximately 3-inches in size (tip: you can also ask your buter to do this for you and skip this step!)
  • Once the pot is hot, add the pork shoulder to it and allow it to cook evenly, for 5-6 minutes. You may need to work in batches to ensure that the pork cooks evenly.
  • Once the meat has browned, add in the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, dried oregano, chili powder, ground cumin, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Stir until the meat is fully coated in the seasonings.
  • Then, place the cover on the Instant Pot. Turn the settings on to "Manual Pressure," set to "high," and cook for 30 minutes with quick release.
  • Once the pork has finished cooking, remove it from the Instant Pot and transfer it to a baking sheet.
  • Shred the meat with two forks.
  • Then, turn your oven on to broil high and transfer the meat to the oven.
  • Allow the carnitas to broil for approximately 3 minutes, until the edges are browned and crispy.
  • Once they're done, remove them from the oven. Add the carnitas to your favorite recipes, then serve and enjoy!
Calories: 2912kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 467g | Fat: 86g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 41g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 1232mg | Sodium: 7141mg | Potassium: 8558mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1754IU | Vitamin C: 123mg | Calcium: 363mg | Iron: 25mg

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