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Crispy Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe Perfect for Tender Caramelized Edges

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This recipe delivers tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork shoulder carnitas with irresistibly crispy caramelized edges, made quickly and easily in an Instant Pot.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 pounds pork shoulder (pork butt)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ cup water or low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Trim and cut the pork shoulder into 3-4 large chunks, leaving some fat for flavor.
  2. Mix salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Rub seasoning all over pork chunks.
  3. Set Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ mode and heat olive oil until shimmering. Brown pork pieces on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
  4. Add orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, chicken broth (or water), and bay leaves to the pot. Scrape up browned bits from the bottom.
  5. Seal Instant Pot lid and set to ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ on high for 60 minutes. Allow natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure.
  6. Remove pork chunks and shred meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding bay leaves.
  7. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a splash of olive oil and spread shredded pork in an even layer. Cook undisturbed for 3-5 minutes until edges caramelize and crisp. Toss and repeat until crispy all around.
  8. Serve immediately with fresh lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and your favorite salsa, ideally in warm corn tortillas.

Notes

Do not skip the searing step before pressure cooking to build flavor. Use natural pressure release for tender meat. Crisp the shredded pork in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Watch heat carefully during crisping to avoid burning. Leftovers reheat best in a skillet to maintain crispiness. For a gluten-free version, verify spice blends. Substitute orange juice with orange zest and apple juice if oranges are out of season.

Nutrition

Keywords: Instant Pot carnitas, crispy carnitas, pork shoulder recipe, easy carnitas, Mexican pork, pressure cooker carnitas, tender pork, caramelized pork edges

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