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Instant Pot Pork Carnitas | Taste and Tipple

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8
Author Yvonne Langen

Ingredients

Carnitas

  • 3 pounds pork shoulder cut into 3 inch cubes
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • 1 bottle Corona or other Mexican beer
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 limes juiced

Tacos

  • 16 medium corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup tomatillo salsa
  • 1/4 cup pickled red onions
  • 1/4 cup fresh or pickled jalapeños, sliced
  • 1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup cilantro for serving
  • 16 lime wedges

Instructions

Carnitas

  1. Toss the cubed pork with the garlic powder and chipotle chili powder. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
  2. Click the “Saute” setting on the Instant Pot. Add oil and one third to half of the pork, and sear — turning every 45-60 seconds or so — until the pork is browned on all sides. Transfer pork to a separate clean plate, and repeat with the remaining pork, working in batches, searing until browned on all sides. Press “Cancel” to turn off the heat.
  3. Pour Corona, orange juice, lime juice, and water into the Instant Pot. Add two bay leaves and return all the pork to the Instant Pot.
  4. Press “Meat”, then press “Pressure” until the light on “High Pressure” lights up, then adjust the up/down arrows until time reads 30 minutes. Ensure the vent is set to "Sealing". Cook. The Instant Pot will turn off on its own, leave the pork untouched for 15 minutes to let the pressure dissipate naturally. Carefully turn the vent to “Venting”, just to release any extra pressure that might still be in there. Then remove the lid.
  5. Press the "Saute" setting on the Instant Pot, click "Adjust" until the temperature is set to "Less". Simmer on the saute function until the broth is reduced by half - about 20 to 30 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot.
  6. Remove pork to a cutting board and shred with two forks.

Tacos

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Wrap tortillas in tinfoil and warm in oven for 5 minutes.
  3. To assemble tacos. Spread 1 tbsp of sour cream over warmed tortilla, top with carnitas, tomatillo salsa, pickled red onions, jalapeños and crumbled cotija/feta. Serve with wedges of lime.