Pressure Cooker Carnitas
Tender pork with crispy edges, this pork carnitas recipe is prepared in a pressure cooker in around 50 minutes, from start to finish.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 647kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 lb. pork butt roast (cut into 3" pieces)
- 1 large yellow onion (cut into quarters)
- 8 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1-2 cayenne peppers (or 1 jalapeno pepper) (optional)
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ cup water (or broth, beer)
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1½ teaspoon chicken bouillon (omit if using broth)
Instructions
- Chop meat into 3" pieces and add to your pressure cooker. Top with a quartered onion, crushed garlic, bay leaves, and spicy peppers.
- Combine water (beef or chicken broth, or beer) and orange juice in a large measuring cup. Add all the remaining spices and whisk to incorporate.
- Pour liquid over the pork. If some of the spices remain in the cup, swirl a ¼ cup of water into the cup and pour it into the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and set the valve to "seal."
- Turn the pressure cooker on and choose "Pressure." Set the timer to "20 minutes." It will take approximately 15 minutes for the pressure cooker to seal.
- After 20 minutes, do a Natural Release for 15 minutes. If the pin doesn't drop, release the remaining pressure and carefully remove the lid. Remove the chunks of pork with a slotted spoon and partially shred with two forks or bear claws.
- Pour liquid into a large measuring cup and set it aside. If using a Ninja Foodi, place the pork back into the pot and pour 1 cup of the broth over it. Air Crisp at 400 degrees F for approximately 5 minutes. Otherwise, add shredded pork to a pan, pour 1 cup of cooking liquid over it, and broil until slightly crispy around the edges.
- Serve carnitas in corn tortillas, over nachos, Mexican rice, or rolled into a burrito. Don't forget to serve some creamy guacamole, chopped onions, cilantro, and pico de gallo on the side.
Video
Notes
- Don't discard the bone from the roast, but add it with the pork cubes for a richer flavor.
- Don't over shred the meat. You don't want your carnitas the consistency of pulled pork, you should still have some bigger chunks of pork.
- Brush the meat with the broth before serving. This not only adds more flavor but makes the carnitas glisten and look even more appetizing.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Carnitas freeze well. Place the cooked carnitas in a ziplock bag and make sure all the air is pressed out first. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw frozen carnitas in the fridge the night before you plan on serving them.
- You can reheat the carnitas in a microwave, in an air fryer, or in a pan.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 647kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 74g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Sodium: 1410mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g
