Carnitas is amazingly flavorful Mexican pulled pork made with aromatic spices and citrus, shredded, and crisped in a hot skillet. This pork carnitas are easily made in an Instant Pot in just a little over an hour and comes out so juicy, soft, and tender.
Pulled pork is great in different tacos, like my Pulled Pork Tacos with Tropical Slaw. Pork nachos is another great recipe where you can use these carnitas.
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If you’re not familiar with carnitas yet, I recommend that you get acquainted very fast. This pulled pork dish is worth trying as soon as possible because once you do, you will be making it over and over.
Carnitas are a native Mexican dish and it literally means little pieces of meat. They are traditionally made out of pork that has been slowly cooked to produce soft, tender meat. Tender, shredded meat is then quickly cooked at high temperature to get crispy edges.
The result is amazing! Soft and tender meat that is full of flavor from seasoning, citrus, and vegetables it is cooked in. And then, a touch of crispy ends to put it over the top.
After making carnitas so many times, I am still amazed how soft and juicy texture of this pulled pork stays even after spending a couple of days in the refrigerator or being frozen.
Ingredient Notes
Pork Shoulder (or Butt) – pork shoulder and pork butt actually both come from the shoulder part of the pig. The name “pork butt” is a little confusing since it does not actually come from the rear of the animal. Both cuts are shoulder but one is the top part and the other is the bottom part.
Pork butt is the top part of the shoulder and it sits higher on the foreleg, while pork shoulder is the lower part that is closer to the leg. Both cuts are tough and fatty so it’s best to cook them in a slow cooker, Instant pot or smoker. Pork butt is often labeled as “Boston butt” and pork shoulder is labeled as “picnic shoulder” or “picnic roast.”
Jalapenos – Remember most of the chili pepper’s spice is in the seeds so choose to leave the seeds in for more spice or discard for less. You can also select older or younger peppers based on their skin. Older peppers are much spicier than young ones and you can tell the age of the chili pepper by the brown veins on the skin. The more veins, the older it is.
Orange and Lime – make sure to use fresh squeezed lime and orange juice for the best flavor.
Chicken Stock – use either chicken stock or chicken broth. Chicken stock does tend to have richer, fuller flavor.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Cooking Instructions for Instant Pot
With the modern convenience of an Instant Pot, you can be enjoying these pork carnitas in about an hour and a half.
It takes 5 minutes to combine the ingredients in the pot, an hour to pressure cook it, and a few more minutes to pull pork and sear it.
Cut pork shoulder in 2-3 pieces and place it in an Instant Pot. Add diced onion, jalapenos, smashed garlic, and bay leaves.
In a mixing bowl, combine chicken broth, juice from limes, juice from oranges, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Mix it well. Pour the mixture all over the pork and veggies.
Close the lid and make sure it’s latched. Turn the valve to “seal” and set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure cook mode for 60 minutes.
Turn off the Instant Pot when it’s done and let it naturally release for 10 minutes. You can do manual release after that.
Take all the meat out into a mixing bowl. Gently shred the meat with two forks. You can choose do discard large pieces of fat or keep it. (Save broth from cooking the pork.)
Store pulled pork in an air-tight container and save a couple of cups of cooking broth in a separate container.
Cooking Instructions to Crisp Carnitas
I am a big proponent of crisping carnitas on stove-top, in a skillet or another cooking pan. After trying to crisp it in the oven, under the broiler, the result is just not the same.
What’s missing is one important step of adding broth that pork was cooked in and letting it cook out. This infuses pork with so much extra flavor, you just can’t beat that.
Make sure to preheat the skillet (or another cooking pan) over medium-high heat. Add a little bit of oil to just grease the bottom of the pan. You can choose to brown a portion of pulled pork carnitas or all at the same time. Whichever amount you choose, select the pan accordingly because you don’t want to overcrowd the meat.
Sauté for about a minute and then add some of the cooking broth into the pan, quickly stir and let the juice cook out as the bottom of the meat browns. Stir a couple of times and let a few more pieces get brown.
Take the pork out of the pan and serve whichever way you like.
Recipe FAQs
Essentially, making carnitas in a Crock Pot is very similar to making it in Instant Pot but it will be cooking for 6-8 hours.
Place pork shoulder in a Crock Pot. Add diced onion, jalapenos, smashed garlic, and bay leaves.
In a mixing bowl, combine chicken broth, juice from limes, juice from oranges, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and salt.
Pour the mixture over pork and veggies.
Cover the Crock Pot with a lid and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours.
Once it’s done, take meat out into a mixing bowl and gently shred it with two forks. (Save some broth from cooking pork in a separate container.)
Carnitas are so versatile, you can do just about anything with it.
My favorite way is to make in tacos or nachos.
They can also be rolled into tortillas and baked to make taquitos.
Serve as a main dish with some rice and beans.
Make them into enchiladas instead of chicken.
For a fast and easy lunch, make a simple pork sandwich with carnitas in a soft bun, avocados, and onions.
Both pork carnitas and pulled pork are made by slowly cooking the pork shoulder (or butt) and then pulling/shredding the meat. You can make both in a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or in the oven.
Two main differences are the flavor and finishing carnitas in the skillet to get it crispy. Carnitas are cooked with Mexican flavors like lime and orange juice, chili powder, cumin, jalapenos, and onion. Pulled pork is generally simply seasoned with salt or a couple of additional spices. People also often mix pulled pork with BBQ sauce.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Pork Carnitas are easily stored in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container with a lid. Store broth the pork was cooked in separately and add it to the pan when crisping the pork.
You can also freeze carnitas meat right after you pulled it. Portion meat into freezer bags, let all air out and seal. Label, date, and freeze them. Freeze the broth in a separate freezer bag or freezer container with a lid.
To thaw, pull meat and the broth from the freezer straight into the fridge and let it defrost slowly overnight (or up to 18 hours) in the refrigerator.
Some More Recipes To Make
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Pork Carnitas Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lb pork shoulder
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 jalapenos
- 1 red onion
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 large oranges
- 2 limes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp ancho chili powder
- salt
Instructions
- Cut pork shoulder in 3 pieces and place it in an Instant Pot.
- Add diced onion, jalapenos, smashed garlic, and bay leaves.
- In a mixing bowl, combine chicken broth, juice from limes, juice from oranges, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and salt.
- Pour the mixture all over the pork and veggies.
- Close the lid and make sure it’s latched. Turn the valve to “seal” and set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure cook mode for 60 minutes.
- Turn off the Instant Pot when it’s done and let it naturally release for 10 minutes. You can do manual release after that.
- Take all the meat out into a mixing bowl. Gently shred the meat with two works. You can choose to discard large pieces of fat or keep it. (Save broth from cooking the pork.)
Crisping pork carnitas:
- Preheat the skillet (or another cooking pan) over medium-high heat. Add a little bit of oil to grease the bottom of the pan. (You can choose to brown a portion of pulled pork carnitas or all at the same time. Whichever amount you choose, select the pan accordingly because you don’t want to overcrowd the meat.)
- Sauté for about a minute and then add some of the cooking broth into the pan, quickly stir and let the juice cook out as the bottom of the meat browns. Stir a couple of times and let a few more pieces get brown.
- Take the pork out of the pan and serve whichever way you like.
Video
Notes
- STORING: Pork Carnitas are easily stored in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container with a lid. Store broth the pork was cooked in separately and add it to the pan when crisping the pork.
- FREEZING: You can also freeze carnitas meat right after you pulled it. Portion meat into freezer bags, let all air out and seal. Label, date, and freeze them. Freeze the broth in a separate freezer bag or freezer container with a lid. When ready, let it thaw slowly in the refrigerator!
- SLOW COOKER: To make them in the slow cooker, follow the same instructions as Instant Pot before cooking. Cover the Crock Pot with a lid and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours.
Once it’s done, take meat out into a mixing bowl and gently shred it with two forks. (Save some broth from cooking pork in a separate container.) - SERVING: Pork carnitas are great in tacos or nachos. Roll them into tortillas and baked to make taquitos. Serve as a main dish with some rice and beans. Make them into enchiladas instead of chicken. For a fast and easy lunch, make a simple pork sandwich with carnitas in a soft bun, avocados, and onions.
Michelle says
Can I make this in the crock pot with a bone-in pork shoulder roast? Have you tried that? It really looks delicious and I want to give it a try tonight. Thank you!
Darlene says
Can you use pork loin instead of pork shoulder?
Eliz says
I want to try this in my instant pot, but with pork loin instead of shoulder or butt. Do you think it will be ok?
LyubaB says
Hi, Eliz! It will have a different texture but I think it will still be good!
B says
I think my loin roast only weighs about 2-2.5 pounds, how much would you recommend I adjust the cook time, if at all?
Thank you for any info you can provide!
LyubaB says
Hi B, Since you cut it up it would be the same cook time. 🙂
Terry Adcock says
These carnitas were absolutely fantastic! Made it in the Instant Pot according to your directions, and they were perfect. We will make these again and again. I would like to know, though, approximately how much of the liquid to you put in the pan when you’re crisping them? I used a large cast iron skillet and put about 1/3 cup of liquid… I think I should have put more, but I didn’t want them to end up soggy. I have about 1-1/2 lbs. of meat left for tomorrow night & I saved a cup of liquid, should I use the whole thing?
LyubaB says
Terry, I would add just a couple tablespoons more, the liquid is just to keep the meat most but not watery. Hope this helps!
Karen Bakke says
How can I print out the recipe for carnitas
lyuba says
Hi Karen! There is a print button in the recipe card, on the right under the picture. But, here the direct link to the recipe card you can print: https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/wprm_print/21853
I hope this helps!!
April says
We made nachos with the carnitas! SO GOOD!!!
lyuba says
Awesome! Nachos are one of my favorite things to make this carnitas 🙂
Kristine | Kristine's Kitchen says
These carnitas look so flavorful! That is such a good idea to crisp the meat on the stove. I’m trying that next time!
lyuba says
Thank you, Kristine! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂