Instant Pot Crispy Carnitas

Is there a better protein than carnitas? The combination of textures—soft, chewy, and crunchy—and the blend of cilantro and lime with the juicy, savory pork makes them perfect for tacos, burritos, bowls, quesadillas, and even meal prep.

When I make carnitas in our home, I always know they’ll be a crowd-pleaser. They’re impossible not to make delicious.

For the longest time, I’d make carnitas either using a slow cooker or by roasting the pork shoulder. Nowadays, to save time, I make these crispy carnitas in my Instant Pot because it’s so much faster and just as flavorful.

There are a few steps that don’t use the Instant Pot, which I’ll share below. But, you’re gonna want to make these Instant Pot Crispy Carnitas ASAP!

Ingredient Notes

Pork Shoulder: The best cut of pork for making carnitas in an instant pot is the pork shoulder, which is also referred to as a Boston butt or a Boston roast. If you don’t see it in your store, I’ve found butchers are often unreasonably happy to cut it for you. I prefer using boneless pork for this Instant Pot crispy carnitas recipe because we’ll be cutting it up to brown in sections, given the limited size of the Instant Pot.

Spice Rub: I make a spice rub for the pork using sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and coconut sugar. This adds a ton of flavor to the overall carnitas, especially since we’ll be searing the pork once we coat it in the spice rub.

Orange Juice and Chicken Broth: I use a combination of orange juice and low-sodium chicken broth to deglaze the Instant Pot once the pork has been browned. I find using a touch of orange juice adds a delicious tangy sweetness to the meat, and the chicken broth helps add the perfect touch of flavor. These could be substituted with water, but the flavor will be lessened.

Cilantro: Cilantro really makes the carnitas. I use fresh cilantro and chop the leaves once the stems are removed. You can swap it with Italian parsley if you do not care for cilantro.

Lime Juice: Fresh lime will add a delicious citrus vibe to the carnitas and help intensify the pork flavor, especially when combined with cilantro and sea salt. If you don’t care for lime, you can use orange juice.

How To Make Carnitas

What makes these crispy carnitas so delicious is the little bit of extra love it takes to make them. Fortunately, though, it’s still an easy recipe. Here’s how to make carnitas in your Instant Pot:

1. Combine the spices to make the rub, and coat the pork butt well.
2. Turn the Instant Pot to saute, add oil, and brown the meat in different portions until golden brown. This step will add more flavor, so don’t skip it.
3. Deglaze the pan with chicken broth and scrape up all those tasty bits.
4. Return the browned pork to the pot, and set the vent to sealing.
5. Pressure cook/manual on high pressure for 60 minutes. Then let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes or until the pin drops.
6. Once the pork is perfectly fall-apart tender, transfer it to a large bowl or cutting board and shred it with 2 forks.
7. Place the shredded pork on a rimmed baking sheet and top with lime juice and sea salt.
8. Place under the broiler until meat is crispy on the edges, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Top meat with cilantro.
10. Enjoy!!

How To Make Carnitas Crispy

The trick to making carnitas crispy, especially out of an Instant Pot, is to add the additional step of broiling the shredded pork once it’s been cooked. This process adds so much flavor to the pulled pork and is 100% worth it. Something magical happens in the broiler, I swear. An Instant Pot isn’t equipped to do this one step, so finishing it off in the broiler is important.

Can I Use A Slow Cooker?

Yes, you can absolutely use a slow cooker to make crispy carnitas, though it will take longer. The other difference is you’ll need to brown the meat in a separate skillet before adding it to the Instant Pot instead of browning it using the Saute function in the Instant Pot. Where the Instant Pot will take 60-80 minutes for the meat to be fully cooked and ready to broil and make crispy, the slow cooker will take 6-8 hours. Both methods are equally tasty.

Can I Use Frozen Pork?

Yes, this recipe can be made using frozen pork, but you wouldn’t be able to sear the pork in the same way, which is a step that adds a lot of flavor. If using frozen pork, just skip the searing step and mix the spice rub directly into the orange juice before placing the frozen pork into the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker. You’ll also need to increase the total cook time for thawing the pork.

Can It Be Frozen?

Carnitas freeze well and will maintain in the freezer for 2-3 months if stored properly. Store in an air-tight freezer-safe bag. We like to use these re-usable storage bags, which allow the pork to freeze and thaw easily.

Instant Pot Expert Tips

• Choose The Right Cut: Choose a boneless pork shoulder or pork butt for the best carnitas. Because of the higher fat percentage of this type of cut, you’ll have a juicier, more tender pulled pork.
• Wait To Trim The Fat: You can easily remove any excess fat off the pork after it cooks, so leave it on while in the Instant Pot to add more flavor.
• Sear Before: Searing the spice-rubbed pork butt beforehand will add flavor to the pulled pork.
• Keep The Liquid: Once you’ve shredded the pulled pork, return it to the Instant Pot and toss it with the reserved liquids to add even more flavor and juiciness back to the pork.
• Don’t Skip The Broiling Step: This will make the carnitas nice and crispy and add even more flavor to the meat.

More Pulled Pork Recipes

Carnitas isn’t the only way to enjoy pulled pork. Check out these other ways to enjoy shredded pork in your next meal.