The Instant Pot has revolutionized home cooking, making it easy to create delicious meals with little active cooking time. One of the most popular Instant Pot recipes is Instant Pot carnitas. Carnitas is a Mexican dish of braised and shredded pork, usually shoulder. The Instant Pot’s ability to braise meat in a short amount of time makes it ideal for carnitas.

To make Instant Pot carnitas, you will need a 3 to 5 pound pork shoulder roast, sliced into 2 to 3 inch pieces. Season the pork all over with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. You can also add minced garlic for extra flavor. Add some oil to the Instant Pot and brown the seasoned pork pieces on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. As the pieces are browned, remove them to a plate and set aside.

Once all the pork has been browned, add the pieces back to the Instant Pot. Add enough chicken broth to come up halfway up the sides of the pork. Lock the lid in place and set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how tender you want the meat. The longer cooking time will result in more tender carnitas.

When the Instant Pot beeps to indicate it has finished cooking and has depressurized, remove the lid. Use two forks to shred the pork inside the Instant Pot. At this point, you can drain off some of the excess liquid for carnitas with a drier texture. You can also mash some of the garlic cloves into the shredded pork.

To serve, pile the carnitas onto tortillas, nachos, tacos, or burritos and top with salsa, guacamole, cilantro, lime wedges, and any other desired toppings. The carnitas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Instant Pot carnitas are tender, flavorful, and perfect for any Mexican dish or as a topping for salads. The Instant Pot makes the cooking process hands-free and easy. Your home will be filled with the irresistible aroma of the spices and braised pork. Instant Pot carnitas are sure to become a family favorite!