Instant Pot Carnitas

Tender, citrus-spiced pulled pork with crispy caramelized edges. The Instant Pot gets it tender, the broiler makes it carnitas. See the Boston Butt Prep Guide for trimming instructions.

Serves 10-12 meals (dinner for 2 + lunch for 2 + freezer portions)

Ingredients

• Pork:
• 1 bone-in Boston butt (7-10 lbs), trimmed and broken into chunks per Prep Guide
• Spice Rub:
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Pot Liquid:
• 1 cup chicken broth (or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup hot water)
• Juice of 2 oranges (or 1/2 cup orange juice)
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• For Cooking:
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Thaw
2. Pull the shoulder from freezer to fridge 48-72 hours before cooking. This is a big cut — give it time.
3. Trim
4. Trim and break down the shoulder per the Boston Butt Prep Guide. You should end up with 3-5 large chunks, cleaned of glands, silver skin, and excess fat.
5. Season
6. Mix the spice rub in a small bowl: salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
7. Pat the chunks dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mix generously over all sides of every chunk.
8. Sear
9. Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Add olive oil.
10. Sear the chunks in batches — don't crowd the pot. Brown on 2-3 sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside on a plate.
11. Deglaze
12. Pour a splash of chicken broth into the pot. Scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. This prevents a burn notice and adds flavor.
13. Pressure Cook
14. Turn off sauté. Pour in the remaining broth, orange juice, lime juice, and vinegar. Stir.
15. Place the seared chunks back in the pot. It's fine if they're stacked — they'll all cook.
16. Close lid, set valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 90 minutes.
17. Natural release for 15 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure.
18. Shred
19. Transfer the chunks to a cutting board or large bowl. Remove the bone — it should slide right out.
20. Shred the meat with two forks. It should fall apart easily. If it doesn't, it needs more time — put it back for another 10-15 minutes.
21. Strain and save the pot liquid — you'll need it.
22. Crisp (The Step That Makes It Carnitas)
23. Preheat your oven broiler to high.
24. Spread the shredded pork in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Don't pile it up — you want surface area.
25. Drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of the pot liquid over the pork.
26. Broil for 5-7 minutes, watching closely, until the edges are dark and crispy. Pull it out, toss the pork, drizzle with a bit more liquid, and broil another 3-5 minutes.
27. The crispy caramelized bits mixed with the tender shredded meat is what makes carnitas carnitas.

Notes

**Start time:** Begin around 2:00 PM to eat by 5:00 PM. **Freezer portions:** Portion leftover pork into containers with a few spoonfuls of the pot liquid in each — it keeps the meat moist when reheating. Good in the fridge 4-5 days, freezer 2-3 months. **Reheating from frozen:** Thaw in fridge overnight. Reheat in microwave, then spread on a sheet and broil again for 3-5 minutes to re-crisp the edges. **Serving ideas:** Over cheese (of course), in low-carb tortillas, on the pizza dough as a topping, or just straight with hot sauce. **vs. Pulled Pork:** The differences are the cumin/oregano/citrus seasoning and the broiler crisping step. If you skip the broil, you basically have Mexican-seasoned pulled pork — still good, but not carnitas.

DinnerInstant potMexicanPork