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    Home » Blog » Recipes » Main Course

    Published: July 20, 2018·Last Modified: December 20, 2021 · Leave a comment · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

    Easy Pork Carnitas Recipe

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Graphic of pressure cooker pork carnitas

    Looking for a quick, healthy and delicious dinner?  Look no further than this pressure cooker pork carnitas recipe! These pork carnitas will be on the table in less than an hour, and they’re tender, juicy and full of flavor. Having delicious and healthy dinners like pressure cooker pork carnitas will make everyone happy.

    cast iron skillet with carnitas, guacamole and fresh limes

    Ingredients:

    • Pork butt or shoulder
    • Chicken broth
    • Avocado oil, or bacon fat divided - for browning the meat
    • Lime juice
    • Jalapeño
    • Garlic
    • Bay leaves

    Seasoning Mix:

    • Red pepper flakes
    • Oregano
    • Onion powder
    • Smoked paprika
    • Black pepper
    • Cumin
    • Pink Himalayan salt
    up close to crispy pork carnitas with a dollop of guacamole with cilantro

    Here's How To Make Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas:

    Cut pork into about 3 inch sections. Set aside. In a separate bowl, blend all of your spices together. Sprinkle your spice mixture over the pork and mix it so everything is covered.

    raw pork butt meat cut into chunks in a glass bowl with seasoning

    Rough chop the garlic, and jalapeños. Leave the seeds in if you like things spicy, take them out if you don’t. Heat the cooking oil or bacon fat over medium heat, add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, then add in the jalapeños. Cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Next, add in your pork. Cook the meat until browned, but not all the way cooked through.

    • jalapenos and garlic in the bottom of a pressure cooker in oil
    • browned pieces of pork in a pressure cooker

    Next, add in your lime juice, chicken broth and bay leaves. Now, it's time to pressure cook. You will want your Instant pot to come to pressure and then pressure cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. After time is up, allow to natural release for 10 minutes, then carefully release pressure and add meat to a bowl to shred. Shred with two forks. Add in the juices that the meat was cooking in to keep the meat juicy, tender and flavorful.

    • hand pouring broth into a pressure cooker with pork
    • hand squeezing lime into a pressure cooker
    • shredding pork with two forks in a pot full of flavorful broth

    Now, add your shredded pork to a cast iron skillet. Drizzle some of the cooking liquid over the top to keep the meat from getting too dry.

    shredded cooked pork

    Now, set your oven broiler setting to high, and let the meat crisp up under there. You will want to use some tongs to mix up the meat to be sure that all of it gets some nice crispy edges. Repeat until desired texture is reached!  Serve these pork carnitas with some creamy guacamole, grilled vegetables, avocado lime crema, make low carb tacos and more!

    vegetables cilantro and limes with cooked pork carnitas in cast iron cookware

    Recipe Notes:

    We know that carnitas are one of the most famous dishes of Mexican cuisine, and we think it's worth noting that this recipe has been modified to fit a keto diet. There are tons of versions of this delicious dish floating around, and we don't claim that this recipe is super authentic. We just try our best to make things at home at are super delicious that we want to eat over and over again. 

    The best carnitas are always found at your local family run taqueria! 😉 Let us be clear about that. Our simplified version is just that, simplified! If you're going to make these pork carnitas at home, get the ingredients from a local grocery store if you can.

    We originally shot this recipe back in July of 2018, before we were proud owners of an Instant Pot or a heavy duty citrus squeezer! You can certainly just use your hands to squeeze the limes, and use a stovetop pressure cooker to prepare the carnitas, but we honestly swear by these tools now. We love the Instant Pot because it frees up space on your stove, and you can brown the meat in there before pressure cooking. So simple!

    flatlay of prepped pressure cooker pork carnitas ingredients with borth limes jalapenos garlic seasonings and fat

    Shop This Recipe!

    Need Kitchen Supplies for this pork carnitas recipe? We've linked our favorites above and right here in our Amazon Store! You don't pay anything extra if you shop using our link, but we get a small percentage of the sale. We are apart of the Amazon Affiliate Program.

    Here's Some More Recipes You Will Love:

    • Low Carb Burrito Bowl
    • Avocado Lime Crema
    • Chipotle Lime Shrimp

    Please let us know if you guys give this recipe a try! We'll keep the recipes coming.

    If you love this recipe, please consider sharing it with a friend and also leaving a rating and comment so others can find this recipe. Thank you for your support!

    Until next time,
    Briana & Chamere

    cast iron skillet with carnitas, guacamole and fresh limes

    Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe

    Looking for a quick, healthy and delicious dinner? Look no further than this pressure cooker pork carnitas recipe! These pork carnitas will be on the table in less than an hour, and they’re tender, juicy and full of flavor. Having delicious and healthy dinners like pressure cooker pork carnitas will make everyone happy. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 8 people
    Author: Briana

    Ingredients

    • 3 pounds pork butt, cut into 2" pieces
    • 1 cup chicken broth
    • ¼ cup avocado oil
    • 6 tablespoon lime juice (the juice of 3 limes)
    • 1 whole jalapeño
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 3 whole bay leaves

    Seasonings

    • 2 teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    • Sprinkle your spice mixture over the pork until it is well coated. Heat your cooking oil over medium heat, add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, then add in the jalapeños. Cook until soft, about 3 minutes. 
    • Add in the pork, cooking in batches to brown the meat on all sides. After all meat is cooked and back in the pressure cooker, add in the chicken broth, lime juice, and bay leaves. Cook for 30 minutes on high pressure then let it natural release for 10 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure.
    • Using a slotted spoon, take the meat pieces out of the broth and place into a large bowl to shred with forks, or even a hand mixer! You can add back a few ladles of broth to the meat to keep it tender, juicy and flavorful.
    • You can now crisp up the carnitas under the broiler or on the stovetop. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Serve with cauliflower rice or as a part of this low carb burrito bowl. Enjoy!
     

    Nutrition

    Sodium: 803mg | Calcium: 45mg | Vitamin C: 6mg | Vitamin A: 203IU | Sugar: 1g | Fiber: 1g | Potassium: 648mg | Cholesterol: 102mg | Calories: 298kcal | Trans Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Fat: 17g | Protein: 32g | Carbohydrates: 3g | Iron: 3mg

    These nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy and are only estimates. We cannot guarantee the accuracy.

    Did you love it?If you made this recipe, make sure to show us on Instagram at @AFullLiving or tag #AFullLiving! We love to see what you guys are making!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: dinner, gluten free, healthy, keto, low carb, paleo, whole 30
    « Keto Burrito Bowl
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