This Instant Pot pork tacos recipe is so delicious and you won’t believe how easy it is to make. It’s an easy entertaining idea that’s a crowd-pleaser. The pulled pork shoulder carnitas can also be used in pulled pork burritos, fajitas, nachos, or as part of a rice bowl.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Carnitas cooked the traditional way can be an all-day effort. On the other hand, making the carnitas in the Instant Pot is so much quicker and easier!
Although easy enough to make on a busy weeknight, I often pressure cook the pork in the morning, let it sit in Keep Warm mode, and crisp it up right before I’m ready to serve dinner. The recipe also freezes well.
This recipe for pressure cooker carnitas is based on my Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas recipe, except that in this recipe, I use orange juice instead of beer and increase the Mexican chili powder a bit.
I no longer use my slow cooker carnitas recipe because the Instant Pot version is much more convenient. You just dump in all the ingredients and pressure cook. There’s no sauteing to be done except at the end, to crisp up the pork.
There’s enough filling that you can easily feed 6 people and maybe even have some leftovers for the next day’s lunch or to freeze for later!
This Instant Pot Pork Tacos recipe is one of my favorite things to make when entertaining because it’s easy and a crowd pleaser. I lay out all the fillings and everyone makes their own Instant Pot pork tacos. If I happen to have leftovers, my family loves it when I make nachos with the leftover pork carnitas.
The pulled pork carnitas can be used to make tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, nachos, a Mexican rice bowl or even a Mexican pulled pork sandwich.
➡ Looking for Instant Pot Latin and Mexican recipes? Try my Instant Pot chicken tinga, Instant Pot carne asada, Instant Pot arroz con pollo. You’ll love them as much as I do!
Tips and Substitutions
What Kind of Pork to Use
I like to use pork shoulder for these carnitas tacos because it’s a fattier cut and cooks so well in the Instant Pot. Making shredded pork carnitas out of a leaner cut of pork like pork loin or tenderloin just won’t give you the same results.
If you want to reduce the pressure cooking time for these pulled pork carnitas, you can cut the pork shoulder into smaller pieces.
- 3 inches: 45 to 60 minutes
- 2 inches: 30 to 40 minutes
I frequently like to use boneless country-style ribs, which come from the pork shoulder also. They come in a convenient size and you can just cut them up further into 2 to 3 pieces to reduce the cooking time.
How to Crisp up the Pork
Once the meat is cooked, don’t skip the final step, which is to crisp up the pork on just one side. I learned this trick from this Mexican pulled pork carnitas recipe.
I crisp up the meat in a large nonstick frying pan, but you can also put it on a baking sheet and stick it under the broiler until browned on top.
Cooking Liquid
The cooking liquid is very similar to mojo sauce used in Cuban cuisine. The citrus-herb sauce has a ton of flavor.
While you’re crisping up the Mexican pulled pork, add a couple of tablespoons of the sauce to the meat. Add more as needed. This is especially useful when you’re reheating leftovers, so don’t throw out the liquid!
You can easily make this recipe without orange juice. Substitute beer, cola, or broth for the orange juice.
Spices
We really love the spice mix of this recipe because it gives the carnitas a robust flavor, but you can reduce the seasonings to suit your tastes.
Or you can kick up the spice of the carnitas even more by adding chopped jalapeno to the Instant Pot along with the onions.
To make Chipotle Pork Carnitas, add a chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce to the Instant Pot when you add the onion mixture.
How To Serve the Carnitas
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Tacos: Serve crispy pulled pork carnitas in a flour tortilla or corn tortilla. Top with your choice of toppings.
Pulled Pork Nachos: Spread tortilla chips on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, spread pulled pork over the chips, top with shredded cheddar cheese. Repeat with a second layer of chips, pork, and cheese, and bake till cheese has melted.
Toppings: Top the tacos or nachos with any combination of the following toppings:
- red or green salsa
- Peach mango salsa
- queso fresco
- cotija cheese
- crema or sour cream
- chopped red onions or green onions
- thinly sliced cabbage
- diced avocados
- black beans
- sliced jalapenos
- chopped cilantro
Make the Instant Pot Carnitas Keto Friendly
To make this recipe keto-friendly, use lettuce wraps instead of tortillas. Most of the cooking liquid is discarded. Only about ¼ cup of the cooking liquid (which contains ¾ of a cup of orange juice) is consumed. To make this recipe even more keto-friendly, substitute the orange juice with chicken broth, and use lettuce wraps instead of tortillas.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.
- General Instant Pot Instructions for Beginners
- Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
Instant Pot Pork Tacos Ingredients
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Mexican chili powder
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Oregano
- Orange juice
- Lime juice
- Onion
- Garlic
- Broth
- [Not pictured: oil and pork shoulder]
How to Make Carnitas for Pork Tacos in the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)
- Rub spices and add all ingredients
- Pressure cook
- Natural release
- Shred pork
- Saute pork
Rub spices and add all ingredients
- Mix together oregano, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, and Mexican chili powder in a small bowl.
- Cut pork shoulder into 3 pieces and place in a large bowl.
- Rub the spice mix all over the pork shoulder and place in the Instant Pot.
- Stir together the onion, garlic, orange juice, chicken broth, lime juice and pour the mixture on top of the pork.
Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 90 minutes
- Close the lid and make sure the steam release handle is in the Sealing position.
- Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and + or – until the display reads 90 (90 minutes).
Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 1 hour 30 minutes
- Close the lid.
- Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 1 hour and 30 minutes (01:30).
- Press Start.
Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)
- Instant Pot display will change to On.
- Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
- The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display L0:00 or 00 00 and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.
How to Naturally Release Pressure (NPR) on the DUO and ULTRA
- Allow the pressure to release naturally (NPR). The float valve will be in the down position. This may take 15 to 30 minutes. [Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
Shred Pork
- Transfer the meat to a large bowl.
- Use two forks to shred the pork into strips.
Saute Pork
- Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
- Place desired amount of shredded pork in the frying pan and press down gently.
- Pour 2 to 3 tablespoon of the juices from the Instant Pot over the meat to moisten the pork while it’s cooking.
- Fry the pork mixture until it is crisp on the bottom. Don’t flip the meat over, just fry it on one side, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add more cooking liquid as needed.
- To serve, place pork carnitas in a heated corn tortilla and add your choice of fillings.
Instant Pot Pork Tacos | Crispy Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lbs boneless pork shoulder (1.4 to 1.8 kg)
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon garlic chopped
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth or beef broth
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Cut pork into 3 pieces.
- Mix together oregano, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper and Mexican chili powder. Rub spice mix all over pork shoulder and place it in the Instant Pot.
- Combine onion, garlic, orange juice, broth, and lime juice and pour this mixture over the pork.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 90 minutes.
- Do a natural pressure release (NPR). [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
- Open the Instant Pot and carefully remove pork from the Instant Pot, place it in a bowl and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Using two forks or meat shredder claws, shred the pork. It should be very tender. Discard any large pieces of fat, if desired.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the onion mixture from the liquid in the Instant Pot and add it to the cooked pork.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat.
- Place desired amount of shredded pork in the frying pan and press down gently.
- Pour 2 to 3 tablespoon of the juices from the Instant Pot over the meat to moisten the pork while it’s cooking.
- Fry the pork mixture until it is browned and crisp on the bottom. Don’t flip the meat over, just fry it on one side, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- To serve, place pork carnitas in a heated corn tortilla and add your choice of fillings.
Notes
- Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. chopped onions, minced garlic, etc.
- If you want to cook the pork for a shorter time, cut the pieces into smaller 2-inch chunks and pressure cook for 40 minutes.
- To serve, place a few tablespoons of the Instant Pot carnitas in a flour or corn tortilla. Add your choice of toppings: chopped onion, queso fresco (Mexican cheese), shredded cabbage, cilantro, guacamole, avocado, tomatoes, salsa, jalapenos. Adjust seasonings to taste. If you like your Instant Pot carnitas to be spicier, you could add chopped jalapenos or a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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More Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Recipes
Lilly says
This was amazing! I served on corn tortillas with pickled red onion, cilantro, and diced pineapple. I looked forward to the leftovers all day today. Such good flavor and the crisping makes it divine!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Lilly, thank you for your comment – I’m so thrilled to hear you loved the recipe – sounds like you had a delicious few meals 🙂
Debbie says
I made burrito bowls for Sunday family dinner yesterday. Everyone raved about how tasty the pork was. Thanks Neena for sharing this recipe. I’m so proud of myself for learning how to use my IP.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Debbie – I get the same reaction whenever I make the recipe. I’m glad they liked it! Thanks for commenting.
Lisa says
My daughter (9) asked for this recipe for her birthday dinner. Can’t get higher praise than that!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
That IS a compliment! Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Kathy says
This dish is simply amazing! My guest are still talking about these tacos. The meat was extremely tender and the spices were perfect.
I caramelized some onion and red and yellow peppers, avocado, salsa, cilantro, cheese, sour cream and limes for toppings. I didn’t fry the meat. I I just trimmed the fat and allowed all the juices to be absorbed into the meat. I used uncooked flour tortillas from the supermarket. They can be found in the refrig section of the grocery store near the fresh salads.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Kathy, I just made these for New Year’s Eve and we had them on nachos with the same kind of toppings! So good! Interesting to hear that you didn’t fry the meat and still loved it – frying the meat is my favorite part 🙂
Kathleen says
Do I use the trivet for this recipe?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Kathleen, you could but I don’t. Just made this recipe a few days ago and plan to again for New Year’s nachos 🙂
Sandy says
I love this recipe. I make 8lb at a time in my pressure cooker then I leave the chucks large, add a few tablespoons of cooking liquid and seal them in dinner size portions after they cool. They freeze really well and I pull it out Monday night to defrost for taco Tuesday. Just cut in smaller pieces and heat it in a skillet to reheat, I stop moving it around and let it crisp. It’s the best.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Sandy, thank you for taking the time to comment with your suggestions. I’m so happy you enjoy this recipe 🙂
Melissa says
These carnitas are amazing! I’ve made them multiple times over the last year and keep forgetting to tell you how much I love this recipe. With only my husband and me, it’s perfect to allow us to fry just what we’re going to eat the first night, then freshly fry what we want for leftovers until they’re gone. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Aww, thank you Melissa! That’s really kind of you to take the time to rate the recipe – I’m appreciative whether it’s sooner or later 🙂
Rebecca says
90 minutes on what pressure level???
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Rebecca – all recipes on my site are for high pressure. In general, any recipe you see online is probably for high pressure, unless stated otherwise.
Ducky says
This was supremely delicious and simple to make! I am new to this cut of meat and standing in front of the packages of “pork butt”, I asked the grocery store employee if they carried “pork shoulder”. He shrugged and said “This is all we have”. So I “referenced the interscape” which informed me that pork butt = pork shoulder. It’s so versatile. I am so happy to have found your website!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hey there Ducky – thanks for your comment. This is one of my go-to recipes for company – great for nachos! I’m glad you’ve found me too – all the best!
Ika says
I stumbled ont your blog looking for Indian Instant pot curry and also checked out this recipe. is time though too long? I usually do 60 min and it seems fine to shred it. Maybe it would get even softer with 90 min. also can we use beer in this recipe like you do in your slow cooker recipe?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
If you usually cook for 60 minutes and are happy with the results, I say go for it. That’s 30 minutes saved. 90 minutes works for me, so I never tried less time, but next time I might do that to see how it works out. And yes, you can use the beer instead of OJ. Let me know how it goes if you get a chance!
Jennifer says
My family really enjoyed these carnitas. I made nachos, with all the fixins’. I’m so glad I found this recipe – thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Jennifer – I love using this meat for nachos too. And tacos, and enchiladas, and quesadillas…!
Maria Young says
Received my instant pot yesterday and making your Carnitas right now. I do have a question, why are we using the manual button instead of meat/stew button?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hey Maria, the meat/stew, poultry, etc buttons are pre-set buttons. So the meat/stew button might default to (I don’t remember the exact time) 30 minutes. I like to use the manual because I can set the time myself. If you used the preset buttons, you would have to adjust the time to be what you want it to be. So, you can do that too. I hope that answered your question.
Maria Young says
Thanks for explaining the preset buttons. I feel like I’m driving a “Ferrari” and will probably have more questions in this new cooking experience.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
You’ll be a pro in no time – Enjoy your new IP!
Jamie | A Sassy Spoon says
Wow! Instant Pot is taking over the world over here! I must get one ASAP. This sounds amazing. I’m getting hungry. Thanks for sharing, Neena!
Joyce says
These look FANTASTIC! I didn’t realize you could crisps up things in the Instant Pot! :O These look so delicious, and I love the use of orange juice in the recipe! 🙂 You know what’s funny? I finally went to check out the pressure cooker my mom bought me was, and it’s an Instant Pot! haha! 🙂 Now I NEED to learn how to use it! I’m so happy you have so many cool recipes that I can use with it!
Mikaela | wyldflour says
A taco tuesday recipe!!! Tacos are probably the thing we make the most in our house and these carnitas are perfect for them! So easy, too!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
They’re perfect for taco tuesday. Hope you get to try them out!
Marie @ Yay! For Food says
Pork carnitas tacos are one my fav kinds of tacos too! Crisping up the meat in a frying pan is such a great idea too because the crispy bits are the best! Thanks for sharing.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
You’re right – the crispy part is my favorite too!
romain | glebekitchen says
I had absolutely no idea you could pressure cook carnitas but it makes perfect sense as a fast alternative to using a slow cooker. One question. If you check the meat and it isn’t done enough do you have to depressurize normally the second time or is there a way to speed up the second cycle?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
I find that meat tastes best with natural pressure release rather than quick release. That being said, it would be fine to do a quick release especially since you already waited the first time!
Erica says
Cumin and carnitas, I’m sold! I would love to make my own burrito bowl at home with this delicious looking carnitas, thanks so much!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Erica, it’s so easy to put together and quick too. Enjoy!
Alison @ The Sunday Glutton says
I LOVE carnitas – perfect for tacos, burrito bowls, you name it. I’m sure your family loves being your taste testers with recipes like this!! Yum!!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks Alison! I forgot to mention burrito bowls on my post, such a great idea. And yes, the family does love the taste testing for these recipes. Not so much for the meh recipes!
Riva says
I love carnitas! I can’t believe how fast these cook up! They would take all day in the crock pot. Amazing!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
You’re right – these carnitas are so easy, just put the ingredients in the instapot and let it go!