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.

Introduction

Carnitas cooked the traditional way can be an all-day effort. Making the carnitas in the Instant Pot, on the other hand, 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 never use my slow cooker carnitas recipe anymore because the Instant Pot version is so 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 crowdpleaser. 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.

Here are some other Instant Pot Latin and Mexican recipes:

– Instant Pot Chicken Tinga

– Instant Pot Carne Asada

– Instant Pot Arroz con Pollo

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.



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.

– Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Manual

– Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual

– Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual

– Instant Pot DUO NOVA 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.

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 ).

mode and adjust the time to 1 hour and 30 minutes ( ). 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 Tbsp 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.

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. If you loved this recipe, please give it a five ⭐ rating in the comment section below and please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much! BACK TO TOP

More Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Recipes

Instant Pot Bahn Mi | Vietnamese Sandwich Instant Pot Banh Mi is a Vietnamese Pork Sandwich that delivers an explosion of flavors. This Asian sandwich is assembled on toasted French bread or baguette with pork, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs. Bring the flavors of your favorite banh mi food truck or takeout to your kitchen with this easy recipe. READ MORE

Instant Pot Vindaloo Instant Pot Vindaloo is a spicy, tangy Indian curry from the state of Goa in India. This is an authentic Goan Indian family recipe that comes from my mother-in-law and was adapted for the Instant Pot. READ MORE