I’ve perfected a Whole30-friendly and low carb porktastic Instant Pot Carnitas recipe that will rival what you’d order at your favorite taqueria! It’s so simple and delicious that you’ll make homemade carnitas all the time!

An overhead shot of a platter filled with Nom Nom Paleo Instant Pot Carnitas, lettuce leaves, diced onion, jalapeños, sliced avocados, and lime wedges. There is a red banner at the bottom that says paleo, gluten-free, and low carb

Fast and healthy carnitas at home!

Our family always craves this tender Mexican shredded pork, particularly once it’s crisped up in a hot skillet. Whenever we go out for tacos, carnitas is our filling of choice.

At home, I’ve tried to pass off crisped-up Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Kalua Pig (or Slow Cooker Kalua Pig) as carnitas, but apparently, I didn’t raise no dummies.

My kids will happily gobble up the crispy, tender pork, but both of them will occasionally remark that the flavors just aren’t the same. “This is good kalua pig, mom. But it’s not carnitas!” They know that carnitas has a deeper, richer flavor profile—even if they don’t know exactly what goes in the recipe. Luckily, I rolled up my sleeves and came up with this easy and authentic recipe for home cooks!

A closeup of Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Carnitas ready to eat.

What is carnitas?

Carnitas is a traditional Mexican dish that consists of pork shoulder (a.k.a. pork butt) cooked with onions, garlic, oregano, orange, and warming spices like cumin—so yeah, it’s a little more complex than Kalua Pig. Typically, the pork is slowly braised on the stovetop or oven, but I’ve come up with a faster and just as tasty method with an Instant Pot! (Psst! This is my current favorite Instant Pot model.)

Can you use another protein?

Although carnitas is normally a pork dish, you can a different protein if you don’t eat pork. In fact, my third cookbook, Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! has a fabulous duck carnitas recipe for folks who don’t eat pork!

If you do want to change up the protein, I wouldn’t use anything too lean because you don’t want to choke down dry and powdery meat.

You can use boneless and skinless chicken thighs—just make sure to decrease the cooking time to 10 minutes under high pressure.

If you want to substitute beef, the best options are cubed chuck roast, boneless short ribs, or brisket and you can follow the recipe exactly the same.

Can you cook this in a slow cooker or crock pot?

Yes! Cook the carnitas on low for 8 to 10 hours or until the meat is easily shreddable with two forks.

Ingredients

For the Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

  • Boneless pork shoulder roast or pork butt: If you want the most shreddable and fall-apart tender pulled pork, you must use pork shoulder or pork butt. Please don’t use pork tenderloin because it’s too lean. I have suggestions above if you don’t eat pork.
  • Orange: I like to use a whole orange so I can use the peel and the juice in the recipe.
  • Garlic
  • Onion: I use a yellow or white onion to cook with the pork.
  • Ground cumin
  • Dried oregano
  • Bay leaf
  • Crushed red pepper flakes
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • Ghee, avocado, oil, or lard: I use this to help crisp up the carnitas in a frying pan.

Optional Garnishes and Toppings

  • Minced fresh cilantro
  • Finely diced white onion
  • Haas avocados or guacamole
  • Salsa or pico de gallo
  • Limes: I love to hit my carnitas with a squeeze of fresh lime juice right before I devour them!
  • Sliced radishes
  • Sliced jalapeno peppers
  • Butter lettuce, Siete grain-free tortillas, or corn tortillas (if not paleo or Whole30)

How to make Instant Pot Carnitas

Grab your boneless pork shoulder roast (a.k.a. Boston butt) and cut it into 2-inch cubes.

Slicing pork shoulder roast into 2-inch cubes

Plop the pork in a large bowl and sprinkle on the salt, cumin, red pepper flakes, and oregano.

Seasoning the pork shoulder cubes with salt, cumin, red pepper flakes, and oregano

Toss well to coat. Then, transfer the seasoned pork to the Instant Pot insert.

Toss the cubes in the seasoning to coat them.

Use a vegetable peeler to peel wide strips of zest off the orange. Stay close to the surface, making sure you don’t peel into the white pith, ’cause that stuff is bitter.

Peel the zest off the orange with a black vegetable peeler.

Add the strips of orange zest to the Instant Pot, along with the garlic, quartered yellow onion, and bay leaf. 

An overhead shot of Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Carnitas with the raw ingredients.

Cut the bald orange in half and juice it.

Juicing the zested oranges for the Instant Pot Carnitas

Pour the orange juice into the Instant Pot insert…

Pouring the the orange juice into the Instant Pot for the carnitas recipe.

…and stir to distribute.

An overhead shot of someone mixing the carnitas ingredients in the Instant Pot

Place the insert into the Instant Pot and lock the lid. Make sure the valve on the lid is pointed at the “Sealing” position. Press the  “Manual” button or “Pressure Cook” and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. (Stovetop pressure cooker users should cook under high pressure for 30 minutes.) Then, let the pressure release naturally (about 20 minutes).

The front display of an Instant Pot Duo Plus.

If the pressure hasn’t completely released after 20 minutes and you’re hungry, manually vent the pressure by turning the release valve on the lid. Open the lid and discard the garlic, onion, and bay leaf.

Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed. You can shred and serve the pork as-is, or store it in the fridge (with all the liquid/fat) for up to 4 days (or in the freezer for up to 4 months).

A pair of tongs holding a cooked cube of Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Carnitas

Me? I prefer to eat crispy carnitas, so I always scoop up the cooked pork with a slotted spoon and fry up the meat in a cast iron skillet until there are crunchy bits, before serving on lettuce leaves (or grain-free tortillas) and piled high with taco toppings.

How to fry up crispy carnitas

On the stovetop

Heat up a large cast iron skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of your favorite cooking fat. Grab the pork out of the fridge and dig out the pieces of carnitas.

A stainless steel container of Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Carnitas from the refrigerator with hardened fat on top

Shred the meat up with your fingers.

Shredding cold Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Carnitas by hand.

Once the pan is hot, add the pork and fry, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired crispness.

Frying Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Carnitas in a cast iron skillet until crispy

In the oven

Heat up the broiler on high with the oven rack six inches from the heating element. Place the shredded carnitas in a single layer in a rimmed baking sheet and pop under the broiler for about 4 to 8 minutes or until shredded pork has golden crispy edges.

How to serve the carnitas

While the pork is getting crispy, combine the diced white onion and cilantro in a bowl. Also, wash some butter lettuce leaves, slice up the avocados, radishes, and jalapeños. Grab your favorite salsa, and cut up some lime wedges.

Arranging Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Carnitas on a platter with cilantro, lettuce, sliced avocados, jalapeños, limes, and radishes.

Last but not least, grab your plate and assemble your own delicious tacos!

Instant Pot carnitas in a bowl with lettuce, limes, avocados, and jalapenos.

What are some good side dishes?

How to save leftovers

The leftover carnitas can be stored in the leftover liquid in the refrigerator in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. If you freeze the leftovers, make sure to thaw the pork in the fridge overnight so reheating is a breeze.

When I want to reheat the carnitas, I discard the fat cap and dig out the pieces of meat and throw them in a hot skillet. The reserved cooking liquid can also be a tasty base for soups and sauces!

How to use leftover carnitas


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Instant Pot Carnitas (Paleo, Whole30, Low Carb)

4.94 from 45 votes
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
I’ve perfected a porktastic Instant Pot Carnitas recipe that will rival what you’d order at your favorite taqueria! 

Ingredients  

For the Instant Pot Carnitas

  • 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
  • 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoons crushed dried oregano leaves preferably Mexican
  • 1 medium orange I like using Cara Cara
  • 6 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 large yellow onion peeled and quartered
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon ghee avocado oil, lard, or favorite high temperature cooking fat (optional)

For the toppings and garnishes

  • 1 small white onion finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro minced
  • 1 head butter lettuce leaves removed, washed and spun dry (Siete’s grain-free tortillas are awesome as well.)
  • 2 Hass avocados peeled and sliced or guacamole
  • 1-2 radishes thinly sliced
  • 2 jalapeño peppers sliced (optional)
  • 1 cup salsa or pico de Gallo
  • 3 limes quartered
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Instructions 

  • Grab your boneless pork shoulder roast (a.k.a. Boston butt) and cut it into 2-inch cubes.
  • Plop the pork in a large bowl and sprinkle on the salt, cumin, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Toss well to coat. Then, transfer the seasoned pork to the Instant Pot insert.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to peel wide strips of zest off the orange. Stay close to the surface, making sure you don’t peel into the white pith, ’cause that stuff is bitter. Add the strips of orange zest to the Instant Pot, along with the garlic, quartered yellow onion, and bay leaf. 
  • Cut the bald orange in half and juice it. Pour the juice into the Instant Pot insert and stir to distribute.
  • Place the insert into the Instant Pot and lock the lid. Make sure the valve on the lid is pointed at the “Sealing” position. Press the  “Manual” button (or “Pressure Cook” if you have the new IP-DUO Plus60) and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. (Stovetop pressure cooker users should cook under high pressure for 30 minutes.) Then, let the pressure release naturally (about 20 minutes). 
  • If the pressure hasn’t completely released after 20 minutes and you’re hungry, manually vent the pressure by turning the release valve on the lid. Open the lid and discard the garlic, onion, and bay leaf. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed. You can shred and serve the pork as-is, or store it in the fridge (with all the liquid/fat) for up to 4 days (or in the freezer for up to 4 months).
  • If you prefer crispy carnitas, heat up a large cast iron skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of your favorite cooking fat.
  • Grab the pork out of the fridge and dig out the pieces of carnitas. Shred the meat up with your fingers.
  • Once the pan is hot, add the pork and fry, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired crispness.
  • Wanna crisp the carnitas in the oven? Heat up the broiler on high with the oven rack six inches from the heating element. Place the shredded carnitas in a single layer in a rimmed baking sheet and pop under the broiler for about 4 to 8 minutes or until shredded pork has golden crispy edges.
  • While the pork is getting crispy, combine the diced white onion and cilantro in a bowl. Also, wash some butter lettuce leaves, slice up the avocados, radishes, and jalapeños. Grab your favorite salsa, and cut up some lime wedges.
  • Last but not least, grab your plate and assemble your own delicious tacos!

Video

Notes

Make the carnitas ahead of time on the weekend and taco night will be a breeze during the week!
The leftover carnitas can be stored in the leftover liquid in the refrigerator in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. If you freeze the leftovers, make sure to thaw the pork in the fridge overnight so reheating is a breeze.
When I want to reheat the carnitas, I discard the fat cap and dig out the pieces of meat and throw them in a hot skillet. The reserved cooking liquid can also be a tasty base for soups and sauces!

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 21g | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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Recipe Rating




144 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These are hands-down my favorite carnitas. So delicious and super easy. When I’m making for just my husband and me, I cut the recipe in half if I don’t think I can get through the leftovers. I love these carnitas!

  2. 5 stars
    FANTASTIC!!! Just 2 things I’d do differently… There’s no reason to dirty a bowl, just mix the pork & seasonings in the pot liner. Also, the garlic cloves that come out of that liquid are flavor BOMBS!!! For the love of yum, do not discard them! I salvaged them to add back to the tacos after I crisped the meat. And I’m so glad I tweaked the recipe by adding all the cloves I had on hand. I’m going to the store tomorrow to buy more garlic so I can pressure cook it in the leftover liquid. I’m salivating just thinking about it! Thanks for another great pork shoulder recipe!!!

  3. I have a pork boneless center cut loin roast at 3.81 lbs. Could I use that, and would I need to alter the recipe at all being that it’s almost 4 lbs? Thanks!

  4. 5 stars
    I love this recipe. The carnitas are so delicious and just the right amount of spicy. Leftovers make a killer breakfast too.

  5. 5 stars
    This recipe is one of our absolute favorites. Every time people have it, they’re begging for the recipe! We also substitute chicken for the pork when making it for Halal/Kosher friends or friends with Alpha-Gal. It’s so good! This summer my husband got alpha-gal too, so while we’re waiting for the treatment to finish it’s been awesome to already have this in our meal rotation to tweak with chicken. Also- both chicken and pork versions beautifully.

  6. 5 stars
    i used the juice of a tangerine and forgot to add the peel. My pork was stew meat from a yard-raised pig who ate fruits and veggies from the farmer all his life. Definitely makes a difference where the meat comes from. It was a very tasty pork dish