Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

1/15/2021

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Juice Products Association and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Pork Carnitas is one of our favorite meals. We love it served in warm soft tortillas with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

While this is one of our favorite meals, it's usually a long process requiring about three hours of cooking time in the oven. I wanted to speed up the cooking process so I made our favorite pork carnitas in the instant pot.

I also wanted to make them healthier. My original oven recipe for pork carnitas uses real sugar soda which of course is not good for you. So I made these with 100% orange juice instead. The result is perfectly delicious, perfectly flavored meat.

According to the Dietary Guidelines one cup of 100% fruit juice is equivalent to one cup of fruit and contains similar nutrients to the fruit it is squeezed from. Juice complements fruit and when consumed in appropriate amounts, is an easy and affordable way for both children and adults to meet their daily fruit goals.

Enjoy these delicious pork carnitas!

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
Ingredients:
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 lb. pork shoulder (also known as Boston butt)
Small amount of oil
1 1/2 tsp. (approximately) fresh ground salt
1 tsp. (approximately) fresh ground pepper
1 T. oregano
1T. cumin
1 sweet onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 and 1/2 C. 100% orange juice
1/2 T. coconut sugar (optional for broiling)
Fresh squeezed lime juice and more fresh ground salt and pepper for flavoring the finished pork as desired.

1.  Cut the meat into chunks and season with salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Add the diced onion. Brown the seasoned meat and onion in a small amount of oil. You can do this with the sauté function on the instant pot. You do not use the instant pot lid when sautéing. Stir occasionally to brown on all sides.

2. Add garlic and orange juice. Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes with 15 minutes natural release. Then release remaining pressure and carefully open the lid.

3.  Remove any bones and shred the meat adding extra cooking liquid back to the meat. If you like you can put the meat under the broiler (in the oven) to crisp the edges for 5 to 10 minutes. I put the meat in my iron skillet and broil with about a 1/2 T. coconut sugar sprinkled over the top to help it caramelize.

4. Salt and pepper to taste and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top.

5. Serve in tortillas with your favorite toppings...shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Any leftovers make delicious quesadillas the next day.