Easy Instant Pot Carnitas

Marble counter with three carnitas tacos with toppings, a white plate of flour tortillas, and a white bowl of carnitas meat.

4.22 from 46 ratings

Instant Pot Carnitas are a spicy carnitas recipe that your whole family will love! Make carnitas tacos, carnitas enchiladas, and burrito bowls from this recipe!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: instant pot, Pork Carnitas

Servings: people

Calories: 411kcal

Author: Becca Ludlum

Equipment

Instant Pot 6 qt
Sealing Rings

Ingredients

3 lbs pork tenderloin
2 onion sliced thick
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
8 oz green chile salsa or diced green chiles
1 can Rotel: diced tomatoes and green chiles or tomatoes with diced green chilies

Instructions

Spray the bottom of your Instant Pot with nonstick cooking spray.
Slice one onion into thick slices and use them to cover the bottom of the pot. It’s ok if they overlap. 2 onion
Add the pork on top of the onions. If you need to cut the pork into chunks so it fits better, you can do that. 3 lbs pork tenderloin
Sprinkle cayenne pepper, cumin and chili powder, and place bay leaves on the pork. 2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp chili powder, 2 bay leaves
Add 1/2 of the green chile salsa and the entire can of Rotel on and around the pork. This recipe does not need any extra liquid added. The salsa and tomatoes are enough. 8 oz green chile salsa, 1 can Rotel: diced tomatoes and green chiles
Flip your valve to Sealing and Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes per pound.
Allow a 15 minute natural release after the cook time is finished. This means that for 15 minutes after the cook time is done, don’t touch the sealing valve–the pressure will begin to release all by itself. After 15 minutes, flip the valve to Venting and allow the rest of the pressure to release.
Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Remove the pork from the pot and shred with a mixer or two forks.
Add the pork back to the pot. I like to let it sit for a few minutes and soak in the seasoned liquid.
Serve with the rest of the bottle of green chile salsa, warm flour or corn tortillas, diced onions, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Video

Notes

For crispy carnitas, allow the shredded pork to sit in the pot for 5-10 minutes to add additional flavor, then drain the liquid, move the pork to the sides and spray nonstick cooking spray (or drizzle olive or avocado oil) in the middle of the pot. Press sauté and allow pork to crisp for 3-10 minutes, depending on how crispy you want it.

Nutrition