Instant Pot Carnitas Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
A meal to remember, packed with flavor and the most delightful mix of textures, from the tender, crispy-edged pork to the creamy avocado and fresh pineapple salsa. Make extra: the carnitas reheat beautifully for burrito bowls and salads all week long.
Ingredients
For the Carnitas:
- 3-4 pounds boneless pork shoulder aka pork butt
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup water
For the Salsa:
- 2 cups pineapple diced into small pieces
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
For the Tacos:
- tortillas
- avocado
- cilantro and extra lime wedges optional garnish
Instructions
- To make the carnitas: Cut the pork shoulder into pieces of roughly 4 inches. Trim off and discard any large pieces of fat along the edges, and place the meat in the Instant Pot.
- In a small bowl, combine lime juice, brown sugar, cumin, salt, oregano, chili powder, and garlic powder. Pour this mixture over the pork and rub in gently so that it coats each side of the meat.
- Pour orange juice and water over the pork. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.
- Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then turn the valve to “vent” to manually release remaining pressure. Open the lid, remove pieces of pork, and shred them by pulling apart with two forks into bite-size shreds. Leave liquid in the pot.
- To crisp the carnitas by broiling: Spread the shredded pork out on a sheet pan. Turn oven to high broil setting. Place sheet pan approximately 4” below the heating element, close the door, and watch carefully — you’ll want to remove the pan when the top bits of pork turn brown and crispy, which should take just 2-3 minutes. If you desire lots of crispy bits, toss the meat a bit with tongs and place under the broiler for another 1-2 minutes. Meanwhile, set the Instant Pot to sauté to reduce the leftover cooking liquid. Transfer crisped pork to a large serving bowl, drizzle reduced liquid on top if desired, and serve.
- Alternatively, to crisp the carnitas on the stovetop: Warm 1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil in a large Dutch oven or non-stick skillet set over medium-high heat. When hot, add an even layer of the shredded pork to the skillet — don’t crowd it too much. Drizzle 2-3 Tablespoons of liquid from the Instant Pot over the pork and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until the liquid mostly evaporates and the pork has crispy, golden brown edges. Stir, cook 1 minute more, then remove pork from the skillet and place in a serving bowl. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more liquid from the Instant Pot to the pan, then scrape vigorously to remove any browned bits from the bottom. Let the liquid evaporate, then scoop out these crispy bits and add to the bowl with the pork. Add more oil to the skillet, and repeat as necessary until all the pork is crisped. (I can usually do this in two batches.)
- Optionally, for extra sauce: After removing the last batch of pork and crispy browned bits, pour remaining liquid from the Instant Pot into the skillet. Add a pinch of salt and simmer over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, until noticeably thickened and reduced. Pour this rich sauce over the shredded pork, and toss very well to combine.
- To make the salsa: Combine pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro, onion, salt, and lime juice in a small bowl. Be sure everything is chopped into relatively even, small pieces. Stir well to combine. Sample and add extra salt and/or lime juice to taste.
- Assemble the tacos: Warm tortillas, dice avocado, and pull a few leaves of cilantro off of the stems. Pile tortillas with carnitas, salsa, avocado, a few cilantro leaves, and any other toppings as desired. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Don’t worry if there are streaks of fat remaining within the pieces of pork as you add them to the Instant Pot. Just do your best to trim any large sections of fat off of the edges. You will have another chance to remove any excessively fatty pieces after the pork cooks, as you shred it.
- The pork keeps very well in the fridge, in any airtight container, for 5-6 days, and is easy to reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. It's perfection in bowls, quesadillas, extra tacos, or mixed into breakfast burritos or scrambled eggs for a breakfast treat!
- The pineapple salsa keeps reasonably well in the fridge for 1-2 days if you have leftovers, but really has the best texture right away.
- Carnitas recipe adapted from The Homesick Texan via Smitten Kitchen; salsa recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 476 kcal, Carbohydrates: 36 g, Protein: 55 g, Fat: 11 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g, Trans Fat: 0.03 g, Cholesterol: 136 mg, Sodium: 1397 mg, Potassium: 1083 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 13 g, Vitamin A: 311 IU, Vitamin C: 43 mg, Calcium: 108 mg, Iron: 5 mg