Instant Pot Carnitas Bowls

Name: Instant Pot Carnitas Bowls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch chunks; 1 cup orange juice; 3 tablespoons lime juice; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 2 teaspoons cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; Cooked rice, black beans, pico de gallo, avocado, cotija cheese, and lime wedges, for bowls

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

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The Instant Pot can make pork shoulder tender. The broiler is what gives carnitas their dignity back. Three-inch chunks of pork pressure cook with orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper until the meat gives up and shreds easily. That gets you tenderness and a flavorful cooking liquid, but if you stop there, you have excellent soft pork—not those crisp, dark edges that make carnitas worth stealing from somebody else’s bowl.

Spread the shredded pork on a sheet pan, drizzle it with a little of the cooking liquid, and broil for three to five minutes. The thin edges crisp, some of the citrusy juices caramelize, and suddenly the meat has contrast again. It is a small extra step after 45 minutes under pressure and it changes the entire bowl.

Build around that pork with rice, black beans, pico de gallo, avocado, cotija, and lime. Warm rice and beans make the bowl substantial; pico and lime keep the richness moving; avocado cools the sharper edges. It is the kind of meal that looks carefully assembled even if everyone at the table immediately mixes it into a delicious pile.

Prep20 minutes

Cook25 minutes

Total45 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch chunks
1 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons lime juice
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Cooked rice, black beans, pico de gallo, avocado, cotija cheese, and lime wedges, for bowls

Instructions

1Season pork chunks with cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
2Place pork in the Instant Pot with orange juice, lime juice, and garlic.
3Lock lid and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Natural release 15 minutes, then quick-release.
4Remove pork and shred with two forks. Skim fat from the cooking liquid.
5For crispy edges: spread shredded pork on a sheet pan, drizzle with 1/4 cup cooking liquid, and broil 3 to 5 minutes until the edges crisp. Cook pork chops or tenderloin to 145°F, then rest before slicing; cook pork shoulder until tender enough to shred.
6Build bowls: rice, black beans, crispy carnitas, pico de gallo, avocado, cotija, and lime.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

860Calories

58 gProtein

8 gCarbohydrates

67 gTotal Fat

25 gSaturated Fat

2 gFiber

5 gTotal Sugars

1100 mgSodium

240 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

The broiling step is what makes these restaurant-quality. Tender inside with crispy, caramelized edges.
Orange juice is the traditional braising liquid for carnitas — it tenderizes and adds subtle sweetness.
Save the cooking liquid. It is liquid gold for reheating leftovers and making rice.