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Carnitas Tacos

Easy Carnitas Tacos for Juicy, Flavor-Packed Dinners

These Easy Carnitas Tacos are a quick, delicious dinner option filled with juicy, flavorful pork, perfect for Taco Tuesday!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Natural Pressure Release 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 tacos
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 290

Ingredients
  

For the Pork
  • 3 pounds Pork Shoulder Alternatively, you can use pork butt or lean pork loin but adjust the cooking times accordingly.
  • 1 tablespoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
For the Spice Blend
  • 1 tablespoon Cumin If you're out of cumin, ground coriander works as a lovely alternative.
  • 1 tablespoon Oregano Feel free to use dried or fresh based on what's on hand.
For the Aromatics
  • 1 medium Onion Any variety—yellow, white, or red—will do just fine.
  • 4 cloves Garlic You can use fresh garlic or even pre-minced for convenience.
For the Sauces
  • 1 cup Orange Juice Lime juice or vinegar can serve as substitutes if needed.
  • 1/4 cup Lime Juice Bottled juice is acceptable.
  • 1 cup Chicken Broth For a vegetarian option, vegetable broth works wonderfully.
For the Cooking Essentials
  • 2 pieces Bay Leaves You can experiment with different dried herbs for a unique flavor.

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Method
 

Step-by-Step Instructions for Easy Instant Pot Carnitas Tacos
  1. Cut the pork shoulder into large, roughly 2-inch chunks and trim away excess fat. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano.
  2. Set your Instant Pot to the sauté mode and heat. Add seasoned pork in batches, browning for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Remove pork and set aside.
  3. In the same pot, add diced onions and minced garlic, sautéing for about 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.
  4. Pour in orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth over the onions and garlic. Tuck in bay leaves around the pork.
  5. Seal the Instant Pot lid, set to 'sealing,' and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
  6. Open the lid carefully and shred the pork using two forks.
  7. Preheat your oven broiler to high. Broil shredded pork for 5-7 minutes until edges are crispy and caramelized.
  8. Warm tortillas in a skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds on each side or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 20-30 seconds.
  9. Assemble tacos by layering shredded pork onto each tortilla and topping with your favorite ingredients like cilantro and diced onions.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tacoCalories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 20gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 540mgPotassium: 330mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg

Notes

These tacos can be customized with various toppings and sauces; enjoy the interactive experience with friends and family.

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Let us know how it was!