Any time I find pork shoulder at a great price at our local grocery store, it’s a no-brainer for me to put it in the cart and let Joey know that I wouldn’t mind if he threw it on his smoker over the weekend.
That’s why it was a little weird last week when Joey put one in the cart and asked if I would prepare it instead.
He found a recipe for carnitas made in a pressure cooker, and of course, we had to give it a try.
This comes from the blog “Platings and Pairings.” You can find the original post at https://www.platingsandpairings.com/best-instant-pot-pork-carnitas/. I added extra seasoning in my version and added a step to the preparation.
Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- 1 cup water
- 2 oranges
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Trim most of the fat off the pork shoulder and cut the meat into two-inch cubes.
- Combine the garlic salt, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, basil, coriander, chili powder and paprika in a bowl and stir to combine. Reserve about 2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons, of the mixture.
- With the rest of the spice rub, pour it over the pork, coating it as evenly as possible.
- Add the pork to your pressure cooker, along with one cup of water.
- Cut your oranges and lime in half. Squeeze as much juice out of each half as you can into the pressure cooker, and then place the fruit, cut side down, into the pressure cooker, as well.
- Seal the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes, and then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening the cooker.
- While the pork cooks, prepare a rimmed baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- When the pork is done, remove it with a slotted spoon and shred it with two forks. Put the shredded pork on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the reserved seasoning over top of the pork and give it a stir, spreading it out evenly on the sheet.
- Preheat the broiler in your oven to high and place the baking sheet under it. Let the pork crisp for around three minutes, checking regularly. Remove the pork when it’s just starting to crisp up along the edges.
- Serve the pork as a taco, sandwich, or however you like it.
This was delicious. Joey graciously acted as my sous chef, trimming and breaking down the pork shoulder while I prepared the spices. We enjoyed the pork in some corn tortillas, along with avocado, fresh spinach and some hot sauce.
The leftovers reheated very nicely, too.
The next time we find a good deal on a large piece of pork, Joey and I may have to thumb wrestle to see who will be the one to cook it.
The good news is that no matter who wins, there won’t be any losers.
This piece first appeared in print May 8, 2025.
Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.
