By Becky Hardin
Updated Nov 11, 2025
I love that my Instant Pot can make the most delicious and crispy pork in a fraction of the time it takes in a conventional oven. I like to serve these instant pot carnitas stuffed into tortillas for a tasty Taco Tuesday!
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5-Star Review
“Tried this last week, worked great, my carnitas are delicious and most of all quick, thanks Becky!” -Pete
Easy Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe
I love carnitas , but I hate that I don’t always have the time to make them! Enter these Instant Pot carnitas. They are everything I want from carnitas—flavorful and perfectly crispy. But they require very little effort and are much quicker to prepare than traditional carnitas.
I like to pile the juicy, crispy, and perfectly seasoned pork into tacos, burritos, or quesadillas for the ultimate Mexican-inspired meal. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, try these sangria pork carnitas or Crockpot beef carnitas .
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 5 lbs. pork shoulder pork butt, washed and cut into large chunks
- ▢ 2 tsp Mexican oregano
- ▢ 1 tbsp chili powder
- ▢ 2 tsp ground cumin
- ▢ 2 tsp salt
- ▢ 1 tsp pepper
- ▢ 1 onion cut into large slices (like apple slices)
- ▢ 1 head of garlic outer husk removed and top sliced off to expose the garlic
- ▢ 3 serrano peppers or 2 jalapenos, cut in half and seeds removed
- ▢ 2 oranges juiced
- ▢ 2 limes juiced
- ▢ 1½ cups Coca Cola
Video
Instructions
- In a large flat container or bowl, mix the oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Sprinkle all sides of the meat with the mixture and place in the instant pot. 5 lbs. pork shoulder, 2 tsp Mexican oregano, 1 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper
- Place the onion and chilis in the instant pot. Then place the garlic, cut side down, on the meat. 1 onion, 1 head of garlic, 3 serrano peppers
- Pour the orange juice, lime juice, and coke over the meat. 2 oranges, 2 limes, 1½ cups Coca Cola
- Seal the instant pot and set the meat cycle for 90 minutes.
- When the time has finished, let it slow release.
- Open and place the meat on a cutting board or plate. Remove any pieces of fat and using two forks pull the meat apart.
- Set the broiler for 500°F and cover a cookie sheet in tin foil.
- Place meat on the cookie sheet. Spoon some of the broth over the meat. Place under the broiler till crispy, about 5 minutes. Stir the meat and crisp again.
- Remove meat from the oven and serve.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Instant Pot Carnitas Step by Step
Season the pork: In a large flat container or bowl, mix 2 tsp Mexican oregano, 1 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over meat and then place the meat in the instant pot.
Add onion and chilis: Place 1 onion and 3 serrano chilis in the instant pot. Then place one bulb of garlic, cut side down, on the meat.
Add the liquid ingredients : Pour the juice of 2 oranges and 2 limes, as well as 1 ½ cups of Coke, over the meat.
Cook : Seal the instant pot and set the meat cycle for 90 minutes. When the time has finished, let it slow release.
Shred the pork: Take the meat out of the instant pot and place it on a cutting board or plate. Remove any fat, and using two forks, pull the meat apart.
Broil : Set the broiler for 500°F and cover a cookie sheet in tin foil. Place the meat on the cookie sheet, spoon some of the broth over it, and place it under the broiler till crispy, about 5 minutes. Stir the meat and crisp again.
Serve : Remove meat from the oven and serve with tortillas and your favorite taco toppings.
How to Store
If, by some miracle, you have some leftovers, they will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them on a cookie sheet at 400°F for around 10 to 15 minutes until heated through to serve.
These Instant Pot carnitas are freezer-friendly and are great for easy meal prep. Let them cool before placing them in freezer bags or an airtight container, and they will keep well for up to 6 months.
Thaw the pork in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These pulled pork carnitas can be used in so many ways. I love to pile them on tortillas to make street tacos , and they are awesome in burritos and quesadillas.They are perfect for Taco Tuesday . I find it’s all about the toppings, so I always add a dollop of guacamole along with either pico de gallo or blender salsa .
more instant pot recipes
Instant Pot Ribs
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Instant Pot Chili
Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup
Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. pork shoulder pork butt, washed and cut into large chunks
- 2 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 onion cut into large slices (like apple slices)
- 1 head of garlic outer husk removed and top sliced off to expose the garlic
- 3 serrano peppers or 2 jalapenos, cut in half and seeds removed
- 2 oranges juiced
- 2 limes juiced
- 1½ cups Coca Cola
Instructions
- In a large flat container or bowl, mix the oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Sprinkle all sides of the meat with the mixture and place in the instant pot. 5 lbs. pork shoulder, 2 tsp Mexican oregano, 1 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper
- Place the onion and chilis in the instant pot. Then place the garlic, cut side down, on the meat. 1 onion, 1 head of garlic, 3 serrano peppers
- Pour the orange juice, lime juice, and coke over the meat. 2 oranges, 2 limes, 1½ cups Coca Cola
- Seal the instant pot and set the meat cycle for 90 minutes.
- When the time has finished, let it slow release.
- Open and place the meat on a cutting board or plate. Remove any pieces of fat and using two forks pull the meat apart.
- Set the broiler for 500°F and cover a cookie sheet in tin foil.
- Place meat on the cookie sheet. Spoon some of the broth over the meat. Place under the broiler till crispy, about 5 minutes. Stir the meat and crisp again.
- Remove meat from the oven and serve.
Video
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
