Pork Carnitas in the Instant Pot
So. The Instant Pot. I finally gave in because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Got a steal on amazon prime day, so it seemed justified.
Anyway, this was my first real try at it. (Besides some sweet potatoes that I tried to cook in 15 mins. That failed because it was still undercooked. But no biggie, just had to add more time.)
Now, on to the important stuff. Pork CARNITAS! It was so yummy. So easy. Inexpensive. Minimal ingredients. Sign me up. Right???
Ingredients:
2-3 lb pork shoulder (I used 2 lbs for myself, my 11 year old and 4 year old and had some for leftovers.)
6 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
dried adobo seasoning
dried oregano
cumin
Directions:
Turn the instant pot on to sauté. While it's heating up, season the pork shoulder liberally with salt, pepper, dried adobo seasoning (maybe 2 teaspoons), cumin (1-2 teaspoons), and a little oregano (1/4 teaspoon). Cut the pork into 4-6 pieces.
Once the instant pot is hot and ready, brown the pieces of pork until each piece forms a yummy crust on all sides. Crust means flavor. Once finished, add in the chicken stock, the garlic and the bay leaves.
Turn the pot on to high pressure for 80-90 minutes. I know this doesn't seem instant, but if this were to cook in a regular dutch oven or slow cooker it would take hours and hours and hours. Once finished, let the steam release naturally. Meaning, just let it be for 20 minutes and the steam will naturally release. Then carefully open the pot, and shred the meat using two forks. Yum. Taste and see if it needs mores seasoning.
The first night we ate it as tacos. I made a quick guacamole with avocado, lime, a few dashes of tabasco and salt and pep. Spread some guac on a small corn tortilla, topped with the carnitas, and added shredded lettuce because that is what we had. Shredded cabbage would be delish too. Then drizzled with our fave Mexican hot sauce.
The second day we made more tacos because it was THAT good. Then we also made nachos using the same shredded lettuce and simple guac. Lay some chips in a relatively single layer on a plate, generously top with a shredded Mexican cheese blend, then top with some leftover carnitas. Microwave until cheese is melted. Or if you're making a big batch, lay chips on a baking sheet and put in a 350 degree oven until cheese is melted.
The third night I turned it into hash with a runny egg on top. I don't have a picture for that because well, it was 745pm after Izzy's soccer practice. And... 1. I aim for indirect light; and 2. we were starving. I sautéed some onions and bell pepper in olive oil. Added in some leftover (diced) roasted potatoes. Threw in the carnitas and got everything crispy and yummy. Then, topped with a fried egg.
Every single time we had it, it was delicious.
(I realize that this is probably not an authentic way to make pork carnitas, but for my family, it works because these are the ingredients we have on hand (besides the dried adobo). And, it was just as delicious, in our opinion! Easy, approachable but still tasty.)
