After being petrified of cooking anything in a pressure cooker after seeing Breakfast at Tiffany's in high school, I got my Instant Pot (or, as I like to call it, my Insta-Pot, because who pronounces the "nt"?) a couple of years ago and this book with it. I quickly found favorite recipes from friends and food blogs (See: my favorite Bolognese sauce, Chicken Stock, Korean Sloppy Joes (converted to pressure settings), and Butter Chicken ) that I love, making them over and over again, and forgot all about this book!
I've heard about carnitas in the Insta-Pot grapevine, but have never tried it. Craving tacos and a relatively hands-off prep for this week's meal after the last few here, it seemed like the perfect time.
Ingredients:
3/4 c. orange juice
2 TB chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 TB brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled (let's call it 7)
1 bay leaf
One 3 lb boneless pork shoulder roast, cut into 2 inch cubes
Warmed corn tortillas
Toppings like chopped red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, Cholula, guacamole, lime crema (sour cream thinned with lime juice)
Add the orange juice, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt to the Insta-Pot and stir to combine. Add the onion, bay leaf, and cubed pork and stir to evenly coat the pork.
Secure the lid, make sure that the Pressure Release lever is set to Sealing. Select the Meat/Stew setting and set the cooking time for 35 minutes at high pressure. [Note: the pot will take about 15 minutes to come up to pressure before the cooking begins]
Let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then use a wooden spoon to flip the Pressure Release lever to Venting to let the rest of the pressure out before you open the lid (you want that silver button to fall back down). Open the pot and, using tongs, transfer the pork to a cutting board. Using two forks (or your handy bear claws), shred the meat into bite sized pieces.
Transfer the pork to a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and broil until starting to crisp, about 5 minutes.
Build into the tacos of your dreams or roll into enchiladas.
All I can say is make these tacos now!! So easy, so tasty, and I can't wait to repurpose the leftover meat for either enchiladas or nachos tomorrow between meetings!
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