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Home » Pork~Cerdo » Carnitas Under Pressure

Carnitas Under Pressure

August 6, 201515 Comments

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Pork Carnitas prepared in a third of the time. Yes, it’s possible. Once you get over your fear of using that pressure cooker that still sitting in the box in came in.  One of my biggest fears, as far as cooking, was the thought of the pressure cooker and all of the terrible stories people tell. I, thank goodness, and knock on wood, have survived the pressure cooker at least 20 times now.  Ha, Ha, ha!

Carnitas Under Pressure

People often refer to the pressure cooker as something their grandmother’s used. There are some fairly simple models that are very inexpensive. And then, there are some fancy models, that you can set a timer on and just walk away. I secretly love the scared thrill as the pressure cooker  spits and spatters, sounding oh so threatening the whole time it’s doing it’s wonderful cooking.

Carnitas Under Pressure

Click the link to see full recipe for Chipotle Salsa on my blog. https://pinaenlacocina.com/la-taquiza-it-all-starts-with-the-salsa/

Carnitas Under Pressure

Carnitas Under Pressure

Get a head start with your pressure cooker and enjoy carnitas tonight!
4.60 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Resting Time For Pressure Cooker: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds pork butt/shoulder sliced into 2 inch pieces
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chile ancho powder
  • Grapeseed or canola oil

You Will Also Need

  • 1 small white onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 serrano or jalapeño sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds optional
  • 3 inch piece of cinnamon stick
  • 2 chile de arbol
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups chicken broth or orange juice
  • Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

  • Directions
    1. Season the pork, to taste, with salt, pepper, cumin and chile ancho powder. Drizzle with oil. In the pressure cooker pot, preheat a couple of tablespoons of grapeseed or canola oil to medium heat for a few minutes. Sear the pork pieces in batches and transfer onto a plate.
  • To the pressure cooker pot, add the onions, garlic and chile pepper. Saute for a few minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients listed and bring to a simmer. Taste for salt. Add pork pieces back into pot. Secure lid and lock. Raise heat to pressurize. Once the safety valve locks and begins to release steam rapidly, lower the heat to medium/low, set your timer for 40 minutes.
  • Once timer goes off, carefully move pot off the burner and let sit until safety valve releases. Remove lid. Using a slotted spoon or tongs remove the carnitas into a heavy pot. Heat to medium/high. Strain the sauce from pot, discarding the solids. Reserve the sauce from carnitas. Once the liquid in the pan with carnitas evaporates, add 1-2 tablespoon of oil or manteca(pork lard). Raise heat to to crisp the outer surface of the carnitas for a few minutes.
  • Transfer to serving dish and use fork or tongs to shred finely. Add about 1/2-3/4 cup of reserved sauce back into carnitas. Taste the sauce first. Sometimes it becomes more salty when the flavors are concentrated like that. Squeeze on some fresh key lime juice before serving. Toss to combine. Serve with warm tortillas, chopped cilantro, onion and your favorite salsa.

Notes

 
Tip! If you wanted to skip the browning of the pork in the beginning, it would be perfectly fine. I have skipped it before and the carnitas are still delicious. Try adding 1 1/2 tablespoons of molasses to the broth before adding carnitas. It will give them a nice color with just a hint of sweetness.
 
For Oven Method: After you sear the pork, transfer to an oven safe dutch oven. Add all of the remaining ingredients. Cover tightly and roast in a preheated 350 degree oven for 3 hours, checking for the liquid level every hour or so. Then you will follow the directions as written to finish the carnitas.
Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

  The plus about this version of carnitas, is that there is minimal oil used. Unlike the traditional carnitas that are fried in their own fat. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I love that version, but everything in moderation, I say. My first experience with the pressure cooker was watching my abuelita Sarita cook countless chicken dinners using the pressure cooker. One of my best memories while visiting my family in Mexico always seem to revolve around the kitchen and cooking. If I have not convinced you to use the pressure cooker for this recipe, you could certainly braise them in the oven. Directions for the oven method to follow below…..Las Carnitas!

Pressure Cooker

My 5 quart pressure cooker, ready to cook some black beans in a hurry.

Carnitas-Under Pressure

Simplicity at it’s best….spices from your cupboard.

Carnitas-Under Pressure

Carnitas-Under Pressure

Carnitas after being seared.

Carnitas-Under Pressure

After about 1 hour and 15 minutes in the pressure cooker. I used a 5 quart pressure cooker.

Carnitas-Under Pressure

If you are really hungry and can’t wait, you can enjoy the tender carnitas straight out of the pressure cooker. But wait! 

Carnitas-Under Pressure

To give it a more classic finish, I like to add my carnitas back into a little hot oil to crisp up the outer surface of the meat. 

Carnitas-Under Pressure

And for tacos, I like to finely shred my carnitas and then add in some of the strained broth to add moisture. The carnitas are so tender, I shred these with the tongs. hey come apart so easily. The carnitas this way would make some great machaca con huevo for breakfast tacos!

Tacos de Carnitas

Ok, so I only had one more homemade corn tortilla left…darn. Store bought will do in a pinch! The salsa garnishing the carnitas is  Salsa de Jalapeño Tatemada(Charred Jalapeño Salsa). Click Link! https://pinaenlacocina.com/la-taquiza-it-all-starts-with-the-salsa/

Tacos de Carnitas

I have to admit, I secretly have been challenging myself to come up with a new and fresh looking taco recipe to share on Taco Tuesday…I know, I am loca…but in a good way, he, he …

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Filed Under: Pork~Cerdo, Pressure Cooker, Tacos Tagged With: Carnitas, Cerdo, New Post, Pork, Pressure Cooker, Tacos

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. mexicanfoodmemories

    August 6, 2015 at 9:23 pm

    I have the same fear! I have never used a pressure cooker before and I don’t even know how to use one. This is a brilliant recipe! I must try it! X

    Reply
    • Sonia

      August 9, 2015 at 10:01 pm

      I certainly does make cooking a bit easier at times. I will probably always be a liitle afraid, lol!

      Reply
  2. Donavu@ hotmail.com

    May 23, 2016 at 12:49 am

    Hi! What are the approximate amounts for the spices “to taste”? I am not familiar wth these flavors so I’d have no idea how much roughly to use.

    Reply
    • Sonia

      May 23, 2016 at 8:52 am

      Donavu, thanks for the question. My rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon per pound of meat. But I like to state, “to taste”, just so people can add as they like.

      Reply
      • Dona

        May 23, 2016 at 10:21 am

        Thanks for the quick reply! I’ll be trying this dish today, can’t wait!!

        Reply
    • Alicia

      June 26, 2017 at 10:11 am

      Pork is so flavorful that you don’t even have to add all those spices! Kosher or Sea Salt would do just fine. I’ve done it both ways. Simple & delicious.

      Reply
      • Sonia

        June 26, 2017 at 1:30 pm

        Chef’s choice Alicia! I love cooking with spices. I leave it up to you. I don’t go crazy on them either, just enough to coat the pork lightly.

        Reply
  3. Merrick Trejo

    July 10, 2016 at 7:56 pm

    Thank you so much for the receta! Muchas gracias! Mi esposo le encanto????

    Reply
    • Sonia

      July 10, 2016 at 9:01 pm

      Oh, you’re welcome Merrick! I am so happy your esposo enjoyed the carnitas! Thanks for the feedback.

      Reply
  4. weeder

    August 16, 2016 at 8:44 pm

    At what pressure do you hold and cook the carnivals?

    Reply
    • Sonia

      August 16, 2016 at 11:57 pm

      Weeder, I reduce my heat in between low and medium, closer to the low side. All pressure cookers are differents, but mine is small, only 5 quarts. What kind of pressure cooker do you have?

      Reply
      • Weeder

        August 17, 2016 at 7:55 am

        Hi Sonia,I have a rather large Presto brand cooker with pressure gauge.it is actually a pressure scanner,wonder if I can use it as a cooker for carnitas?

        Reply
        • Sonia

          August 19, 2016 at 11:09 pm

          Oh, I am sure you could. I am not familiar with that model, but if it is pressurized, it should work.

          Reply
  5. Char

    June 26, 2018 at 3:47 pm

    Love your website. Finally authentic, delicious, Mexican recipes. Thank you!!!!!

    Reply
    • Sonia

      June 26, 2018 at 5:07 pm

      Thank you Char! So kind of you!! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply

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Welcome!

Hi, my name is Sonia Mendez Garcia. My parents Ramiro and Blanca Mendez moved to the United States from Monterrey, Mexico in 1963. I am first generation Mexican American born in Los Angeles, California. Cooking has always been one of my passions in life. This is my journey and I can't wait to see what the future holds. Read More…

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