Instant Pot Carnitas #KitchenMatrixCookingProject

We are still working our way through Latin dishes here on Kitchen Matrix for this month.  Cam, of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, decided to jump onto the Cinco de Mayo bandwagon and create a fiesta inspired by the Kitchen Matrix Cookbook by Mark Bittman.

I was more than happy to join in the fun.  Mexican and Southwest fare is one of my very favorite cuisines.

This week, Cam asked us to turn to the section featuring Carnitas.  Bittman gave a recipe for Carnitas using beer for the stock.  He used a German beer and felt that it gave the dish a wonderful flavor.  Pork and German beer go very well together.  I didn't have any German Beer and wasn't going to run out and buy any.

I did have a ginger beer on hand and had fully intended to use it in this recipe but as I was preparing the dish, my brother and sister in law stopped by to visit.  I got busy pouring beer and wine for them and completely forgot to add it to the recipe.

I decided to make my Carnitas in the Instant Pot since I had already shared my Slow Cooker Carnitas which is how I normally make them.

Carnitas is a great recipe to make up when you are serving a crowd using pork shoulder.  It is also a great recipe to make up for just your family.  Once the Carnitas are cooked and served the possibilities for using the leftovers are endless.  Quesadillas, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, topping for Nachos, filling for Croquettes....you get the idea.

Normally, you need to plan ahead for Carnitas as you are using a tough cut of meat that needs to braise for a good long while.  The Instant Pot has put an end to that problem.  I used some pork stew meat that I had in the freezer and dinner was on the table in a little over an hour.

Even forgetting the beer there was still plenty of moisture and juice in the Instant Pot to cook the pork to perfection.  A short stint under the broiler to get some of that crisp that differentiates Carnitas from Pulled Pork and you are ready to chow down.

I served mine up with some homemade refried beans that I had left from my Huevos Rancheros Cups that I shared during Brunch Week for dinner the first night and then served the rest up to my carpenter and roofer as sandwiches for lunch the next day.

Let's see what other versions of Carnitas are being shared today:

An InLinkz Link-up

Yield: 8-10 servings
Author: Wendy Klik
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Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

Yes, you can enjoy Carnitas in just a fraction of the time it normally takes to slow braise this delicious dish.

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 1 hour and 10 MINStotal time: 1 hours and 25 mins

ingredients:

3 lb. Pork stew meat

2 t. liquid smoke

1 t. cumin

1 t. Mexican oregano

pepper to taste

1 lg. Vidalia onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 (4 oz) cans, diced green chiles

juice of 1 large lime

juice of 1 orange

instructions

Turn Instant Pot to Saute.  Season the pork with the cumin, oregano and pepper.  Add the pork to the pot and cook, stirring, until browned.  

Press cancel and add the liquid smoke, onion, chiles , lime juice and orange juice.  Seal the Instant Pot, close steam vent and press the meat/stew button.  When done cooking allow the pressure to release for 20 minutes before removing the lid.

Remove the pork to a baking sheet and, using two forks, shred the meat.  Place under the broiler in the oven for 4-7 minutes, until the pork starts to brown and crisp.

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