Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Green Chile Pork Carnitas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to slow cook or pressure cook pulled pork? ›

Slow cooking the meat means it never has the chance to toughen up and will be extra silky and tender. Pressure cooking is faster, though you may lose a little bit of the tenderness. If you're going for the pressure cook method, be sure to get a pork shoulder or pork butt, as opposed to a pork loin.

While it is possible to overcook pulled pork in the Instant Pot, it's very unlikely if you are using pork shoulder or butt. The pork should get more tender the longer it cooks. If using pork loin, which is leaner, you can overcook it.

Overcooking can cause the meat to become dry, tough, and difficult to shred. Similarly, if you don't cook the pork long enough, it may be undercooked and tough. It's also important to avoid using a quick release or pressure, as this can cause the pork to seize and toughen.

If you find that your instapot pulled pork is tough after cooking, it's likely because you did a quick pressure release instead of a natural pressure release. Make sure you do a natural pressure release for 2 minutes before opening the vent.

The temperature inside a pressure cooker is about 250F at full pressure, which can easily overcook meat if you're not careful. It'll be stringy and dry.

You want to use the tough cuts of beef or pork. When you cook via a pressure cooker, moisture is required. Combine that with a sealed lid, the steam can't escape. This is a moist cooking method and will breakdown a lot of the connective tissue, tenderizing the tough cuts.

While you may cover meat almost completely for a conventional braise, use just enough liquid for the cooker to reach pressure – during pressure cooking the meat will release it's own juice and braise in that flavorful liquid, instead.

Brown it

Pressure cooked food doesn't brown so it's worth doing this at the start of cooking before adding liquid and putting the lid on. Meat looks and tastes more appetising with a little browning. Onions, garlic and spices also benefit in the flavour stakes from pre-cooking.

Sear the roast before pressure cooking to enhance the flavors and create a caramelized crust. Sear for 4 minutes on each side. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the Instant Pot pork roast is cooked to the desired internal temperature (145°F/63°C for medium).

Carnitas doneness temps

The connective tissue needs to be heated to at least 170°F (77°C) to start to dissolve properly. If pulled at 145°F (63°C), pork shoulder will be inedibly tough. Most smoked pork shoulders are pulled in the temperature range of 195-205°F (91-96°C), and the same temperature will apply here.

Does pork get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Pork shoulder might start out as a fatty, tough cut of meat, but cook it low and slow for a few hours and it will be transformed into tender, juicy shreds that fall apart with the touch of your fork.

As a general guide, pork loin or tenderloin can be cooked in about 20-30 minutes on high pressure, while larger cuts like pork shoulder or ribs may need 45 minutes to an hour.

Brown the meat: Brown the meat in a pan before cooking it in the pressure cooker to add flavor and help to tenderize the meat. Use a liquid: Cook the meat in a liquid, such as broth or wine, to help keep it moist and tender.

There's another aspect of pressure cookers to consider too. Steam penetrates food easily under pressure. So connective tissues in cubes of beef for soups or stews soften in 15 minutes or less, and a pot roast will be medium-rare in 30 minutes.

Pulled pork is perfect for the slow cooker. Cooking the pork low and very slow is the secret to the juiciest and most tender pulled pork.

On low heat, cook for 8-10 hours; on high heat, cook for 5-6 hours. The pork should be fork-tender and easily shredded. Can you overcook pulled pork in a slow cooker? Yes, overcooking can lead to dry, tough meat.

Pork shoulder might start out as a fatty, tough cut of meat, but cook it low and slow for a few hours and it will be transformed into tender, juicy shreds that fall apart with the touch of your fork.

To achieve tender and flavorful pulled pork, it's best to cook it slowly for a long time until it's easy to shred. This makes it a great dish to prepare in advance and serve for dinner later.