Instant Pot Beef Carnitas

Name: Instant Pot Beef Carnitas
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 16 servings plus 1/4 cup leftover spice mixture
Cuisine: North America, Mexican
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon ground mustard; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 pounds); 3 tablespoons canola oil; 2 large sweet onion, thinly sliced; 3 poblano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced; 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped; 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa; 16 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed; 3 cups crumbled queso fresco or shredded Monterey Jack cheese; Optional toppings: Cubed avocado, sour cream and minced fresh cilantro

Total Time Prep: 40 min. Cook: 40 min. + releasing

Yield 16 servings plus 1/4 cup leftover spice mixture

Test Kitchen Approved

There's no need to be precious about this Instant Pot beef carnitas recipe—everything gets tossed in together and cooked down to perfection.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 pounds)
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
3 poblano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
16 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
3 cups crumbled queso fresco or shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Optional toppings: Cubed avocado, sour cream and minced fresh cilantro

Directions

Mix the first 9 ingredients. Cut roast in half; rub with 1/4 cup spice mixture. Cover remaining mixture and store in a cool dry place. (Mix will keep for up to 1 year.)
Select saute or browning setting on a 6-qt. electric pressure cooker. Adjust for medium heat; add half the oil. When oil is hot, brown 1 roast half on all sides. Remove; repeat with remaining beef and oil. Press cancel. Return all to pressure cooker. Place onions and peppers on meat. Top with salsa.
Lock lid; close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 40 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes; quick-release any remaining pressure.
Remove roast; shred with 2 forks. Skim fat from cooking juices. Return meat to pressure cooker; heat through. Using a slotted spoon, place 1/2 cup meat mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Add toppings of your choice.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 415 calories, 18g fat (6g saturated fat), 70mg cholesterol, 830mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 1g fiber), 27g protein.

I came up with this pressure-cooker beef carnitas recipe while cleaning out my refrigerator, and trying to figure out what I could do with a pot roast that had been in the freezer. I LOVE how easy this is. —Ann Piscitelli, Nokomis, Florida

Recipe Creator