Instant Pot Pineapple Carnitas

For most of my life, I did not eat pork. I think I was traumatized by some overcooked pork chops as a child. When I started AIP, I learned that I needed to eat more meats. Most importantly, I needed more variety. I couldn’t just eat turkey, chicken and shrimp all the time. The first time I made carnitas, I fell in love with pork!

A lot of the recipes I found online used ingredients I couldn’t have because at the time, I had a lot more food sensitivities than just what is eliminated in the AIP protocol. So, I had to come up with my own creation. This is how my Pineapple Carnitas were born. I think this is one of my husband’s all time favorite meals. He sings songs about carnitas when I make them.

First, you need to make your sauce. This is very easy. Just add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix well. I normally use puréed fresh pineapple. But, in a pinch I have used canned crushed pineapple. You could also use pineapple juice. I just like the purée because it’s a little thicker. Set the sauce aside while you sear your pork.

Cut the pork into 2-inch chunks and cut the extra fat off. Then, season the chunks with salt to taste. I use black pepper also, but this is a reintroduction for AIP, so I did not include that in the recipe. If you can tolerate black pepper or are not following AIP, feel free to add that. You then want to turn your instant pot to “sauté” and add the oil. I normally add 1 Tablespoon of oil and half of the pork. You want to just sear the pork on all sides. Don’t cook it all the way through yet. Once you have finished searing the first half, remove it from the pot and repeat with the second half. After all of the pork is seared, you can press “cancel” to stop sautéing and return all pork to the pot.

Pour the pineapple sauce over the pork chunks and mix well to make sure they’re all covered. It is very important to check the seal on your instant pot to make sure it’s tight. Once you’ve checked this, put the lid on and turn the vent to “sealing”. You’ll want to use the “meat” setting and put it on “high pressure”. Set the timer for 30 minutes. Once the pork is finished cooking, carefully turn the vent to “venting” to release the pressure and then remove the lid.

The next part is what makes the carnitas so extra yummy. Start with preheating your broiler. Then, remove your pork from the instant pot and shred it on a baking sheet. I use two forks for this. Do not get rid of the juice yet. Ladle a couple scoops of juice over the shredded pork. Then, place under the broiler for 5 minutes. Always keep an eye on it while broiling because all broilers are different. You want it crispy, but not burnt. After 5 minutes, stir the pork, then ladle a couple more scoops of juice over the pork if it seems dry. If there is still a lot of juice on the pan you can skip this part. Broiler for another 5 minutes. Repeat this one more time. Once the edges are as crispy as you’d like, it is done.

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My family likes to eat carnitas on tortillas with a little bit of shredded red cabbage and my Pineapple Salsa. You could also eat it on tortilla chips or tostones. It would also be delicious on a salad. I’d love to hear what you thought of the recipe and how you ate it!

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