Made with tender pork cooked in salsa verde and mojo marinade, these carnitas are pan-fried to crispy perfection. Serve them as tacos with fresh corn salsa, with rice and black beans, or scrambled with eggs for a delicious breakfast.
With both Instant Pot and slow cooker options, this recipe is easy and versatile, perfect for parties or a satisfying weeknight meal.
I have been perfecting this recipe for Crispy Pork Carnitas for a year now, and I’m thrilled to finally share it with you! The combination of salsa verde and mojo marinade adds incredible flavor to the pork, and the secret step of pan-frying with the reserved cooking liquid takes it to the next level.
The result is tender, juicy, and crispy carnitas that are sure to impress. This recipe is perfect for gatherings, late-night cravings, or any time you’re in the mood for some seriously delicious pork carnitas!
Ingredients:
For the Pork:
- 3 lb boneless pork roast
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 16 oz salsa verde
- 20 oz mojo marinade (I prefer the Badia brand mojo.)
- 8 large cloves garlic, minced
For the Corn Salsa:
- 3 cups fresh corn (or 14 oz frozen corn, thawed and drained)
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 2 large jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- Juice from 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Instant Pot:
- Turn Instant Pot on to sauté mode. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Sear pork on all sides.
- Add salsa verde and mojo marinade on top of the pork. Stir to combine.
- For a 3 lb pork roast, cook at pressure for 65 minutes (using the meat/stew setting). For a 2 lb pork roast, cook at pressure for 50 minutes.
- Do a quick release of steam.
- Shred the pork in a large bowl and reserve the liquid pork was cooked in.
Slow Cooker:
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Sear pork on all sides.
- Add pork, salsa verde, and mojo marinade to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook for 8 hours on low.
- Shred the pork in a large bowl and reserve the liquid pork was cooked in.
Crispy Pork Carnitas:
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the shredded pork to the pot and toss to coat in the oil and garlic.
- Add 1.5 cups of the reserved cooking liquid. Cook, tossing often until the liquid has cooked out. Repeat this step until the meat is flavored to your taste. (You can continue doing this as many times as you want until the meat has tons of flavor. I usually do this twice and taste to see.)
- Once the meat is flavored to your liking, spread it out into an even layer in the pot. Cook over high heat, turning once or twice, until sizzling and crispy in spots.
- Serve immediately in tacos, with eggs for breakfast, or with rice and beans.
Corn Salsa:
- In a large bowl, toss together all the ingredients for the corn salsa.
- Store in an airtight container until.
