Carnitas Taco Bar

Tips & Tricks:

• 🔪 Skip steps with knife if you completed Prep Day!
• 🔪  Pork can be made ahead up to step 5, and refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
• 🐖 Use this meat for tacos, burritos, salads, or whatever sounds good to you!

Ingredients:

• 1 (2-3 pound) lean boneless pork roast
• fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil

Taco Bar

• 8 small corn or flour tortillas
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• cotija cheese or queso fresco, chopped
• 1 avocado, sliced

Mojo Sauce

• 1 cup beer (or chicken stock)
• 1 head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled and minced
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. 🔪 Mojo Sauce
1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mojo sauce ingredients until combined. Set aside until ready to use, up to 3 days ahead, and refrigerated. Save 4 cloves of garlic for the chicken cacciatore.
2. 🔪 Prepare meat
1. Cut pork into 2 inch cubes, trimming off excess fat. Can be done up to 3 days ahead.
3. 🔪 Season and Sear Pork
1. Season pork chunks on all sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
2. Click the “Sauté” setting on the Instant Pot. Add the oil, followed by half of the pork, and sear — turning every 45-60 seconds or so — until the pork is browned on all sides. Transfer pork to a separate clean plate, and repeat with the remaining pork, searing until it has browned on all sides. Set this batch aside too.
3. Press “Cancel” to turn off the heat.
4. 🔪 Pressure Cook Pork
1. Pour in the mojo sauce, and scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the goodies on the bottom mixed into the sauce.
2. Add the pork back to the pot and toss briefly to combine with the sauce.
3. Close lid securely and set vent to “Sealing”.
4. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, followed by a full natural release (about 15 minutes).
5. 🔪 Shred Meat
1. Set oven broiler to high heat and place shelf to the middle level (if you’re enjoying right away).
2. Remove the lid of the Instant Pot once pressure is fully released.
3. Shred pork with 2 forks in separate bowl with 1/2 cup of juices or in your stand mixer (including juices) using the paddle (example).
4. At this point, you can let the pork cool and refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
6. Crisp Meat
1. Transfer pork to a large baking sheet. Spoon about a 1/4 cup+ of the leftover juices evenly on top of the pork.
2. Broil for 4-5 minutes, or until the edges of the pork begin browning and crisping up.
3. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, then optionally pour 1/4 cup+ of the remaining juices from the Instant Pot evenly over the pork and toss to combine.
7. Serve
1. Warm corn tortillas wrapped in a damp clean kitchen towel or tortilla warmer in the microwave for 30 seconds - 1 minute.
2. Serve on corn tortillas topped with chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, chopped cotija cheese or quest fresco, a slice of avocado, and your favorite hot sauce or salsa.

Reheat Options

1. Start at step 6 to reheat, except mix in any gelatinized juices to melt into meat as it heats.
2. Serve warm in tacos, burritos, salads, or whatever sounds good to you!