Keto Carnitas – Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Instructions

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These Keto Carnitas are a super simple way to make dinner for the family. It is flavorful and the perfect low carb dinner.

Keto Carnitas Recipe

You can make this dinner in the slow cooker crockpot or in the Instant Pot pressure cooker.

The pressure cooker is quite a bit quicker, but slow cooking has its own hands off for hours benefit.

Whatever cooking method you choose, I know you will fall in love with this recipe.

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Keto Carnitas is the best way to stuff a low carb tortilla. I have found some really awesome tortillas to go with this dish that makes eating Keto or low carb so much easier.

These carb balance tortillas are low carb and I really can’t tell the difference between them and full carb tortillas.

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas Recipe 

The prep time is between 5 to 10 minutes depending on how quickly you can measure spices.

In the pressure cooker, the cook time setting is high pressure for 40 Minutes. It takes some time for the Instant Pot to gather pressure.

The Instant Pot will take anywhere from 5-15 minutes to reach pressure. Once the pressure cooke reaches pressure, the valve will pop up and the machine will beep. Then, the timer countdown will begin.

You natural vent the steam for about 15 Minutes.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe. All the ingredients measurement are in the printable recipe below. If you are making a larger piece of meat, you can use the card to make alterations to the amount of the ingredients.

  • Pork: You can use whatever pork you have on hand. I used a pork loin because that is what I had in the freezer. Use what you have because any pork will work for carnitas. I know that a lot of people like to use pork shoulder for this dish.
butcher box pork
  • Spices: Here are the spices we used to make this dish: salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, oregano, basil. If you fall in love with this dish, you can mix this spice combination together to make a Mexican spice bottle. I have done it before and it cuts down big time on the preparation time for this dish.
  • Brown Sugar
  • Lime: The lime helps bring the flavors to life. You should cut in half and squeeze the lime on to the pork before cooking it.
  • Water: To get the moisture into the meat, we use water to help with the pressure cooking and slow cooking of the meat.
Pork

More Main Course Dinner Recipes

Here are some more low carb dinners that you will love.

How to Make Keto Carnitas in the Instant Pot?

Start by gathering the spices and mix them together. 

Carnita Spices

I added them onto this plate and used a fork to mix them together.

carnitas spices blend

Cut the pork into 1 inch sized pieces. 

Then, rub the spices into the pork. 

Put the pork pieces in the instant pot before you turn it on. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the pork to marinate before cooking. 

carnitas in instant pot

Slice the lime in half lengthwise. 

cut limes

Squeeze the lime over the pork. 

lime with pork

Put the squeezed lime into the instant pot with the pork. 

Then, add the water to the instant pot. 

add water

Close the lid to the instant pot and close the valve so that it is in the sealing position. 

Set the Instant Pot to Manual on high for 40 minutes. 

Let the Instant Pot vent naturally for 15 minutes. 

Preheat the oven broiler at 500 degrees F. 

Then, using a slotted spoon take the pork out of the instant pot.  

Place onto a silicone mat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Using a fork shred the pork using two forks. 

Let the pork crisp up in the oven for about 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it so it does not burn. 

How to Make Keto Carnitas in the Slow Cooker?

Gather the spices and mix them together. 

Cut the pork into 1 inch sized pieces. 

Then, rub the spices into the pork. 

Put the pork pieces in the slow cooker before you turn it on. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the pork to marinate before cooking. 

Slice the lime in half lengthwise. 

Squeeze the lime over the pork. 

Put the squeezed lime into the slow cooker with the pork. 

Then, add the water to the slow cooker

Close the lid to slow cooker.

Set the crockpot slow cooker to high for or low for minutes. 

Preheat the oven broiler at 500 degrees F. 

Then, using a slotted spoon take the pork out of the instant pot.  

Place onto a silicone mat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Using a fork shred the pork using two forks. 

Let the pork crisp up in the oven for about 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it so it does not burn. 

Keto Carnitas Recipe
Print

Keto Carnitas

These Keto Carnitas are a super simple way to make dinner for the family. It is flavorful and the perfect low carb dinner.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Natural Vent 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 309kcal
Author April Erhard

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Pork
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground garlic
  • 1/4 tsp coriander
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 1 lime cut in half
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • Gather the spices and mix them together.
  • Cut the pork into 1 inch sized pieces.
  • Then, rub the spices into the pork.
  • Put the pork pieces in the instant pot before you turn it on. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the pork to marinate before cooking.
  • Slice the lime in half lengthwise.
  • Squeeze the lime over the pork.
  • Put the squeezed lime into the instant pot with the pork.
  • Then, add the water to the instant pot.
  • Close the lid to the instant pot and close the valve so that it is in the sealing position.
  • Set the Instant Pot to Manual on high for 40 minutes.
  • Let the Instant Pot vent naturally for 15 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven broiler at 500 degrees F.
  • Then, using a slotted spoon take the pork out of the instant pot.
  • Place onto a silicone mat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  • Using a fork shred the pork using two forks.
  • Let the pork crisp up in the oven for about 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it so it does not burn.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Carnitas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 309 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Cholesterol 82mg27%
Sodium 359mg16%
Potassium 343mg10%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 192IU4%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 21mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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