Instant Pot Beef Carnitas with Orange and Cumin

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-03 · Updated 2026-06-03

Tender, flavorful beef carnitas cooked quickly in the Instant Pot with a fragrant blend of cumin, garlic, and fresh orange juice, perfect for tacos or burritos. This Mexican-inspired Instant Pot recipe, ready in about 85 minutes, pairs beef chuck roast, olive oil, yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs, cut into 3-inch chunks beef chuck roast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, chopped yellow onion
• 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• for serving corn tortillas
• 1/4 cup chopped, for garnish fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup, for garnish diced red onion

The Instant Pot we’d make this in → Best Instant Pots & Electric Pressure Cookers for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add 3 lbs beef chuck roast cut into 3-inch chunks and brown on all sides, about 6-8 minutes, then remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: Add 1 large chopped yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pot, sautéing for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper, cooking for 1 minute to toast the spices.
4. Step 4: Return the beef to the pot and add 1 cup fresh orange juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1 cup beef broth, and 2 bay leaves. Stir gently to combine.
5. Step 5: Seal the Instant Pot lid and cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. Allow natural pressure release for 15 minutes before manually releasing remaining pressure.
6. Step 6: Remove bay leaves and shred the beef with two forks. Serve the carnitas on warm corn tortillas topped with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and 1/2 cup diced red onion for an authentic taco experience.