Best Instant Pot Cuban Pork recipe! This quick dump-and-go recipe turns pork shoulder into a flavorful, garlicky pork dinner.
If you’ve never had Cuban pork, get ready for a treat! Cuban pork is flavorful, garlicky shredded pork that is beyond delicious in Cuban sandwiches.
This Instant Pot Cuban pork is a really simple way to make the pork. It takes just a few minutes of prep, and then the pressure cooker does all the work turning the roast into super tender pork.
So you get to enjoy a fantastic dinner with almost no prep work!
How to make Cuban pork in the Instant Pot
Add the lime juice, orange juice, and garlic to the Instant Pot inner pot. Stir to combine.
Place the pork into the inner pot. Season the pork with oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour the broth around the pork
Close and lock the lid. Turn the pressure release valve to SEALING.
Cook. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Turn the pressure release valve to VENTING to release any remaining pressure.
Shred the pork with two forks and stir into the cooking liquid. If you’d like to make sandwiches with the pork, check out the instructions below.
How to make a Cuban pork sandwich
Where I live, I can’t get authentic Cuban bread for the sandwiches. So, I use ciabatta rolls instead.
To build the sandwich, I stack a slice of Swiss cheese, a couple slices of ham, Cuban pork, a couple of dill pickle spears, and then a generous squirt of yellow mustard.
Other serving suggestions
If you aren’t in the mood for sandwiches, this pork is also delicious served with a side of rice and black beans. Or you can serve the shredded pork in a soft taco shell.
Tips
- Pork shoulder: You can also use a boneless pork butt in this recipe.
- Kosher salt: If you’d prefer to use table salt, use ¾ teaspoon.
- Chicken broth: I prefer to use reduced-sodium broth to better control the salt level. You can use regular or no-salt if you prefer.
How to freeze
To freeze
Add the ingredients to a freezer-safe container. Seal and freeze.
To use
Thaw in the refrigerator. Add the contents of the container to the Instant Pot inner pot. Continue with the recipe as-written starting at step 6.
How to store
This pork will keep for up to 4 days, covered, in the fridge. You can also freeze cooked and cooled portions of the pork in resealable freezer containers to use for later.
Instant Pot Cuban Pork
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3-4 pound boneless pork shoulder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Add the lime juice, orange juice, and garlic to the Instant Pot inner pot.
- Stir to combine.
- Place the pork into the inner pot.
- Season the pork with oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the broth around the pork
- Close and lock the lid.
- Turn the pressure release valve to SEALING.
- Press MANUAL high pressure and adjust the time to 45 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
- Turn the pressure release valve to VENTING to release any remaining pressure.
- Shred the pork with two forks and stir into the cooking liquid.
- If you'd like to make sandwiches with the pork, check out the instructions above the recipe.
Notes
- Pork shoulder: You can also use a boneless pork butt in this recipe.
- Kosher salt: If you'd prefer to use table salt, use ¾ teaspoon.
- Chicken broth: I prefer to use reduced-sodium broth to better control the salt level. You can use regular or no-salt if you prefer.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Sheri
Recipe was easy to put together and flavor combination was delicious. However, 45 min on high pressure did not have my 2 lb roast tender and easy to shred. I set it for another 15 min and could have done 10 min more. It still made a very delicious and flavorful sandwich.
Kate
Thank you! If you find that the roast isn't cooking well in that time, you can cut it into large chunks (like 4 chunks), and that will help it to cook faster.
Gypsy
I have a piece of pork that's just over a 1.5 lbs. Because it's smaller then the recipe should I shorten the cook time to 30 min?
Kate
Yes, 30 minutes should work. You'll still need to keep the pressure release timing the same. Hope that helps!
Ruby
Love, love, love this Cuban pork sandwich. I grew up eating these sandwiches and this one is so reminiscent of those great flavors. I will make it again.
Kate
Thank you! I'm so glad that you liked it!