Mole poblano carnitas are made in the Instant Pot. Super tender pork shoulder, thinly sliced onions, and poblano peppers are all smothered in an easy non-traditional mole sauce. Mole poblano carnitas are perfect for your next Taco Tuesday.

I think we have a short window here between Thanksgiving food and Christmas cookie-pa-looza. This is the time where we return to real food. I for one, hate this time of year cooking wise.

Give me a dinner party or holiday meal to plan for any day over all the meals in between.

At this stage in my life, I can kind of start to get my mom’s frustration with family dinners. My mom went through a chicken patty, vegetable side, noodle or starch with salad phase. For those of you who may not know, a chicken patty is like a giant chicken nugget.

It is also the food that I got so sick of I switched to vegetarianism.

No offense to my mom and her cooking efforts for three crazy and very food opinionated kids. I just couldn’t take another bite of chicken…for the next 7 years of my life.

I wonder if that is what will happen with my boys? They will just get so sick of chicken nuggets and fries and plain food, they will finally come to the dark side of veggie loving? Mike hasn’t made that turn yet, and he is a 34-year-old grown (ish) man.

A girl can dream though, right?

Part of our weekly or even bi-weekly routine is a big ol’ serving of pork shoulder in the form of carnitas. I usually make traditional (ish) carnitas in the slow cooker once every two weeks. Toss a 3 lb pork shoulder in the slow cooker, shred it, and then freeze half for the next week.

I love me some pork, but I can kind of get tired of the same old recipe week after week. You can’t make me give up my carnitas because at this point in life. Vegetarianism is NOT something I want to go back to. In the past, I have made a traditional kind of mole and it took quite some time.

A few weeks ago, I made Bev Cooks easy mole sauce and added it along with some thinly sliced onions and poblano peppers to the Instant Pot. Our new burrito bowl topping and taco topping of choice, mole poblano, carnitas was born. It’s like A Star is Born but BETTER!

Before you non Instant Pot people freak out, don’t worry; there is a slow cooker adaptation too!

Easy Mole Sauce

Yield: about 2 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

A riff on a traditional mole sauce with a few time saving shortcuts that still produce the same flavors.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1, 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
• 1 chipotle pepper + 1 tsp adobo sauce
• 3/4 cup dark Dutch unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 Tbs. smooth peanut butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbs. fresh oregano
• salt

Instructions

1. Over a medium flame, heat the olive oil in a medium deep skillet. Once shimmering, add the onion. Sauté until golden brown.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 30-40 more seconds.
3. Reduce the heat to medium/low, mix in the tomato paste until everything is coated.
4. Mix in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. After 10 minutes remove from heat. Use an immersion blender and puree until smooth. Add more salt to taste if needed.
6. Let the sauce cool slightly and then use or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Ball Jar with Lid and Band - Pick Your Size and Color (Clear, Wide Mouth Pint - 16 oz.) Pack Of 2

Mole Poblano Carnitas

Yield: Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Tender pork cooked in the Instant Pot with thinly sliced poblano peppers and onions and then smothered in an easy mole sauce.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 3lb bone in pork shoulder, cut into 2-3 pieces
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 poblano peppers, seeded, core removed, and then thinly sliced
• 1 cup easy mole sauce (see above)

Instructions

1. Season the pork shoulder pieces liberally with salt, pepper, and cumin. Rub the seasonings into the meat.
2. Add oil to the Instant Pot. Press "saute" function button. Once hot, add the pork shoulder. Sear each piece on that fatty top portion and at least one side, about 7 minutes.
3. Once seared, remove the pork pieces and set off to the side on a plate or cutting board. Add the peppers, onion, and lime juice to the Instant Pot. Saute for 2 minutes.
4. Press "cancel" and add the pork back into the pot along with the mole sauce.
5. Secure the lid with the steam vent in the sealed position. Press "Pressure Cook" until the light is beneath "High Pressure." Adjust the time until the display reads 1 hour.
6. When the timer sounds, quick release the pressure and then remove the lid. Remove the bone and use two forks to shred and mix the pork with the sauce and veggies.
7. Serve on tacos or in a burrito bowl with toppings like pico de gallo, avocado, sliced jalapeño peppers, lettuce, or cheese.

Notes

SLOW COOKER VERSION: Follow step one same as above. Add the peppers, onions, pork to the slow cooker. be sure to place the pork fatty side up. Pour the mole sauce over the shoulder. Top with the lime juice. Put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on low for 12 hours or high for 6. I like to cook overnight and then just leave it on warm all day until I need it for dinner. When the pork is done, remove any bones and fat. use two forks to shred the pork and mix with the sauce in the slow cooker.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer