Pull out the piñatas, pop limes in those Coronas. Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. And it’s the perfect excuse to gather people you love, cozy in with great eats, and crank up Alexa with some mariachi tunes.
In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo isn’t a federal holiday, and is primarily celebrated in the city of Puebla. But here in the States, it’s become a celebration of Mexican culture. Here in our home, Cinco de Mayo has become a summer kickoff party. A day to come out of winter hibernation, don tanks and flip flops, and call the neighbors over for a colorful reconnect after a whole season of grey.
InstaParty
Kick off a no-fuss party, where even the host has plenty of time to relax and play, with the power of an electric pressure cooker. If you haven’t yet got one in your kitchen, I am telling you, it is time. You can prep an entire party’s worth of tender, tasty carnitas in 80 minutes flat. No baking required. No slow cooker needed. Just pop it all in your multicooker, and you’ll be ready to partay in under 2 hours.
One of the happiest accidents of my entire food blogging career was discovering that chipotles in adobo sauce, blended with honey, make the most magnificent Mexi-inspired mole. Just blend and pour as a salsa. Or in this case, you’ll use the combo as a sauce which caramelizes as the pork cooks.
Multicooker Chipotle Honey Carnitas Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lb pork shoulder
- 11 oz chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- .75 cups honey
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch cilantro, very finely chopped
Instructions
- Place pork shoulder into your multicooker.
- In a blender or mini food processor, puree peppers, honey, juice and zest of lime and salt.
- Pour over pork.
- Cover multicooker, close venting lid, set on high pressure for 80 minutes. Allow multicooker to naturally depressurize.
- Shred with a fork, transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with green onions and cilantro. Serve with desired toppings and enjoy!
Nutrition
It’s Fiesta Time
Serve carnitas with street taco sized corn or flour tortillas. And any of your favorite Mexican-inspired toppings.
A few suggestions:
- Avocado or guac
- Salsa or diced tomatoes
- Lime wedges
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar or queso fresco
- Black beans
- Fire-roasted corn
- Coleslaw
- Radish
- Sprouts or shredded lettuce
- Jalapeño slices
- Baked fries
Set the Cinco Style
Let the vibrant colors of Mexican pottery inspire your table setup. Two simple ways to add pop to your tablescape: place toppings in the CW by Corningware 4-Piece Nesting Bakeware Set. The four different sizes of colorful ceramic-ware are perfect for a variety of mains, sides and toppings. Two sets would be ideal, but if you only have one, you can add smaller ingredients into ramekins or Staub mini cocottes.
If setting a picture-perfect tablescape is a skill that baffles you, grab a set of Gibson Chili Verde dinnerware, set the table, sit back and call yourself Martha. You don’t need even an ounce of skill here, because this ceramic-ware set does all the decor work for you. Add white napkins, silverware and beer bottles. And it’s time to get this fiesta started.
