Pork Tinga is easily one of our family’s favorite recipes. This stewy mixture of tender pork, tomatoes, and chipotle chile is one of the easiest and tastiest Mexican recipes out there and cooking it in the Instant Pot also makes it the fastest! {Recipe first posted on September 1, 2020. Last updated February 15, 2022}
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Let’s talk about the one recipe you will be making over and over again from now until forever: Pork Tinga!
I’m sure, like us, you had lots of travel plans that got thwarted this past summer.
I kept hoping that conditions would improve enough for us to take even a small weekend getaway, but it never happened, and now all of the sudden, school has started again! As a way to keep our sanity, we’ve been having nightly discussions around the dinner table about where we dream of going once it’s safe to travel again.
We’ve tossed around everywhere from Thailand to Paris but one thing Armando and I are committed to, is visiting Mexico more often with our kids.
One beautiful part of the country we have yet to explore is Puebla. Armando wants to visit the museums, historical sites, and take in all the Renaissance and Baroque architecture.
I want to eat all the food!
Puebla is considered a gastronomic capital when it comes to Mexican food. Mole Poblano, Chiles en Nogada, and Tacos Árabes all come from Puebla. Not to mention, Tinga!
More Taco Recipes
Shredded Beef {Carne Deshebrada}
Beer Battered Fish Tacos with Radish Pico de Gallo
Grilled Fish Tacos with Sweet Corn Salsa
What Does Tinga Mean Anyway?
There’s no literal translation like “shredded” {deshebrada} or “chipotle sauce” {salsa de chipotle} that would give you any indication as to why this particular dish has this particular name. It just is what it is.
Tinga typically refers to cooked chicken in a sauce of tomatoes, chipotles, and onions. I decided to switch it up and use pork, but the dead-simple, super delicious sauce stays the same, and so does the name.
The Best Cut of Pork For Tinga
Pork is so versatile, from ribs to chops to tenderloin there’s a tons of ways to escape the ordinary with different cuts of pork. Check out this helpful chart for picking the right piece of pork for your recipe.
For this dish, I chose boneless pork shoulder because it is a bit more indulgent and stays tender and juicy when cooked in the Instant Pot. If you are in the mood for a leaner cut you could go with a sirloin roast.
The nice thing about using a pork shoulder is you never have to worry about it overcooking. This cut is well marbled with fat so it stays succulent and almost impossible to mess up.
If you are a big time pork lover, you could also add pork chorizo! Many Authentic Mexican Tinga recipes include it. Simply add the chorizo with the onion and garlic and cook until browned, then continue with the recipe as instructed.
4 Reasons You Will Be Making This Again and Again
With most of us working from home now, we are cooking practically every meal. Here’s why you’ll want to add this Pork Tinga recipe to your rotation.
- It is super easy! Enrique Olvera has said Tinga is the first recipe every Mexican learns when they leave home because it is basically foolproof with very few ingredients.
- It is fast! If you follow these Instant Pot instructions it can be on the table in 30 minutes.
- It makes amazing leftovers! Now that we also have to think about what’s for lunch, I love having some Tinga in the fridge for easy lunch tacos or tostadas.
- It’s easy on the wallet! One hefty pork shoulder is very reasonable and the rest of the ingredients cost next to nothing. Meaning you can have a few meals without breaking the bank.
No Instant Pot? No Problem
You can easily make this recipe in a slow cooker or on the stove, it will just take a bit longer.
To Make It In A Slow Cooker:
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add the vegetables to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer vegetables and pork to the slow cooker and add a cup of chicken broth.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
To Make It On The Stove:
The traditional way of making Tinga is to cook the pork and sauce separately.
- Place the pork in a large pot and cover with water. Add generous handful of salt, a chopped onion, a few cloves of garlic and a couple of bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until pork is tender. Start checking after 45 minutes.
- In a separate skillet, add the oil and sauté the onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes and chipotle peppers and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes break down and create a nice sauce. Add a cup or so of the broth the pork is cooking in if it is too thick.
- Once pork is tender, drain (reserve the broth for another soup or stew) toss the chunks of pork in the sauce or shred the pork and mix with the sauce.
How To Serve Pork Tinga
When I first make Tinga, I like to leave it in larger pieces and serve it with white rice, a green vegetable, and warm tortillas. Some people like to pass lime wedges (if you want a kick of lime juice) and sour cream at the table.
The next day I shred the meat and use it to make tacos, tostadas, or tingadillas (quesadillas made with Tinga).
You could also freeze half for a later meal as well. Just let the mixture cool to room temperature, then seal tightly and freeze for up to three months.
More Pork Recipes You’ll Love!
- How To Make Mexican Chorizo From Scratch
- Oven-Roasted Cochinita Pibil
- Instant Pot Pork Chili Verde with Cheese
- Pork Tamales with Salsa Verde
- Pozole Rojo {Pork Pozole}
- Albóndigas with Arbol Chile Sauce {Pork Meatballs}
- Grilled Cilantro Garlic Pork Chops
Wanderlust From Home!
We may not be able to hop on a plane and travel to Mexico right now, but we can bring those flavors home with this delicious Pork Tinga recipe. When you make it, show me your stuff! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @holajalapeno and #holajalapenoso I can see! Happy eating!
Instant Pot Pork Tinga Recipe
Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Pork Tinga is one of the easiest and tastiest Mexican recipes out there and making it in the Instant Pot also makes it the fastest!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 white onions, thinly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 9 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
Instructions
Season the pork.Generously season the pork with salt.
Sautéthe vegetables.Select the Sauté function on the Instant Potand press Start, then set timer for 10 minutes. Add oil and let heat 1-2 minutes. Once hot, add onions and garlic, season with salt and sauté, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes, chipotles, and measured teaspoon of salt. Cancel Sauté function.
Pressure cook pork.Add pork, stir to combine. Select Pressure Cook, set on Hi, and set timer for 15 minutes. Hit Start.
Slow release the pressure.If you have the time, I like to release the pressure slowly while I'm making my side dishes. This takes about 50 minutes. If you are in a rush however, you can quick-release the pressure and serve right away.
Enjoy!Serve the pork with it's sauce over rice or shred and serve as tacos or tostadas!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 556Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 153mgSodium: 336mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 41g
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