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My Carnitas Tacos Recipe is set to elevate Taco Tuesday to a whole new level! With a mouthwatering and juicy carnitas recipe fresh from the slow cooker, and all your favorite taco toppings, these super easy pork tacos are the perfect weekday dinner.
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Carnitas Tacos Recipe
Some dishes are so versatile and delicious, it almost feels too good to be true just how easy they are to make. That's how I feel about carnitas tacos: Mexican pulled pork cooked to fall-apart perfection with practically no work required, all served in warm tortillas with fresh taco toppings. It's the perfect set-and-forget meal for busy days!
What better way is there to serve juicy pulled pork than in tacos? Pork carnitas tacos were an overnight game-changer in my house! Of all the pork taco recipes I've tried, this is the easiest of them all. Just set the slow cooker, stuff the meat in your favorite shells, pile them with toppings, and devour.
Even better, this carnitas taco recipe offers the perfect solution for delicious lunches throughout the week and beyond! It's one of my favorite Sunday dinner ideas: store the carnitas in the fridge or freezer in small portions, keep prepared toppings on hand, and toss together some tacos for easy lunch on the spot!
What are Carnitas?
Carnitas refers to a Mexican pulled pork dish featuring pork (typically shoulder or butt), jalapenos, onions, a delectable sauce of broth and orange juice, and a seasoning mix featuring Mexican oregano and cumin. The pork is slow cooked until it's fall-apart tender, and is served with its juices!
What do Carnitas taste like?
Carnitas, once cooked, will taste most like the seasoned pork itself. This simply seasoned dish is designed to truly make the flavor of pork shine, with side notes of orange, cumin, onion, and just a hint of jalapeno spice. This dish will not have the heavily earthy flavor of other pulled pork recipes that rely on strongly flavored sauces.
Pork Carnitas Tacos Ingredients
Carnitas Ingredients
- Pork shoulder or pork butt
- Onion
- Jalapenos
- Orange juice
- Olive oil
Carnitas Seasoning Ingredients
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Oregano
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
For more ideas of how to use this great seasoning, check out my step-by-step on how to make the perfect carnitas seasoning!
Carnitas Tacos Toppings
- Crema or Avocado Crema
- Salsa or Pico de Gallo
- Cheese
- Diced tomato
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Red onion - try my easy quick pickled red onions!
- Chopped cabbage
- A squeeze of lime juice
- Beans
- Cilantro
You will also need Corn Tortillas for the shells.
How to Make Carnitas Tacos
Preparing Slow Cooker Carnitas
Although I'm using a slow cooker to make my carnitas, you can also use the Instant Pot or a Dutch Oven.
- For the Instant Pot, set the pressure to HIGH for 45 minutes, then allow it to release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes. Shred and then broil it if desired for the crisp top.
- For the Dutch Oven, preheat your oven to about 275-300°F (depending on how hot your oven runs). Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 hours, or until the pork is soft enough to shred with two forks. You may need to add a little more liquid.
1: Add Onion and Pepper to the Pot
Start by washing and drying your jalapeño pepper. Carefully dice the onion. Add the diced onion and whole jalapeño pepper to the bottom of your slow cooker. If you want to cut down on the spice level, feel free to de-seed the jalapeno peppers before adding them.
2: Cube and Season Pork
Pat your pork shoulder dry with a paper towel, then carefully cut it into even cubes about 1 to 2 inches in size. Mix carnitas seasoning separately in a bowl, then toss the pork with the seasoning mixture until all pieces are well-coated.
3: Add Everything to the Slow Cooker
Place the cubed pork in the slow cooker over the onions and jalapeño peppers. Squeeze juice from one large orange over the pork, then drizzle in olive oil.
4: Cook On Low, then Shred
Set the crockpot to LOW and cook for 8 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. Don't cook on HIGH- it will get tough! When cooked, remove the pork to shred on a cutting board using a fork.
5: Broil to Brown (Optional)
Optional: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread the shredded pork out on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the top is browned and crisp. Alternatively, you can also broil your carnitas on high for 3-5 minutes.
6: Strain, then it's time to make your tacos!
Strain the juices from the slow cooker and discard the solids. Pour the juices over the pork.
Assembling Carnitas Tacos
1: Topping the Tortillas
Begin assembling the tacos. First, warm or char the tortillas on a skillet. Once warm, top the tortillas with carnitas, then cheese, avocado, pickled red onion, and other preferred toppings.
2: Serve, and Enjoy!
Finally, top with crema and salsa, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing. Enjoy!
Carnitas Recipe Tips
- Don't be tempted to turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Pork roast needs to be cooked low and slow to become tender; cooking it at higher heat can make it tough, dry, and unpalatable.
- Carnitas are a flavorful filling on their own, but they're just mild enough to pair with anything! Pile your tacos with all your favorite toppings.
- Carnitas are perfect for meal prep. Make the carnitas at the beginning of the week and store it in the freezer in portion-sized plastic bags. Thaw them before dinner for easy tacos, burritos, or over rice in burrito bowls all week! Or, enjoy them plain with tortilla chips and cheese!
- Baking not required: You don't need to broil the meat! If you prefer your carnitas less crispy, skip broiling it entirely.
- How to skip straining: If you'd like, you can chop up and de-seed the jalapenos and blend them up with the rest of the solids in the juice instead of straining.
- Trimming: Trim any excess fat from the pork while you're cutting it into smaller chunks. Cutting your pork into chunks helps create an even cooking inside of the slow cooker.
- Choosing the right cut: Look for a pork shoulder or boneless pork butt, both of these cuts have a good amount of meat and fat, ensuring juicy and flavorful carnitas every single time.
- Use other meats: You can use other cuts of meat such as beef chuck roast for beef carnitas, or pork tenderloin. Cooked low and slow, they'll both shred beautifully.
- For extra flavor, try this: If you have a little extra time, try searing the pork in a cast-iron pan before adding it to the crockpot!
- Monitor liquid: Check your crock pot periodically to make sure there is enough liquid to keep the pork moist. Add more citrus juice or chicken broth, if needed.
- Adjust seasonings: Taste the carnitas before serving, and adjust the spices and flavors if necessary. Add salt, pepper, bay leaves, or more carnitas seasoning - whatever you like best!
Pork Taco Recipe FAQ
Carnitas is a type of Mexican stewed and pulled meat, typically made with pork or beef. The meat is cooked in a blend of spices and orange juice until it's fall-apart tender before it's re-crisped in the oven with the cooking liquid poured over top. To make it into tacos, the meat is added to shells and topped with taco toppings such as Cotija cheese, cilantro, salsa, and sour cream.
The difference between carne asada and pork carnitas comes down to the cut of meat, and how it's cooked. Essentially, carne asada is strip steak, while carnitas are pulled meat. Carne asada is made from strip steak sliced thin. Pork carnitas is made from pork shoulder, and is cooked in its juices until it falls apart like pulled pork.
Yes, you can prepare carnitas in an Instant Pot! My instant pot instructions can be found just before the slow cooker instructions above.
I prefer to brown my carnitas in the oven for a few minutes after they've been slow-cooking for 8 hours. It gives them an extra crispness that really adds to the flavor of the dish. You can also try browning your carnitas in a skillet if you prefer, or searing the pork before slow cooking!
What to Make with Pork Carnitas
You can make more than just tacos with my carnitas recipe! Here are some ideas. This makes it great for meal prep - prep your carnitas at the beginning of the week, then serve it in a variety of meals!
- Pulled Pork Burritos: Wrap carnitas in large flour tortillas with beans, rice, shredded cheese, and your favorite toppings!
- Pulled Pork Nachos: Stack tortilla chips with melted cheese, shredded carnitas, jalapeños, sour cream, and salsa.
- Pulled Pork Quesadilla: Whip up cheesy quesadillas, stuffing them with pork carnitas, diced tomatoes, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream. This makes the perfect pork quesadillas!
- Carnitas Rice Bowls: Use up leftover rice or make up a big batch of Mexican rice to serve with carnitas! I like serving carnitas this way paired with avocado, pickled onions, and a drizzle of chipotle sauce or Avocado Crema.
- Sandwiches: Pile carnitas on a crunchy roll or bun, creating a mouthwatering sandwich. Add coleslaw, pickles, and your favorite condiments!
- Loaded Fries: Prepare loaded carnitas fries by pilling crispy French fries with shredded carnitas, melted cheese, guacamole, and sour cream.
- Carnitas Salad Bowls: One of my favorite ways to serve carnitas! Top off a big bowl of lettuce and veggies with carnitas and a quick dressing of olive oil, honey, chili powder and apple cider vinegar for a salad nobody will pass on!
- Carnitas Chili: Spruce up your favorite chili recipe by adding in carnitas! The tender, silky meat will practically melt into chili for an ultra-tasty experience.
How to Store Carnitas
Storing carnitas is simple and an excellent way to prepare for the week or even longer. Because a single batch of carnitas makes so much meat, it's a good idea to store lots of it in the freezer unless you plan on using it soon.
- Refrigerator: Store carnitas in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Pack carnitas into portion-sized plastic bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge, in the microwave, or in a pan on the stove. Freezing carnitas in smaller containers makes thawing easier and allows you to only thaw what you need.
- Reheating: Reheat any carnitas leftovers on a baking sheet in the oven at 350°F until heated through, about 5-10 minutes. You can also reheat them in a pan on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or in the microwave in short intervals until heated through.
Easy Taco Recipes
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Mouthwatering Carnitas Tacos
Video
Equipment
- Slow Cooker 7 qt
- Sheet pan
Ingredients
Carnitas Ingredients
- 3 lbs Pork shoulder
- 1 Yellow onion - diced
- 2 Jalapenos - whole
- ½ cup Orange juice - from 1 large orange
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Chili powder
- 3 teaspoons Oregano
- 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Salt
Carnitas Tacos Ingredients
- 8 Corn tortillas
- Toppings of choice
Instructions
- Dice the onion, then add it and the whole jalapenos to the bottom of a slow cooker.1 Yellow onion,2 Jalapenos
- Slice the pork into large cubes and rub them entirely with chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cumin. Place the pork on top of the onions and peppers.3 lbs Pork shoulder,2 teaspoons Cumin,2 teaspoons Chili powder,3 teaspoons Oregano,2 teaspoons Garlic powder,1 teaspoon Pepper,2 teaspoons Salt
- Squeeze the juice from a large orange over the pork, then pour in the olive oil.½ cup Orange juice,2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- Set the crockpot to LOW and cook 8 hours. Once cooked, remove the pork and shred it on a cutting board with a fork.
- Optional: Preheat the oven to 425°. Spread the pork out on a baking sheet, then bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops start getting crispy.
- Strain the juices from the slow cooker, and pour the strained juices over the pork.
- Warm or char the tortillas on a skillet.8 Corn tortillas
- Once warm, top the tortillas with carnitas, then cheese, avocado, pickled red onion, and other preferred toppings.Toppings of choice
- Finally, top with crema, salsa, and serve with lime wedges for juicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don't be tempted to turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Pork needs to be cooked low and slow to turn out tender; cooking it at higher heat can turn it tough, dry, and no good.
- Carnitas are a flavorful filling on their own, but they're just mild enough to pair with anything! Pile your tacos with all your favorite toppings.
- Carnitas are perfect for meal prep. Make the carnitas at the beginning of the week and store it in the freezer in portion-sized plastic bags. Thaw them before dinner for easy tacos all week!
- You can also make beef Carnitas by using chuck roast! Cook it the same way and once again, always cook it on LOW heat.
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