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Serve up a dinner everyone will want seconds of with my Carnitas Tacos Recipe! These mouthwatering tacos are stuffed with melt-in-your-mouth shredded pork carnitas for a showstopping Taco Tuesday. Make extra - you're going to want leftovers to enjoy!
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Tacos de Carnitas
Taco Tuesday is a tradition in my house! And every week, I'm already brainstorming what the new twist will be. But in all my years of making delicious taco dinners, carnitas tacos keep coming back to the table. There's just nothing like them!
The secret to why they're so good? My incredibly easy, incredibly delicious carnitas recipe. Trust me, you've never had pulled pork like this! Juicy, melt-in-your-mouth pork with just enough crisp left for a satisfying chew, carnitas are so delicious on their own, you hardly need to add toppings!
And the best part is, carnitas tacos are the perfect week-long meal. Keep extra toppings in the fridge and make up a few tacos at a time for easy lunches all week long!
Carnitas Taco Ingredients
- Carnitas (recipe included - see link for in-depth tips!)
- Corn tortillas
- Toppings of choice (see suggestions below!)
Carnitas Ingredients
- Pork shoulder (or pork butt)
- Yellow onion
- Jalapenos
- Orange juice
- Olive oil
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Oregano
- Garlic powder
- Pepper
- Salt
How to Make Pork Carnitas Tacos (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)
- Dice the onion, then add it and the whole jalapenos to the bottom of the slow cooker or Instant Pot.
- Mix together the cumin, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Chop the pork shoulder into 2" cubes, then coat each cube with the spices.
- Add the pork to the crockpot or Instant Pot with the olive oil and orange juice.
- Turn on the crockpot on LOW for 7-8 hours, or the Instant Pot on HIGH for 45 minutes. When the time is up, turn off the crock pot, and use natural pressure release on the Instant Pot for 15 minutes. Move the pork to a cutting board and shred.
- Optional: Move the pork to a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 425°F, then bake the pork for 8-10 minutes until starting to get browned and crispy.
- Strain the juices from the slow cooker, discarding the solids, then pour them over the pork.
- Toast, warm, or char your favorite corn tortillas in the oven or on a skillet. Top with 2 Tablespoons of carnitas in juices, and add any of your favorite toppings, like corn kernels, pico de gallo, shredded cabbage, and sour cream.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Carnitas Taco Recipe Tips
- Carnitas are a fantastic make-ahead recipe. Start them early for fresh carnitas right before serving, or make them days ahead and freeze them in baggies for easy-thaw portions!
- You can also use beef brisket for this recipe, but I prefer pork for the mild flavor and budget prices!
- Serve these tacos in toasted corn tortillas for an incredible crunch, or flour tortillas for soft-shell! I like wrapping them into Carnitas Burritos or serving them in burrito bowls over rice, too!
- For extra flavor, you can add chilies of your choice to the pot.
- You don't need to bake the meat after cooking it- skip this step if you like your meat softer and more moist.
Can I make carnitas using my stove?
You can easily make dutch oven carnitas in the oven.
- Season and sear cubed pork shoulder in 1 Tablespoon of oil in your dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat. Sear to brown on all sides, about 5 minutes on each side.
- Add the orange juice, onion, and jalapenos to the pot. Combine completely, then cover with a lid.
- Place the dutch oven, covered, in the oven for 3 hours at 300°F. When it's ready, the carnitas will shred easily with two forks.
Carnitas Tacos Toppings
You can top carnitas tacos with anything you'd like, but in my experience, it's best to keep them simple! I like topping my carnitas tacos with a variety of crispy fresh veggies, a squeeze of lime, a sprinkling of crema, and a finishing touch of just a bit of cheese. Experiment to find your favorite toppings!
- Fresh cilantro
- Red onion pickled or fresh
- Avocado or fresh guacamole
- Salsa
- Lime juice
- Crema sauce
- Pickled radish
- Fresh corn
- Chopped cabbage
- Mild cheese
- Salsa verde
Tacos de Carnitas FAQ
Pork carnitas are juicy and savory, perfect to pair with a mix of crunchy vegetables and creamy sauces! Classic toppings are fresh chopped jalapenos, red onion, crema sauce, and cheese. I also love adding a bit of fresh corn for sweetness, and of course, a hearty topping of fresh guacamole!
The difference between carnitas and asada tacos comes down to the meat! Carnitas are traditionally made with pork shoulder cooked until it turns to shreds, while asada is classically grilled beef flank. Thus, asada tacos have more chew and a more earthy, beefy flavor compared to super-tender carnitas.
Carnitas tacos are tacos stuffed mainly with carnitas, a type of Mexican slow-cooked pork! By slow cooking pork shoulder for 7 hours or more, the meat breaks down into melt-in-your-mouth shreds that meld with the sauce to make for incredibly soft meat. It's then added to tacos with fillings of choice!
Carnitas is traditionally made with pork, though it's possible to make it the same way with beef or veal. I prefer pork, as it becomes extremely tender when cooked for a long time, and pork tends to be much more affordable than beef or veal. Additionally, the mild flavor binds well to the seasonings.
Mexican Pork Recipes
Did you enjoy this recipe? Try more of my best pork recipes, and leave a comment and rating below! We love to hear from you.
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Carnitas Tacos
Equipment
- Slow cooker 7 qt
- Sheet pan
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Pork shoulder
- 1 Yellow onion
- 2 Jalapenos
- 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
- 8 Corn tortillas or more
- Taco toppings of choice
See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!
Instructions
- Dice the onion, then add it and the whole jalapenos to the bottom of the slow cooker or Instant Pot.1 Yellow onion, 2 Jalapenos
- Mix together the cumin, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Chop the pork shoulder into 2" cubes, then coat each cube with the seasoning mix.3 lbs Pork shoulder, 2 teaspoons Cumin, 2 teaspoons Chili powder, 3 teaspoons Oregano, 2 teaspoons Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Pepper, 2 teaspoons Salt
- Add the pork to the crockpot or Instant Pot with the olive oil and orange juice.½ cup Orange juice, 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- Turn on the crockpot on LOW for 7-8 hours, or the Instant Pot on HIGH for 45 minutes. When the time is up, turn off the crock pot, and use natural pressure release on the Instant Pot for 15 minutes. Move the pork to a cutting board and shred.
- Optional: Move the pork to a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 425°F, then bake the pork for 8-10 minutes until starting to get browned and crispy.
- Strain the juices from the slow cooker, discarding the solids, then pour them over the pork.
- Toast, warm, or char your favorite corn tortillas in the oven or on a skillet. Top with 2 tablespoons of carnitas in juices, and add any of your favorite toppings.8 Corn tortillas, Taco toppings
- Serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
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- Carnitas are a fantastic make-ahead recipe. Start them early for fresh carnitas right before serving, or make them days ahead and freeze them in baggies for easy-thaw portions!
- You can also use beef brisket for this recipe, but I prefer pork for the mild flavor and budget prices!
- Serve these tacos in toasted corn tortillas for an incredible crunch, or flour tortillas for soft-shell! I like wrapping them into burritos, too! (ADD LINK)
- For extra flavor, you can add chilies of your choice to the pot.
- You don't need to bake the meat after cooking it- skip this step if you like your meat softer and more moist.
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Nutrition
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