Get ready for some serious flavor with these Pork Carnitas Tacos cooked low and slow all day in the Crockpot. The pork shoulder is fall apart tender and packed with Mexican flavors, then added onto a crispy corn tortilla and finished with onions and cilantro. Plus, the slow cooker does most of the work for us!
There is nothing that I love more than not having to think about dinner at dinner time. This takes about 15 minutes to prep in the morning, and we came home to the most delicious tender, slow cooked Mexican pulled pork.
You can use Pork Carnitas on sandwiches, quesadillas, in rice bowls, but today we're making crispy corn shell tacos. I keep them simple and top them with onion, cilantro and fresh lime juice. They're so good.
For more easy slow cooker recipes, check out these Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs, Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Sandwiches, and Sirloin Tip Roast in the Crockpot.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Easy Prep. A quick sear on the pork shoulder, onions and garlic, then we're throwing it in the crockpot and it will slow cook to perfection.
- Big on Flavor. The pork shoulder cooks in spices, fresh citrus, chicken stock and enchilada sauce and soaks in so much flavor.
- Versatile. Use it for tacos tonight, then put the leftover carnitas in quesadillas, rice bowls, sandwiches, etc.
For more Mexican inspired recipes, try these Mexican Chicken Thighs and Rice, Southwest Chicken Salad, and Beef Taquitos.
Ingredients:
Pork Shoulder: Bone in or boneless pork shoulder will work great for this recipe. I used bone-in with a weight of 4 lbs.
Chicken Stock: I like to use chicken stock instead of chicken broth because it's richer in flavors.
Corn Tortillas: Fried in oil for a crispy, authentic version of Carnitas tacos.
Citrus: I love a blend of fresh orange and lime juice to create an acid and help break down the pork.
*Find the full recipe ingredients and quantities in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations:
- Feel free to use mild, medium or hot green enchilada sauce.
- You can also use flour tortillas and fry them for a chalupa like tortilla shell.
For more taco recipes, try these Crispy Beef Tacos, Crockpot Birria Tacos, and Baja Shrimp Tacos.
How to Make Pork Carnitas Tacos:
Step 1: Place the pork shoulder on a cutting board and cover all surfaces with taco seasoning and salt. Into a large dutch oven or skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, pour in one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Allow the oil to heat up, then sear each side of the pork shoulder for about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to crockpot. Reduce the dutch oven heat to medium low.
Step 2: If there is a lot of burnt spices in the pan, give it a quick wipe out. Toss in the garlic and ½ cup onions and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften.
Step 3: Toss the garlic and onions into the crockpot, then pour in the enchilada sauce, chicken stock, and juices from the orange and limes. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, turning the pork shoulder over after 4 hours.
Step 4: After 8 hours, the pork shoulder should have an internal temperature between 195-205 degrees. Remove the bone (if bone in) and shred the meat with two forks, then place back into the crockpot.
Step 5: Place a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat and pour in ¼ cup vegetable oil. Allow the oil to get hot for a few minutes. Carefully add in one corn tortilla at a time and cook for 15-20 seconds on each side until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and repeat. Layer shredded pork onto each taco, then top with onion, cilantro and fresh lime juice. Serve and enjoy. Note: If you want to dunk the tacos in the carnitas juice, go for it!
Expert Tips:
- Make sure to clean out any burnt spices in the dutch oven before adding in the onions and garlic.
- It's important to sauté the onion and garlic in the pan because they never cook well in the crockpot.
For more popular Pork recipes, try these Skillet Pork Dumplings, Pan Seared Pork Cutlets, Dutch Oven Pork Chops, and Southern Boneless Pork Ribs.
More Dinner Recipes You'll Love:
If you tried this Pork Carnitas Taco Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Slow Cooker Pork Carnita Tacos (Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos)
- Total Time: 8 hours, 15 minutes
- Yield: 20 tacos 1x
Description
Get ready for some serious flavor with these Pork Carnitas Tacos cooked low and slow all day in the Crockpot.
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb pork shoulder (I used bone in, but boneless is fine too)
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup yellow onion (½ cup for sautéing and ½ cup for topping), diced fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 32 ounce chicken stock
- 10 ounce can mild green enchilada sauce
- juice from 1 large orange
- juice from 2 limes
- 20 corn tortillas (white or yellow)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges for serving
Instructions
- Place the pork shoulder on a cutting board and cover all surfaces with the taco seasoning and salt. Into a large dutch oven or skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, pour in one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Allow the oil to heat up, then sear each side of the pork shoulder for about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to crockpot. Reduce the dutch oven heat to medium low.
- If there is a lot of burnt spices in the pan, give it a quick wipe out. Toss in the garlic and ½ cup onions and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften.
- Toss the garlic and onions into the crockpot, then pour in the enchilada sauce, chicken stock, and juices from the orange and limes. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, turning the pork shoulder over after 4 hours.
- After 8 hours, the pork shoulder should have an internal temperature between 195-205 degrees. Remove the bone and shred the meat with two forks, then place back into the crockpot.
- Place a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat and pour in ¼ cup vegetable oil. Allow the oil to get hot for a few minutes. Carefully add in one corn tortilla at a time and cook for 15-20 seconds on each side until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and repeat. Layer shredded pork onto each taco, then top with onion, cilantro and fresh lime juice. Serve and enjoy. Note: If you want to dunk the tacos in the carnitas juice, go for it!
Notes
- Make sure to clean out any burnt spices in the dutch oven before adding in the onions and garlic.
- It's important to sauté the onion and garlic in the pan because they never cook well in the crockpot.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Frying Shells: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
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