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4.7 from 27 votes

Pork Carnitas Street Tacos

If you're looking for a delicious and easy-to-make Mexican dish, look no further than carnitas tacos! These street tacos are made with crispy slow cooker pork carnitas, topped with onions and cilantro, and they're perfect for serving at parties or as a main course. Plus, they're really easy to make - anyone can do it!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs 10 mins
Total Time
6 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 556 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Crispy Slow Cooker Carnitas
  • 4 lbs pork shoulder
  • Juice of 3 oranges
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • Zest of one orange
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 yellow onion quartered
  • 5 cloves garlic smashed (or one whole head, halved, if you love garlic)
  • 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Taco Toppings
  • warmed corn tortillas
  • Sliced or chopped red onion
  • fresh cilantro Coriander leaves
  • salsa verde
  • Taquera salsa
  • cotija cheese or queso fresco
  • Sour cream or lime crema
  • Lime wedges for squeezing

Instructions

To Make Carnitas in the Slow Cooker
    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut pork shoulder (also called boston butt or pork butt) into 6 large pieces for faster cooking. If you want it to cook for 8 hours, leave it whole.
  2. Place the pork into the slow cooker, then add all of the other ingredients in. Slow cook for 8 hours on low or 6 hours on high. The pork will be tender enough to shred with a fork when it's ready.
  3. Use tongs to remove the pork from the slow cooker, then shred the meat on a cutting board using two forks. Place all of the shredded pork onto a rimmed baking sheet in a thin layer.
  4. Set your broiler on high. Use a ladle to spoon out some of the liquid from the slow cooker and pour it over the pork. Toss the meat in the fat and juices until all the pork is covered, then place the baking sheet under the broiler for five minutes.
  5. After five minutes, carefully pull the baking sheet out, toss the shredded meat again to expose the non-crispy pork that was at the bottom to the top, and place in the oven for another 3-5 minutes until crispy yet again.
To Make Crispy Carnitas Street Tacos
  1. Place the hot, crispy pulled pork into two warmed corn tortillas. Top the tacos with an array of different delicious foods. The classic street taco is simple with onions and cilantro, and jazzed up with salsas.

Notes

  • This pork roast makes a LOT of meals. It's perfect for a big family get together, a festive party, or for freezer meal prep.
  • Store the carnitas meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat them in the oven at 325 degrees F or in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl or plate until hot.
  • You can also freeze the pork in freezer-safe bag or sous vide bags (like the ones from Foodsaver). Freeze them as flat as you can, not only does this help freeze them more quickly and help them thaw quicker as well but you safe serious freezer space!

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 556kcal (28%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 39g (78%) Fat 36g (55%) Saturated Fat 14g (70%) Polyunsaturated Fat 19g Cholesterol 147mg (49%) Sodium 750mg (31%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 11g (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 556

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 556kcal 28%
Carbohydrates 18g 6%
Protein 39g 78%
Fat 36g 55%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Polyunsaturated Fat 19g 112%
Cholesterol 147mg 49%
Sodium 750mg 31%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 11g 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.