Super Tasty Carnitas Tacos - Downshiftology

These juicy and tender carnitas tacos are the secret to the best Taco Tuesday dinner. Plus, it’s super easy to make the carnitas in a slow cooker, giving you plenty of time to prep your favorite taco toppings!

The Best Carnitas Tacos

If you love tasty Mexican food, carnitas is probably no stranger to you. And what’s the best thing to make with carnitas? Carnitas tacos! Just take that juicy shredded pork, wrap it in a warm tortilla, and then top it with freshly diced onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. But here’s why you’ll come back to this homemade version every time:

• You can make a big batch of the meat. This is perfect for feeding lots of people! Just toss all the ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning, let it cook during the day, and crisp it in the broiler for a few minutes before taco night begins.
• You can get creative with toppings. Onion and cilantro are the essentials, but this recipe will give you ample time to make things like guacamole, pico de gallo, and more to complete a full dinner spread.
• You’ll love the authentic flavor. You can achieve the same flavors and textures of carnitas tacos ordered from your local Mexican restaurant or taco truck right at home!

Carnitas Tacos Ingredients

• Carnitas: You’ll need a pork shoulder (also called a pork butt). That is then seasoned with chili powder, dried oregano, and ground cumin. To finish it off, toss fresh garlic, yellow onion, orange juice, and a jalapeno pepper into the slow cooker. That’s it — so easy!
• Tortillas: I love my homemade cassava flour tortillas for a gluten-free option. But choose your favorite tortilla to use.
• Taco Toppings: Diced red onion, fresh cilantro, and limes are a staple. But if you want to add more layers, I’ve got ideas below!

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Make Carnitas Tacos

Season and cook the carnitas in the morning. Rub the spice mixture all over the entire pork shoulder and place in the crockpot. Then add the onion, minced garlic, jalapeno, and orange juice. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. The meat should be fall-apart tender by the end!

Shred and crisp the pork right before dinner time. Take the pork shoulder out of the crockpot and shred it with two forks. Then, broil it in the oven for those deliciously crispy edges (this is optional, but highly recommended!).

Taco assembly time. Warm up your tortilla, add a pile of juicy carnitas, and top it with your favorites. You could even do large butter lettuce leaves for a low-carb option.

Taco Topping Ideas

• Fresh dips: Put a spoonful of homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, red salsa, salsa verde, or creamy lime crema.
• Cheeses: My favorite is cotija cheese, but you can also sprinkle on queso fresco for an authentic Mexican flair.

More Taco Recipes

• Carne Asada Tacos
• Barbacoa Tacos
• Grilled Fish Tacos
• Shrimp Tacos
• Pulled Pork Street Tacos
• Taco Salad
• Or browse through my list of Mexican recipes for more ideas!

I can’t wait for you to try these carnitas tacos! If you make them, I’d love to know how they turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.

Super Tasty Carnitas Tacos

Author: Lisa Bryan 4.87 from 23 votes Read 66 Comments Serves 8 tacosPrep Time 10 minutes minsCook Time 8 hours hrsTotal Time 8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins Save RecipeSaved Leave Review Print SharePinFacebookTweetEmail Email This RecipeEnter your email and I’ll send it to you + weekly food inspiration!Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Email *Go

Description

These slow cooker carnitas tacos are the secret to the best Taco Tuesday dinner. And for visual reference, watch how I make these carnitas tacos in my kitchen in the video below!

Video

Equipment

• Slow Cooker

Ingredients USMetric 1x2x3x

Carnitas Recipe

• ▢ 4 pounds skinless, boneless pork shoulder or butt
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• ▢ 2 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 yellow onion, chopped
• ▢ 1 orange, juiced
• ▢ 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely diced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper

Carnitas Tacos

• ▢ ½ cup red onion, finely diced
• ▢ ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• ▢ 6 tortillas
• ▢ limes, for garnish

Instructions

Carnitas

• Mix and season the pork. In a small bowl place oregano, cumin, black pepper, salt, and chili powder, then stir together. Trim any excess fat from the pork shoulder (but remember that some fat is good), then rub the spice mixture generously around the entire pork shoulder and place in the slow cooker.
• Add ingredients. Add the onion, minced garlic, jalapeno and orange juice in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or high for 5 to 6 hours (until the meat falls apart)
• Shred the pork. Remove the pork from the slow cooker to a large cutting board and use two forks to shred the meat. If the meat doesn't shred easily, just place it back in the slow cooker for another 30 minutes, or until it does shred easily. Don't get rid of the liquid as you will be using it later.
• Crisp the pork. Place the shredded pork on a baking sheet. Pour 1 cup of the reserved slow cooker liquid over the pork to keep it moist and tender. Then broil for 5 to 10 minutes or until the meat becomes golden browned and crispy on the edges.

Carnitas Tacos

• Make the tacos. Serve immediately with tortillas, freshly diced onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Note: you'll likely have have leftover carnitas. You can make more tacos or enjoy the carnitas in burritos or on salads. You can also store it in the fridge and then reheat to enjoy later.

Lisa’s Tips

• To store leftover carnitas in the fridge: Place the shredded pork in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
• To freeze and enjoy carnitas in the future: Store the pork in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven. 

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 567mg | Potassium: 970mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 293IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 3mg

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Recipe originally posted April 2020, but update to include new photos and information for your benefit!