These irresistible pulled pork tacos are made with pork shoulder that's slow-cooked in the oven to perfection. It's fork-tender, juicy, and seasoned to perfection- the perfect addition to your next taco night!
Get ready to embark on a flavor-packed adventure and learn the secrets to the most mouthwatering and flavorful pulled pork tacos ever! This dish is perfect served with my chipotle corn salsa and homemade guacamole.
Whether you're planning a cozy family dinner night, hosting a game night feast or contributing to a potluck, these oven-cooked pulled pork tacos will have everyone coming back for seconds!
If you're a fan of the carnitas at Chipotle, then you should try these pulled pork tacos. Carnitas, which means "little meats" in Spanish, is a traditional Mexican slow-cooked pork dish. It's kind of like a Mexican version of pulled pork.
Although many pulled pork recipes are made in the slow cooker, I prefer to braise my pork in the oven. Braising is a technique that I learned in culinary school that maximizes the flavor of your dishes. However, if you're looking for a slow cooker recipe, try my slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken.
I start by searing the meat in a Dutch oven on the stove to give it a nice crust and seal in the juices. Then I pop it into the oven along with Mexican spices, and cook it low and slow until it's juicy and fork-tender.
This Mexican braised pork is perfect for a Sunday meal or on a cold weather day when you don't plan on leaving the house.
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Why You'll Love This Dish
- Packed with flavor- I infuse the braised pork with Mexican flavors from ingredients like chipotles in adobo, cumin, and oregano.
- Great for meal prep- make a large batch of this pulled pork and use it in a variety of dishes throughout the week like burrito bowls, quesadillas, and salads.
- Perfect for entertaining- perfect for game night or potlucks- serve these pulled pork tacos with all your favorite taco toppings.
Did you even wonder what the difference is between barbacoa vs carnitas at Chipotle? Read my post to learn more!
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredient list.
- Pork- I use boneless pork shoulder, also called pork butt; this cut is perfect for braising because it stays moist during the cooking process. If you're looking for a leaner pork dish, try my Cuban mojo pork tenderloin.
- Chipotles in adobo- these canned, smoked jalapeño peppers are a flavor bomb! Find the in the ethnic foods aisle of your grocery store or online.
- Spices- I use cumin, garlic, oregano (if you have Mexican oregano, that's even better), allspice and a bay leaf for rich flavor
- Vinegar- adds a touch of acidity and brightness to the dish at the end of braising
How To Make Pulled Pork Tacos Step-By-Step
See recipe card below for full recipe instructions.
- Step 1- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or other large oven-safe pot over medium high heat. Season the pork and brown it in the pot on all sides. Remove.
- Step 2- Sweat the onions in the pot. Add garlic, bay leaf, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin, oregano, allspice, diced tomatoes and chicken stock (or water).
- Step 3- Add the browned pork back to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot and place in the oven.
- Step 4- Cook at 325°F for 2-2 ½ hours until meat is fork tender.
- Step 5- Remove the pork from the pot and shred it on a cutting board using two forks. In the meantime, bring the sauce in the pot to a simmer on the stove and add the vinegar. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Put the shredded pork back into the pot and stir to coat all of the meat with the sauce.
- Step 6- Serve the pulled pork with tortillas, corn salsa, and all of your favorite taco toppings.
Chef's Tips
- Chipotles in adobo are very spicy so I usually remove the seeds (where most of the spice is). If you touch them with your hands, be very careful to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards and don't touch your eyes. I always mince my chipotles with a knife and fork.
- If you don't eat pork, you can substitute other meats such as chicken, beef, or lamb and adjust the cooking time. If using chicken, I would use chicken thighs rather than the breast meat which tends to dry out more easily. Here's a recipe for my BBQ pulled chicken.
- Adding a splash of vinegar at the end of cooking adds some acidity and brightness to the sauce. I also wait to season with salt until the very end because as the sauce reduces, the flavors concentrate and you may over-season if you do it too early.
What To Serve With Pulled Pork Tacos
These delectable pulled pork tacos are so versatile! They're equally suitable for a family dinner, game night with friends or even a potluck.
I like to use the pulled pork to make tacos with soft corn or flour tortillas. Then, I put out all of my favorite taco toppings! I like to top the tacos with a refreshing salsa like my chipotle corn salsa or mango salsa. You can also serve them with pico de gallo.
I also like to serve my homemade guacamole and sour cream or Greek yogurt on the side. You can also put out shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes.
For an extra pop of flavor, you can also serve these pulled pork tacos with pickled onions, pickled jalapeño peppers or diced green chilies.
The leftovers are even tastier the next day as the flavors really seep into the meat. You can use the leftover pulled pork throughout the week to make sandwiches, quesadillas, and burrito bowls and to top salads.
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Recipe
Pulled Pork Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
Braised Pork:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2.5-3 lbs. boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ -2 chipotles in adobo, seeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from the can)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup reduced sodium chicken stock or water
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (I like to use cider vinegar but you can use any)
Serve with:
- corn or flour tortillas, chipotle corn salsa (see Notes section below for recipe), sour cream or Greek yogurt, lettuce, salsa, pickled onions or jalapeños, lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or other large oven-safe pot over medium high heat. Trim the pork of excess fat and cut it into 4 or 5 equal pieces. Season the pieces generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the pot and brown the meat on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the pork from the pot and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onions. Sweat the onions until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin, oregano, allspice, diced tomatoes and chicken stock (or water) and stir to combine. Add the browned pork back to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot and place in the oven. Cook 2-2 ½ hours until meat is fork tender.
- When the pork is done, remove from the pot from the oven. Remove the pork pieces from the pot and place them on a cutting board or plate. Using two forks, pull the meat apart into pieces.
- In the meantime, bring the sauce in the pot to a simmer on the stove. Add the vinegar and simmer another few minutes. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Put the shredded pork back into the sauce and stir to coat all of the meat with the sauce. Add more chicken stock or water as needed. The meat should be juicy and coated with sauce but it should not be soupy.
- To assemble the tacos, place some of the braised pork on a tortilla. Top with some chipotle corn salsa and other desired toppings. Serve lime wedges on the side. Enjoy with a cold Mexican beer or beverage of your choice!
Notes
- Chipotles in adobo are very spicy so I usually remove the seeds (where most of the spice is). If you touch them with your hands, be very careful to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards and don't touch your eyes. I always mince my chipotles with a knife and fork.
- If you don't eat pork, you can substitute other meats such as chicken, beef, or lamb and adjust the cooking time. If using chicken, I would use chicken thighs rather than the breast meat which tends to dry out more easily. Here's a recipe for my BBQ pulled chicken.
- Adding a splash of vinegar at the end of cooking adds some acidity and brightness to the sauce. I also wait to season with salt until the very end because as the sauce reduces, the flavors concentrate and you may over-season if you do it too early.
Aaron Chase says
Very easy to make and came out fantastic! My "picky" teenagers devoured it!
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
That's great! So happy to hear that your family enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Jen Werner says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was so good! The pork was tender and shredded easily. The flavor was amazing and the corn salsa was so fresh tasting and complimented the pork perfectly. Thanks for the great recipe!