These Pulled Pork Tacos are made with slow-cooked pork shoulder, dried chiles, and a savory sauce that coats every shred. Serve them in warm tortillas with pickled onions, salsa, and a squeeze of lime. You’ll be making this recipe on repeat!
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Shredded pork tacos
These Pulled Pork Tacos are my go-to when I want real Mexican comfort food and they’re one of my hubby’s favorite things to eat. When I ask him what would you like me to make, the response is the same: Carnitas! This time, I went for a cross between carnitas and birria made in the slow cooker, and the results are amazing.
Let’s talk more about the recipe. Using a bone-in roast and leaving some fat on, instead of trimming it all away, keeps the meat moist and juicy. The pork gets coated in spices, then seared to lock in those flavors and add depth before it goes into the slow cooker. It braises with dried chiles, which bring warmth and a gentle heat. Adding cola may sound unexpected, yet it works as a tenderizer and adds a subtle sweetness that balances the richness of the pork. Once the meat falls off the bone, remove it, skim the fat from the cooking liquid, and blend everything into a smooth sauce. Stir the shredded pork back into that sauce, and it’s ready to serve.
♥️ xo, Ana
Recipe Notes
| Prep ⏰ | Cook ⏲️ | Rest ⏱️ | Total Time |
| 20 mins | 6 hours | 0 mins | 6 hrs, 20 mins |
🍽️ Servings: 8 Servings
⭐️ Difficulty: Easy
♥️ What’s to love: Perfect for meal prep, high in protein and so many ways to enjoy it: make tacos, stuff them into burritos, layer them onto tostadas, build a torta, or serve the shredded pork over a simple rice bowl. So good!
🛒 Featured Ingredients: bone-in pork shoulder roast, spices, guajillo peppers, chipotles from a can, onion, garlic, coca cola, fresh lime juice and brown sugar. Flour tortillas for the tacos.
**You’ll find the complete recipe and ingredient list in the card at the end.**
How To Make Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Season the pork: Mix the cumin, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub it all over the pork shoulder and set it aside while everything else gets ready.
- Toast the chiles: Warm a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the guajillo chiles until fragrant. Transfer them straight into the slow cooker.
- Sear the pork: Heat oil in the same skillet. Sear the pork on all sides until a golden crust forms. This step makes your kitchen smell wonderful!
- Build the base: Add the chipotle chiles, chopped onion, garlic cloves, and cola to the slow cooker. Then place the pork on top. Cover, and cook on high for about 6 hours. The meat should pull away from the bone with very little effort.
- Shred and sauce: Transfer the pork to a cutting board or platter and shred it with forks. Skim the fat from the liquid in the slow cooker, then blend everything left until smooth. Stir in lime juice and brown sugar.
- Bring it together: Add the shredded pork back into the sauce. Toss gently and taste. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
How To Serve
Once you make this delicious shredded pork, you can make tacos, then leftovers can be use it to make burritos, layer them onto Tostadas, build a torta, or serve the shredded pork over a simple Cilantro Lime Rice bowl. These are just a few easy ways to enjoy them.
No matter how they’re served, don’t skip a generous scoop of my Mexican pickled onions on top, they bring the right pop of tang to balance everything out. This Salsa De Arbol and crumbled Queso Fresco also adds the perfect touch.
Ana’s Recipe Tips
- Bone-in pork shoulder works best here. The bone keeps the meat juicy during the long cook.
- Leave a little fat on the pork. This can be trimmed out when you shred the meat.
- Blending the sauce makes a big difference. It coats the pork evenly and keeps every bite juicy.
- Cola helps tenderize the meat and balances the heat from the chiles. It does not make the dish sweet and it’s perfect! You can use diet cola if you wish. Won’t change the results.
- This recipe tastes even better the next day once the pork rests in the sauce.
Print Recipe:
Pulled Pork Tacos Recipe
Equipment
- 1 6 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in pork shoulder roast - approximate weight
- ½ Tablespoon each: ground cumin, ground coriander, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper
- 3 large dried guajillo peppers (or 6 small ones) - stemmed, seeded and torn
- 2 large chipotle chiles from a can
- 1 large onion - chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves - peeled
- 12 oz can coca cola
- 1 Tablespoon avocado or vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- ½ Tablespoon brown sugar
For serving
- flour or corn tortillas for tacos
- Mexican pickled onions
- crumbled Queso fresco cheese
- favorite salsa and lime wedges
Instructions
- Combine the dried spices then rub on all sides of the pork. Set aside.3 pounds bone-in pork shoulder roast, ½ Tablespoon each: ground cumin, ground coriander, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper
- Toast ancho chile in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant. About 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker along with the chipotle peppers, onions, garlic and cola.3 large dried guajillo peppers (or 6 small ones), 2 large chipotle chiles from a can, 1 large onion, 4 large garlic cloves, 12 oz can coca cola
- On the same skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat swirling to coat the bottom of skillet. Once hot, place the roast in skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side to sear it.1 Tablespoon avocado or vegetable oil
- Transfer to slow cooker and cover with lid. Cook pork until meat is falling off the bone on high setting for about 6 hours or less.
- Remove the meat to a large platter, rimmed sheet pan, or cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat.
- Skim and discard fat from surface of braising liquid, then puree liquid and solids with handheld blender. Stir in lime juice and brown sugar then the shredded pork. Mix everything together and taste. Add more salt if needed.1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice, ½ Tablespoon brown sugar
- Serve carnitas in warm tortillas with pickled onions, salsa, cotija and lime a squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
- About 4 oz cooked shredded pork total
- Values are for lean shredded pork, with visible fat removed.
- Roughly 1⅓ oz (38 g) per taco
- meat only, no tortillas or toppings
If not slow cooker with „high“ setting what degree celsius in an oven would be a good setting for the 6 hours? Assuming pork in cast iron pot with lid. Br, Oliver
Hi Oliver, good question! If you’re using the oven instead of a slow cooker on high, set it to 160–165°C (320–330°F) and cook the pork covered in a cast iron pot for about 5½–6 hours.
A few helpful notes you can add:
Check once or twice to make sure there’s enough liquid in the pot.
The pork is ready when it easily shreds with a fork.
This low, steady oven heat mimics the slow cooker “high” setting really well and gives you tender, pull-apart pork.
Let me know if you still have any other questions. Enjoy!
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Do you have any questions I can help you with? Or if you made it, I would love it if you leave a comment or rating below. ⭐️
Gracias!!!! xx, Ana