• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Barbara Bakes™
  • Home
  • About
  • Info
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • Breads
  • Breakfast
  • Dessert
    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Ice Cream
    • Pastry
    • All Desserts »
  • Main Dishes
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Pasta
    • Meatless
    • All Main Dishes »
  • Side Dishes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Baking Tips
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Baking Tips
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Pork Carnitas Tacos

    Published by Melissa on February 27, 2021 | Updated June 10, 2022 | 16 Comments

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Jump to Recipe

    Pork Carnitas Tacos feature juicy shredded pork shoulder slow-cooked in a rich tomato and green chili sauce. 

    three pork carnitas tacos in hard shells with green jalapenos

    Tacos are always a fun and welcome dinner recipe. And while they can be as simple as filling a taco shell with spiced ground beef, sometimes something a little elevated is in order. That’s when this recipe for shredded pork tacos comes in. 

    Slow cooking cubed pork shoulder in the oven yields incredibly juicy, flavorful, and just-spicy-enough carnitas filling. Add your favorite toppings and you have an easy hands-off dinner that’s sure to impress. 

    Update: This family-friendly dinner recipe is a must-try, so I’ve updated the post with helpful tips and new photos to make it even easier. Enjoy!

    pinterest button for pork carnitas tacos

    How to Make Pork Carnitas Tacos

    This is a great recipe to build bold, intense flavors with little work. This carnitas is mostly hands-off, due to the long, slow cooking in the oven, which develops rich flavors without drying out the meat. 

    Look for Rotel diced tomatoes and the canned chilis in the canned veggie aisle. Sometimes the green chilis are in the international aisle near the taco ingredients.

    The first step in making carnitas is to sear the meat well on all sides. This step helps to seal in the juices and keep the meat moist. While browning the meat, stir it only occasionally so the garlic and onions don’t overcook.

    When adding the canned ingredients, add all of the liquid too. The juices flavor the pork and add moisture during baking.

    steps to prepare pork carnitas tacos with tomatoes and green chilis

    What Cut of Meat for Shredded Pork Tacos?

    I make carnitas with cubed pork shoulder. I can often find pre-cut meat which makes the cooking (and cleaning) faster and easier. If you can’t find pre-cut pork, you can purchase pork shoulder and cut it into cubes. Cubing the meat reduces the cooking time without sacrificing the flavor or texture. This recipe cooks moist shredded meat in 2 hours. 

    bowl of pork carnitas with taco toppings and tortillas

    Serving Pork Carnitas Tacos

    The best time to shred the pork is when the meat is still hot from the oven. Most of the meat should shred very easily just by pushing it with the back of a fork. For any tougher pieces, use two forks or a meat shredder. 

    Then give it a good stir to coat the shredded pork fully in the juices at the bottom of the pan.

    The carnitas is best served warm in warm tortillas. Corn or flour tortillas both work well.

    Some of my favorite toppings for these meaty tacos include: 

    • Shredded cheese
    • Sliced jalapeños
    • Fresh cilantro
    • Diced onions
    • Chopped Lettuce
    • Salsa or salsa verde 
    close up on a taco with shredded pork and raw veggie toppings

    Can I Make Carnitas Ahead of Time?

    Yes, this dish stores well. Leftover cold pork can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stove to serve. 

    Or cool and freeze the meat in an airtight container for up to three months. Defrost it overnight in the fridge and reheat to serve. If necessary, add some broth or water if the meat is dry.   

    More Taco Recipes

    Because any night can be taco Tuesday if you want it to be, add these other popular taco recipes to your menu soon:

    • Pressure Cooker Chicken Taco Filling with juicy shredded chicken is a fast Instant Pot recipe for lunch or dinner. 
    • Crispy Baked Chicken and Black Bean Tacos add crunch, creamy black beans, and tender baked chicken to your taco repertoire. 
    • Pressure Cooker Greek Tacos are a Mediterranean spin on pork tacos brightened up with lemon juice and served with pita. 
    three pork carnitas tacos in hard shells with green jalapenos
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Shredded Pork Tacos

    Moist and tender shredded pork carnitas tacos with pork shoulder, diced tomatoes, and green chilis are a bit spicy, moist and perfect with toppings.
    Course: Pork
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 729kcal
    Author: Barbara Bakes LLC
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Equipment

    • 1Easylife 18/8 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons, Set of 6 for Measuring Dry and Liquid Ingredients
    • Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons oil
    • 2 pounds cubed pork meat
    • 1 medium onion diced
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 tsp chili powder
    • ¼ tspground cumin
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 1 4- ounce can chopped green chilies
    • 1 10- ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes and chilies Do not drain
    • Soft tortillas or taco shells
    • Toppings of choice

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    • In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the oil. Brown the pork, garlic, and onion until brown.
    • Add chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook 1 minute to toast spices. Stir in chilies and tomatoes.
    • Cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 2 – 3 hrs until fork-tender, adding water if necessary to ensure the meat stays moist.
    • Shred the pork and cook off any remaining liquid on the stove.
    • Serve in tortillas or taco shells with toppings of your choices.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 729kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 753mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    « Light Chicken Parmesan
    Coconut Cream Cupcakes with Toasted Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting »
    about us

    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Tracy

      January 17, 2009 at 5:00 pm

      I recently made pork for the same reason — to have a taco bar. Then I realized for various reasons that wasn’t going to work. I chucked the meat into the crock pot with some barbecue sauce and voila! Pulled pork sandwiches!

      Reply
    2. Aggie

      January 11, 2009 at 2:27 pm

      This looks great. We would LOVE this at our house!!

      Reply
    3. Judy

      January 10, 2009 at 7:55 pm

      You have such a cute blog. Good recipes. I would be happy to add you to my blogroll if you add me to yours. Let me know (judyskitchen.blogspot.com)

      Reply
    4. ♥Reeni

      January 07, 2009 at 5:52 pm

      That’s a different kind of delicious taco. My Dad would love this!

      Reply
    5. Barbara

      January 07, 2009 at 1:57 am

      Barbara, oh my Mexican. One of my favorities. That pork sounds so easy to do. I’ll have to give it a try.

      Reply
    6. Carrian

      January 07, 2009 at 1:06 am

      Oh sweet mercy. This looks delicious! I am loving your blog and will be adding it to my sidebar. Thanks for stopping by the other day!! I loved hearing your comment since I am new to this!

      Reply
    7. Cathy

      January 06, 2009 at 3:36 pm

      This is my kind of dinner! There is nothing more fun than make your own taco night, and this pork sounds fabulous!

      Reply
    8. Jerri - Simply Sweet Home

      January 05, 2009 at 11:39 am

      That looks yummy!

      Reply
    9. Lorraine E

      January 05, 2009 at 4:11 am

      Ooh thankyou so much for this recipe! Shredded pork is one of my favourite taco fillings but I had no idea where to start to make it 😀

      Reply
    10. Jodi

      January 05, 2009 at 3:18 am

      Barbara,

      I have loved your blog and your recipes so I hope you will accept a Butterfly Award from me. Please visit my blog’s latest post to retrieve it!

      Reply
    11. Marisa

      January 05, 2009 at 2:21 am

      That sounds so good! I’ll for sure be trying this. I hope you had a great Christmas! I’m excited to be back in the blogging world after a much needed break :-)!

      Reply
    12. Tami

      January 04, 2009 at 6:15 pm

      I’m am kicking myself for this one! I had left over pork and couldn’t think of anything special to do with it so I just made hot pork sandwiches. I will definitely try out this recipe the next time pork is on our menu!

      Reply
    13. Cathy

      January 04, 2009 at 4:05 pm

      This would be so tasty in several of my favorite Mexican recipes.

      Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    14. Sara

      January 04, 2009 at 4:04 pm

      This looks great! I’ve been doing a lot of braised pork shoulder lately, and I love putting a pork roast in the crockpot for tacos!

      Reply
    15. Shelby aka HoneyB

      January 04, 2009 at 2:42 pm

      Next time I want Mexican I’m coming over 😉

      YUMMY!

      Reply
    16. Kaitlin

      January 04, 2009 at 2:07 pm

      oh yum! this looks SO amazing!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Melissa and Barbara smiling

    Baking made easy! Sharing fabulous recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, breads and more. Barbara Bakes (and Melissa too!) Recipes from both of our kitchens to yours.

    Learn More »

    Popular Posts

    Featured Image Collage for post Baking Tips for Layer Cakes

    Baking Tips for Layer Cakes

    6 easy cake pops on a plate made with a brownie mix, covered in chocolate and sprinkles

    Easy Brownie Cake Pops

    German-Chocolate-Cake-Barbara-Bakes

    Easy 5-Ingredient German Chocolate Cake

    Featured Image for post Easy To Make Naan - Indian Flatbread

    Easy To Make Naan – Indian Flatbread

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    About

    • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Press

    Browse

    • Recipe Index
    • Popular
    • Baking Tips
    • Travel

    Subscribe

    • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    As an Amazon affiliate, and affiliate with other businesses, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 barbarabakes.com. All rights reserved. DISCLOSURE - PRIVACY POLICY.