Craving authentic Carnitas Tacos? This easy recipe will show you how to make tender, crispy, and juicy slow-cooker pork carnitas with simple ingredients and bold Mexican flavors. Top with cilantro, chopped onion, and fresh lime juice for classic street-style tacos, or go all-out for an unforgettable taco night at home.
The Best Carnitas Tacos
For classic Mexican flavor, carnitas are my family’s undisputed favorite. So what’s the best way to serve carnitas? Carnitas tacos! Juicy, crispy, slow-cooked pork wrapped in a warm tortilla and topped with fresh, flavorful ingredients. It’s pretty hard to beat such a winning combo. Whether you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing game-day dish or an easy weeknight family dinner, this super easy recipe is a must-try!
- Servings: This recipe starts with a 5-pound pork butt or pork shoulder, yielding approximately 3 to 3.5 pounds of tender, shredded pork after cooking. Using 2-3 ounces of carnitas per tortilla, this recipe will make around 16 to 25 carnitas tacos, perfect for feeding a crowd!
- Can I prepare carnitas ahead of time? Yes, up to 2-3 days in advance.
- Pro Tip: Warm your tortillas before serving for the best carnitas tacos. Heating tortillas on a dry skillet, over an open flame, or in the oven makes them soft, pliable, and more flavorful and prevents cracking.
Table of Contents
Carnitas Tacos Ingredients
- Carnitas: To make carnitas, you’ll need pork shoulder (also called pork butt or Boston butt) that’s seasoned with salt and black pepper and tossed in a slow cooker with a flavorful combination of seasoning and spices, garlic, sliced onion, fresh lime juice and orange juice, chipotles in adobo, and chicken broth (or light Mexican beer).
- Tortillas: Use your favorite type of tortilla! Still unsure? Check out my overview of tortillas below!
- Toppings: Cilantro and diced white onion are the traditional street taco combo, but if you’re craving crunchy, creamy, or sweet layers of flavor, check out my complete list of ideas below.
How to Make Carnitas Tacos in 3 Simple Steps
1. Season and Slow-Cook the Pork. This can be done up to 3 days in advance, slowly cooked overnight, or started in the early morning to be ready by dinnertime. Season the pork butt all over with salt and black pepper and add it to a large Crockpot with the sliced onion, bay leaves, seasoning mixture, orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, and chicken broth (or light Mexican beer). Cook on low for 8-10 hours. The meat should be fork tender and reach an internal temperature of 195–205°F (90–96°C), as measured by a digital meat thermometer.
2. Shred and Crisp the Pork Before Serving. Once the pork is tender, shred it and crisp it up in a hot skillet with a little of its cooking juices, or broil it in the oven for 5–10 minutes to get those irresistible golden, crispy edges.
3. Taco Assembly and Serving: Warm a tortilla and load it with crispy, juicy carnitas. Top it with your favorite toppings and enjoy with Mexican rice, refried beans, or elote if desired!
The Best Tortillas for Carnitas Tacos
When making tacos, choosing the right tortilla can make all the difference.
Corn Tortillas—Corn tortillas are best for authentic Mexican street-style tacos. They’re typically smaller, thinner, and more delicate, and why most street tacos use two stacked corn tortillas to keep them from tearing. The key to soft, pliable tacos that won’t fall apart mid-bite? Warming them properly! Here’s how:
- Stovetop: Heat a dry cast-iron skillet, griddle, or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Cook each tortilla for 20–30 seconds per side until warm and slightly charred. To keep them warm, stack them in a tortilla warmer or wrap them in a clean kitchen towel.
- Open Flame (for smoky, charred edges and flavor): Place a tortilla directly over a gas burner flame for 5–10 seconds per side. Watch closely and use tongs to flip.
Flour Tortillas—Flour tortillas are soft, pliable, and less likely to tear (so no need to double up!) They have a milder taste and work best for larger burrito-style tacos packed with toppings.
50/50 Corn and Flour Blend Tortillas—My personal favorite, these tortillas combine the earthy flavor of corn tortillas with the pliable texture of flour tortillas. They are made with corn and wheat flour for the perfect hybrid tortilla. Warming is still recommended using the same method as strictly corn tortillas, but they can also withstand heating in the microwave when wrapped in a damp towel and heat in short bursts. La Tortilla Factory makes my favorite.
Taco Toppings
Since carnitas are rich, juicy, and crispy, they pair best with fresh, tangy, and slightly spicy toppings. Whether you prefer classic street-style toppings or want to customize with unique additions, these options will take your carnitas tacos to the next level.
Classic street-style carnitas tacos: The goal is to let the crispy, juicy pork shine with just a sprinkle of freshness, acidity, and heat to balance. Classic toppings include fresh cilantro, diced white onion, fresh lime juice, salsa verde, and/or salsa roja. Less commonly, street tacos are topped with sliced or pickled jalapeños, pickled red onions, sliced radish, or crumbled cotija cheese.
Next-level taco Toppings:
- Creamy Toppings: For a rich contrast to the crispy, slow-cooked pork, add avocado slices, guacamole, a drizzle of Mexican crema, or regular sour cream. For something extra special, try adding a spoonful of chipotle crema.
- Crunchy Toppings: For those who love a bit of crunch (me!), shredded cabbage or iceberg lettuce is a refreshing contrast to savory pork.
- Sweet Toppings: Fresh fruit salsas are probably my favorite way to dress up any taco. I love this mango salsa and pineapple salsa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Carnitas can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge—reheat by pan-frying or broiling to restore crispiness.
Yes! To make pork carnitas in the oven, place the meat in a large Dutch oven, cover, and cook in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–4 hours. Cook until the pork is fork-tender and reaches an internal temperature of 195–205°F (90–96°C), as measured by a digital meat thermometer.
Yes! Pressure cook on high for 40 minutes, then do a natural release for 15 minutes.
Have any questions about this Carnitas Taco Recipe? Drop me a message in the comment section below! I’m happy to help. And, if you enjoy this recipe, please rate it with some STAR LOVIN’ so other readers know to try it too! Tag me at #theforkedspoon. I’ll be sure to share! Thank you!
RECIPE CARD
Perfect Carnitas Tacos Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Carnitas Recipe
- 5 pounds Boneless pork butt - cut into large 3-4-inch chunks
- 1 large white onion - sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ tablespoon salt - divided
- 2 teaspoon black pepper - divided
- 1½ tablespoon Mexican oregano - or regular oregano with ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram and ⅛ teaspoon or coriander
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 large oranges - juiced (½ to ¾ cup)
- 2 large limes - juiced (¼ to ⅓ cup)
- 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce - or 1 tablespoon chipotle powder, optional
- 1 cup light Mexican beer – or chicken stock - or chicken stock (gluten-free)
Carnitas Tacos
- 1 small white onion - minced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro - chopped
- 1-2 tablespoon fresh lime juice - plus more for serving
- 34 corn tortillas
Instructions
Carnitas Recipe
- Season the pork and mix the sauce: Season the pork with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of salt and 1½ teaspoons of black pepper with Mexican oregano, ground cumin, minced garlic, chili powder, fresh orange juice, lime juice, and beer (or chicken broth). Roughly chop the chipotles and add them to the bowl with 1-2 tablespoons of adobo sauce. Mix well to combine.
- Add the ingredients: Transfer the pork to a large slow cooker, top it with the sliced onion and bay leaves, and pour the sauce mixture over it.
- Slow cook until tender: Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours (for best results) or on HIGH for 5-6 hours.
- Shred the pork and save the cooking liquid: Remove the pork from the slow cooker and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before shredding with two forks. Reserve the cooking liquid left in the slow cooker.
- Crisp the pork: Preheat the oven broiler to high. Spread the shredded pork evenly on a large baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle a bit of the reserved cooking liquid over the meat to keep it juicy, then broil for 5-10 minutes, stirring halfway, or until the edges are browned and crisp to your liking.
Carnitas Tacos
- Make the tacos: Stack two warmed tortillas, then top with a generous spoonful of carnitas. Add onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, if desired.
Jessica’s Notes
- Stovetop: Heat a dry cast-iron skillet, griddle, or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Cook each tortilla for 20–30 seconds per side until warm and slightly charred. Stack them in a tortilla warmer or wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm.
- Open Flame (for smoky, charred edges and flavor): Place a tortilla directly over a gas burner flame for 5–10 seconds per side. Watch closely and use tongs to flip.
- Microwave (not recommended for corn tortillas): Wrap the tortillas in a damp towel and heat in short bursts.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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