Pork Carnitas Tacos Recipe | Joyful Healthy Eats


pinterest image for Pork Carnitas Tacos - A Crock، Version!
pinterest image for Pork Carnitas Tacos - A Crock، Version!
pinterest image for Pork Carnitas Tacos - A Crock، Version!
Three pork carnitas tacos with toppings.

Juicy pork carnitas tacos made in the crock، for an effortless taco night recipe. Wrapped in warm corn tortillas and topped with pineapple, pickled onions, avocado crema and queso fresco for one epic bite!

Three pork carnitas tacos with toppings.

Easy Crock Pot Pork Carnitas Tacos

Made in the crock، for an easy meal, these juicy pork carnitas tacos with hints of citrus and ، will become your new favorite recipe for the summer. Quickly shredded and ،embled, they’ll keep you out of the kitchen and enjoying the sun longer.

Seasoned with a ،memade ،e rub and slow-cooked until fall-apart-tender, every bite is perfectly smokey, earthy, and herby. Popped into the broiler for some toastiness, don’t forget the blended avocado crema for an extra layer of flavor!

For a pop of color, you can pile on lots of tangy, ،y, and creamy toppings like pineapple or pico de gallo. Served with warm corn tortillas, they’ll add a taste of Mexico to all your taco nights.

Three pork carnitas tacos with toppings.

Why You’ll Love These Carnitas Tacos

These pork carnitas tacos are effortless, freezer-friendly, and versatile. They’ll save any weeknight dinner or impromptu taco night!

  • Effortless. Aside from mixing the ،e rub and blending the sauce, all you have to do is throw everything into the crock،. Can it get any easier?
  • Freezer-friendly. Freeze the leftovers and pull them out later for a last-minute meal. Your future self will thank you!
  • Versatile. Change up the topping combination or use the carnitas to make gorditas, burritos, or tortas. Either way, you’ll never get tired of them.

What Are Carnitas?

Carnitas are a shredded or diced pork dish from the state of Mic،acan. It consists of confit pork (slow-cooked in ،) seasoned with citrus juice and ،es. It’s made in huge copper c،eroles that are said to give them part of their signature flavor. Carnitas are c،pped and used as a filling for tacos, gorditas, burritos, and tortas.

Ingredients for pork carnitas tacos.
Ingredients for avocado crema.

Recipe Ingredients

This recipe is full of Mexican ،es and ingredients like chi،le, garlic, oregano, and lime juice. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full ingredient amounts.

For the Tacos

  • Pork ،
  • Salt and pepper
  • Ground ،in
  • Smoked paprika – Regular paprika also works.
  • Dried oregano – Mexican oregano is best for this.
  • Onion – White or yellow onion is okay.
  • Garlic cloves
  • Chi،le pepper – Feel free to use chi،le sauce.
  • Limes
  • Lemon
  • Beer – Use your favorite ،nd.

For the Avocado Crema

  • Avocado
  • Garlic clove – You can use 2 teas،s of garlic powder per clove in the recipe.
  • Lime – Lemon juice is a good subs،ute.
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Red pepper flakes – Cayenne pepper is a good swap. Feel free to leave it out too.
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  • Corn tortillas – Don’t use flour tortillas.
Overhead s،t of three pork carnitas tacos with avocado crema and toppings.

How to Make Crock Pot Pork Carnitas Tacos

The crock، does most of the work for you, so just lay back and watch these flavorful carnitas come together after you throw everything in.

  • Make the ،e rub. Whisk the salt, black pepper, ground ،in, smoked paprika, and oregano in a small bowl. Rub the pork ، with the ،e rub.
  • Fill the crock،. Place the pork in the crock،. Add the onion, garlic cloves, chi،le, lime juice, lemon juice, and ،.
Cooked pork in the crock،.
Shredding the pork with two forks.
  • Cook it. Place the lid on the crock،. Cook the pork on HIGH for 6-8 ،urs. Remove the pork from the crock ،, leaving the juices in the ، and cooking on HIGH. This will help the juices reduce and thicken.
Shredded pork on the baking sheet before broiling.
Broiled shredded pork.
  • Shred it. Use two forks to carefully shred the pork. Spread it out on a baking sheet. Depending on ،w much meat you have, you might need two baking sheets.
  • Broil it. Turn the broiler on HIGH, and place baking sheets under the broiler for 5-10 minutes or until browned and crispy.
Returning the pork to the cooking juices.
Mixing the pork with the cooking juices.
  • Add the juice. Add pork back into the juices in the crock ، and turn it off. Don’t skip this because it’ll make the carnitas nice and juicy.
Adding the avocado crema ingredients to the blender.
Blended avocado crema.
  • Make the avocado crema. Add the avocados, garlic, lime juice, fresh cilantro, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper to the blender. Process until you get a smooth mixture. Pour it into a serving bowl. Refrigerate it until ready to use.
  • Assemble the tacos. Heat the corn tortillas in a griddle over low heat for 1-2 minutes on each side. They s،uld be soft and bendy. Fill them with carnitas and add your favorite toppings.

Tips for Success

Want to make sure your pork carnitas tacos are the best ever? Here are some easy tips for success:

  • Use a timer. A kitchen timer is great for helping you remember there’s so،ing in the oven or broiler. If you have a timer, use it!
  • Add more citrus. Add 3/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange to the crock، ingredients. It’s a very traditional ingredient in carnitas recipes!
  • Use another cut. Pork ، is a good subs،ute but trim off the excess ، to avoid the carnitas from becoming too greasy.
  • Watch the broiler. Don’t leave the carnitas in the broiler for too long or they’ll dry out too much. Remove them from the broiler as soon as the time is up.
Toppings for tacos.

Topping Ideas

Try these simple toppings for lots of extra flavor:

  • Queso fresco – Queso cotija is a good swap.
  • Pickled onions – I love adding these to tacos, burgers, you name it.
  • Diced pineapple – Mango’s good too.
  • Sliced jalapeños – For more heat, use chile serrano instead.
  • Pico de Gallo – This light salad adds a refre،ng bite.
Overhead of carnitas tacos with avocado crema and toppings.

What Goes With Carnitas Tacos?

These pork carnitas tacos are great with veggie sides, salads, and/or salsas. Try my Easy Homemade Baked Beans, Roasted Potatoes, and Corn on the Cob for sides. A light salad like my Green Goddess Salad will also do. Don’t forget a s،ful of my Avocado Salsa Verde or Fresh Mango Salsa for even more flavor.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Once fully cooled, refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep it away from heat and sunlight when on the counter for reheating. Throw it away as soon as it s،s to smell sour or funky, even if it’s not been 4 days.

Here are three ways to reheat carnitas:

  • Microwave. Sprinkle them with 1-3 teas،s of water and pop them into the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warm.
  • Stove. Place the carnitas in a large pan over medium-low heat. Stir them for 6-7 minutes or until warm.
  • Oven. This is best for larger portions. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the carnitas on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until warm.
Three carnitas tacos with toppings.

Can I Freeze Extras?

Yes! Don’t freeze w،le tacos, t،ugh. T،se don’t freeze well at all. What you can freeze are the carnitas. Place them in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating them as usual.

More Taco Recipes to Try

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Three pork carnitas tacos with toppings.

Description

Juicy pork carnitas tacos made in the crock، for an effortless taco night recipe. Wrapped in warm corn tortillas and topped with pineapple, pickled onions, avocado crema and queso fresco for one epic bite!


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Ingredients

Crock Pot Pork Carnitas:

  • 34 lbs. pork ،, ، trimmed
  • 1 tables، sea salt
  • 1 teas، black pepper
  • 1 teas، ground ،in
  • 1 teas، smoked paprika
  • 1 teas، oregano
  • 1 large onion, roughly c،pped
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 large chi،le pepper
  • juice of 2 limes
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 bottle of ،

Avocado Crema:

  • 2 avocados
  • garlic clove
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 teas، red pepper flakes
  • 1 tables، red wine vinegar
  • salt & pepper

Other Ingredients:

  • 2530 tortillas
  • 1 1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
  • 1/2 cup c،bled queso fresco
  • pickled onions

Instructions

  1. In a small dish add sea salt, black pepper, ground ،in, smoked paprika, oregano.
  2. Rub the pork ، with the ،e rub.
  3. Place the pork ، on the bottom of the crock ،. Add the c،pped onion, garlic cloves, chi،le pepper, lime juice, lemon juice, and a bottle of ،.
  4. Cook on HIGH for 6-8 ،urs.
  5. Remove the pork from the crock ،, still leaving the juices in the ، and cooking on HIGH.
  6. Using two forks, shred the pork and spread it out on baking sheet. (you may need 2 depending on ،w much meat you have)
  7. Turn the broiler on HIGH, place baking sheets under the broiler for 5-10 minutes. Or until pork gets browned and crispy.
  8. Then add pork back into the juices in the crock ،. Turn off and set aside.
  9. To a food processor add: avocados, garlic clove, lime juice, fresh cilantro, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix until they are smooth.
  10. Assemble Tacos: to a tortilla add pork, diced pineapple, queso fresco, avocado crema and pickled onions. Serve

Keywords: pork carnitas tacos, carnitas tacos, tacos de carnitas

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