Slow cooked pulled pork is a perfect protein choice to combine with fresh corn relish and creamy chipotle BBQ sauce in these Pulled Pork Tacos.
I don’t have a smoker so at the moment I make my pulled pork at home in my slow cooker. Or if I really want to save some time but not sacrifice on flavor I cheat. I go to my favorite BBQ joint and order a pound or two of pulled pork. No one has to know! I love a good soft taco. My goal is to pretty much have a taco recipe for any taste preference. And so I had to develop a recipe for Pulled Pork Tacos. Because pulled pork is one of my favorite meats to build a meal around.
What is the difference between carnitas and pulled pork?
Carnitas and pulled pork are both cooked low and slow. The main difference is that carnitas are finished in the oven. Carnitas have an extra crispy exterior. After the pork is slow cooked and pulled apart for carnitas, it is roasted in the oven to make it crispy. I made a sauce for these tacos that uses BBQ sauce. But I didn’t want these tacos to be overly sweet and tangy like a pulled pork sandwich. That’s a whole different type of pulled pork eating experience. These tacos still taste like tacos thanks to the addition of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
What is the best cut of pork for Pulled Pork Tacos?
Pork shoulder is the best cut for pulled pork, which is often times sold in local grocery stores as a “Boston Butt”. It’s not actually a butt, just half the shoulder. But the pork shoulder is marbled with fat which equals flavor. So if you’re like me and don’t own a smoker, you can still create amazingly delicious pulled pork in a humble slow cooker. Or like I said, start of with smoked pulled pork you purchase at your favorite BBQ joint. Then build your tacos from there.
How to make Pulled Pork Tacos
- Follow the instructions for making the slow cooker pulled pork. This can be done up to 2 days ahead of time.
- Keep the pulled pork stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container until ready to use.
- Mix up the sauce ingredients.
- Cook the corn on the cob. Rinse it under cold water and slice it off the cob. Then mix in the onion, lime juice, salt and cilantro.
- Warm up some flour tortillas. Fill the tortillas with pulled pork, corn relish and shredded Monterey Jack.
- Top the tacos with plenty of the creamy chipotle BBQ sauce.
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Pulled Pork Tacos
Equipment
- crockpot
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs pulled pork
- 12 flour tortillas
- 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
- 3 tbsp chipotle adobo sauce
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbs lime juice divided
- 2 ears corn on the cob
- 3 tbsp red onion finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
Instructions
- Prepare pulled pork according the link in this recipe, Slow Cooker Recipe. Or purchase pulled pork from your favorite BBQ joint.
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients - BBQ sauce, chipotle adobo sauce, mayonnaise and 1/2 tablespoon of lime juice.
- Cook the corn on the cob. Rinse it under cold water and cut it off the cob. Mix in the chopped red onion, cilantro, remaining lime juice and salt.
- Warm the tortillas. Fill each tortilla with pulled pork, the creamy chipotle BBQ sauce, corn relish and Monterey Jack cheese.
Scarlet says
These pulled pork tacos sound so good and I love all the fresh, healthy fixings too!
foodtasticmom says
Thanks Scarlet!