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My recipe for crock pot pulled pork tacos is tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. It’s so easy too! Just season a pork butt (or pork shoulder) with spices, add a jar of mild red salsa, and let the slow cooker do the rest. Shred the pork and serve for an easy taco night dinner that’s also perfect for parties or meal prep.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Big flavor, low effort: All the magic happens in the crockpot! Just like my Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls or hearty Slow Cooker Chicken Chili, it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
- Perfect for feeding a group: Great for parties, game days, or even just taco Tuesday with the fam.
- Leftovers are amazing: This slow-cooked pulled pork makes incredible leftovers. Pile it onto more tacos the next day, or repurpose it into a Breakfast Burrito or some cheesy Breakfast Nachos the next morning.
Thank you, thank you! Totally delicious and very easy for my little one to eat. I never would have thought to throw pork shoulder in a crock pot like this. Weelicious hasn’t let me down yet!
– Melanie
Key Ingredients
- Pork shoulder or pork butt is the only cut I use. The fat and connective tissue are what break down while slow cooked and give you that soft, shreddable pulled pork. Skip leaner cuts like pork loin or pork tenderloin here, they won’t get tender the same way and tend to dry out and slice instead of shred.
- Mild jarred salsa does the heavy lifting. The salsa cooks down with the pork and becomes its own built-in sauce. Feel free to use medium or hot salsa if you know your family likes heat.
- Tortillas and toppings are where you get creative. Use flour or corn, whatever you like best! And your favorite toppings like slaw, Guacamole, Quick Pickled Onions!
How to Make Pulled Pork Tacos in the Crock Pot
Making pulled pork in the crockpot for tacos is about as hands-off as dinner gets. You season, you walk away and eight hours later, it shreds apart with just two forks.
Step 1: Place the spices in a bowl and mix. Place the pork in the slow cooker and rub all over with the seasoning mixture. Pour the jar of salsa around the pork. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours.
Step 2: Remove the pork to a large bowl and, using 2 forks, shred into bite size pieces. I like to remove the visible pieces of fat here too.
Step 3: Pour a scoop or two of the juices from the slow cooker into the shredded pork and stir to combine.
Step 4: Serve pulled pork in tortillas with toppings of choice.
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Recipe Tip
Want crispy edges? After shredding, throw the pork under the broiler or crisp up in a hot skillet for a few minutes.
Tips for the Best Pulled Pork Tacos
- Trim excess fat off the pork shoulder before cooking, but don’t go overboard. Some fat = more flavor!
- Make it ahead! The flavor actually deepens overnight, so these shredded pork tacos are a great one to prep a day early for a taco party or busy week.
- Make the most of leftovers: This pulled pork is great beyond tacos! Try it on loaded nachos, in a burrito bowl, or tucked into quesadillas and these Mexican Enchiladas for easy meals all week.
More Easy Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Whether you’re feeding a hungry crowd or just want an easy pork taco recipe for a laid-back taco night, these Crockpot Pulled Pork Tacos are always a hit! They’re packed with flavor, totally fuss-free, and the leftovers might be even better than night one. Let me know what you think, leave a comment and rating below!
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Fuss-free Crockpot Pulled Pork Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 3.5 – 4 pound pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 16-ounce jar mild salsa
For serving:
- corn or flour tortillas
- toppings of choice
Instructions
- Combine the cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, and salt in a small bowl.
- Place the pork in the slow cooker and rub all over with the spice mixture. Pour the salsa around the pork.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the pork is fork-tender and shreds easily.
- Transfer the pork to a large bowl and shred into bite-size pieces with two forks, removing any large pieces of visible fat.
- Spoon a little of the cooking liquid over the shredded pork and stir to combine, just enough to keep it moist and juicy.
- Serve the pulled pork in tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Want crispy edges? After shredding, throw the pork under the broiler or crisp up in a hot skillet for a few minutes.
- Leftovers: Store leftover pulled pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave with a splash of liquid if needed to keep it moist.
- For less greasy pork, pour the cooking juices into a cup and refrigerate until the fat solidifies on top, then scoop it off before spooning the juice back over the shredded pork.
This is a repeat!!! I did not tweak the recipe and it was so good. So easy. The salsa cooks down and the pork is so flavorful.
Thanks!
Look great, tasty!!!
So great to hear!
All 8 of us loved it! TY very much!
A miracle has taken place in our home!! Our picky eater loved this!!! 3 for 3 on this one! All 3 kids ages 1 to 7 said yes to seconds! Thank you!!
I think that work out okay. Maybe add already cooked black beans to it towards or at the end of cooking? The beans might soak up too much liquid during cooking if you add them raw.
Hello! For the crockpot pulled pork recipe, do you think I could ‘stretch’ the recipe with a bag of soaked black beans and 4.44 lbs of pork shoulder? I like to find ways to stretch my meat since 1. We get it all from our local organic farm and it is a little pricey and 2. I am in a cooking club and once a month make a 4 serving meal for 6 others and then we swap and I don’t think I could get 10+ lbs of pork shoulder from my farm without selling my first born!
I used this recipe with a pork sirloin tip roast and cooked it on high for 5 hours and it came out perfect.
Pork shoulder, or pork butt, is a different cut than loin and it is more tender. If you’re going to use a leaner cut of meat then you need to cook it for less time. It was probably dry because it was overcooked!
I made this with a pork loin roast and cooked it for 9 hours on low. I loved the flavor but the meat seemed a bit dry. Would the meat have been moister if I had used a pork shoulder? I’ve never cooked a pork shoulder and I’m not really sure where to get one, or if it would really make that much difference in the recipe. What do you think?
Use the flakes! No dumb questions! 🙂
Ok, so this may be a dumb question, but I am wondering if I should use ground oregano or dried oregano leaves/flakes? Does it make a difference? I only have the dried oregano leaves in my spice cabinet but I’m guessing I should use the ground oregano for some reason. Thanks for your help! The recipe looks delicious and I love your site!
This looks great. I have a 1.9 lb. pork loin I’d like to use—what would you recommend for cooking times on low in the crock pot? Thanks!
Made this yesterday for dinner and it turned out awesome!!
We all loved it and my father in law said it was the best pork he ever tasted!!
I just found this site about 2 weeks ago and i’m now obsessed with it! I have made so many great recipes so far and they have all been a hit. Wish i found it sooner. So excited! Truly inspiring:)
Absolutely loved this dish…especially my hubby. We will definitely be having this again soon.