These easy carnitas street tacos are packed with tender, slow-cooked pork, crispy edges, and bold Mexican flavors. Perfect for taco night, meal prep, or party platters—top with fresh guacamole and chihuahua cheese for the ultimate street taco experience!
Is there any thing better than tacos? No seriously, I think I could eat them every day and my carnitas street tacos will definitely be a family favorite.
My easy crockpot carnitas recipe is fool proof – the hardest part about making it is waiting for it to be done! Trust me though, it’s so worth it. I like to get the pork cooking early in the morning so that it’s ready just in time for dinner.
Oh, and it makes quite a bit of pork, so unless you’re feeding a small army, you’ll likely have leftovers!
INGREDIENTS FOR THESE CARNITAS STREET TACOS
Crockpot Carnitas: You’ll need a pork shoulder, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, cloves, bay leaves, garlic, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, a white onion, and water
Guacamole: I love making homemade guacamole and definitely recommend it if you have the time. If you don’t, grab your favorite store bought guac for this recipe! To make my guacamole, you’ll need avocados, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime, salt, and pepper. Pro tip: add a dollop of sour cream to keep your guacamole from turning brown!
Tacos: Corn or flour tortillas will work but I typically reach for flour tortillas because they don’t break as easily. If we’re being technical, authentic street tacos call for corn tortillas but just grab your favorite small tortillas for this recipe. 😊 You’ll also need cheese! I like using Chihuahua cheese for my Mexican recipes but any Mexican blend of cheese will work as well.
HOW TO MAKE EASY CARNITAS STREET TACOS
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s sizzling, brown your pork on all sides. You’re just looking for a good sear here to lock in all that flavor — it doesn’t have to be fully cooked yet!
Once your pork is browned, transfer it straight into your crock pot. Sprinkle the pork generously with salt, oregano, cumin, and just a pinch of cloves. Toss in a couple of bay leaves (don’t worry, those will be removed later), followed by the minced garlic, chopped onions, chipotle peppers, and a spoonful of adobo sauce from the can.
Next, pour in the water, pop the lid on, and let the slow cooker do its thing. For the most tender, fall-apart pork, cook it on low for 8 to 10 hours — this is my favorite method. If you’re short on time, you can crank it up to high and cook for about 5 to 6 hours.
Once the pork is done, remove the bay leaves and use two forks to shred the meat right in the pot. It should fall apart effortlessly! Stir the shredded pork back into the juices to soak up all that flavor.
Next it’s time to prepare the guacamole. Grab your ripe avocado and mash it to your preferred texture. Then, stir in some chopped tomato, red onion, jalapeño, minced garlic, a good squeeze of lime juice, and don’t forget a pinch of salt and pepper. Give it a taste and add a little more lime juice or salt until it’s just right. Finish it off with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro on top!
When you’re ready to build your tacos, lay out your warm tortillas and pile on a generous portion of pork. Spoon some fresh guacamole over the top, add a sprinkle of your favorite cheese, and give each taco a squeeze of lime. Garnish with extra cilantro, serve them up, and enjoy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Absolutely!
No, you don’t have to. I’ve skipped this step before and it turns out fine but if you have the time I definitely recommend it. Searing the meat enhances the flavor and caramelizes the surface, creating a richer and more complex flavor profile.
Street Taco Carnitas
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 3 lb Pork shoulder
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp Ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp Ground cloves
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 Garlic cloves Minced
- 2 Chipotle peppers from a can of chiles in adobo Minced
- 1 tbsp Adobo sauce from can of chiles in adobo
- 1/2 White onion Diced
- 1/2 cup Water
For the Guacamole
- 2 Avocados
- 1 Roma tomato diced
- 1/4 Red onion minced
- 1 Small jalapeño diced
- 2 Garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
- 2 tbsps Cilantro chopped
For Assembling
- 10 Small flour tortillas
- 1/2 cup Chihuahua cheese or Mexican blend
- Fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat then brown the pork for about 10 minutes on each side once the pan is hot.
- Immediately after, add the pork to your crock pot and sprinkle with salt, oregano, cumin, and cloves. Add in the bay leaves (these will be removed later), minced garlic, onions, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce, then add the water and cover.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours (preferred) or on high for 5-6 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Once the roast is done cooking, remove and discard the bay leaves and shred the meat with 2 forks.
- Add the shredded meat back into the juices.
- Right before the carnitas are finished cooking, make your guacamole. Mash your avocado and combine with tomato, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Taste and add more lime and salt if needed. Top with cilantro.
- To assemble the tacos, place a portion of the shredded pork onto each tortilla. Top with fresh guacamole, a sprinkle of cheese, a squeeze of lime juice, and garnish with fresh cilantro.
- Serve and enjoy!
