Pork Carnitas Street Tacos
These homemade carnitas street tacos start with pork shoulder seasoned with a bold blend of spices, then slowly braised with fresh orange and lime juice until it's fall-apart tender. My favorite part is finishing the shredded pork under the broiler with a spoonful of the cooking liquid, which creates those crispy, caramelized edges that make restaurant-style carnitas so irresistible. Pile my Dutch oven carnitas into warm tortillas and top them with diced white onion, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and salsa. Pork carnitas tacos are surprisingly easy to make, perfect for Taco Tuesday, and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser for family dinners, game days, and gatherings.
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About My Carnitas Street Tacos
If you know me, you know I'm usually the person piling every topping imaginable onto my tacos. But carnitas street tacos (and barbacoa tacos) are the exception. Simple toppings let the pork shine, and when the carnitas are done right, they don't need much else.
These pulled pork tacos are also one of my favorite meals to make when friends and family come over. The Dutch oven does most of the work, everyone can build their own tacos and they're always a crowd-pleaser.
And if we're not feeding a crowd? Even better. I intentionally make a big batch because the leftovers are incredible. We use them all week long for burrito bowls, nachos, and quesadillas.
Ingredient Notes
Authentic pork carnitas street tacos aren't overloaded with toppings because the pork is meant to be the star. A few fresh toppings add just enough brightness and texture to complement the rich, savory meat.
- To make authentic carnitas, I use pork shoulder because it has the perfect amount of fat and connective tissue. As it slowly braises with fresh citrus, garlic, onion, and spices, the meat becomes fall-apart tender while staying juicy. A quick trip under the broiler creates those classic crispy edges.
- Traditional Mexican street tacos are almost always served on corn tortillas, which have an earthy corn flavor that pairs beautifully with carnitas. I recommend warming them in a dry skillet until they're soft with a few lightly charred spots to bring out their flavor and make them more pliable. If you prefer flour tortillas, they're a delicious option too.
- Diced white onion adds the signature crisp bite you'll find on authentic street tacos. Its sharp, fresh flavor cuts through the richness of the pork and provides just the right amount of crunch.
- Fresh cilantro brings a bright, herbaceous flavor that lightens each taco and balances the rich, slow-cooked pork.
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice right before taking a bite is one of my favorite finishing touches. The acidity wakes up all of the flavors and makes the rich, crispy carnitas taste even brighter.
How to Make Carnitas Tacos
Making this carnitas tacos recipe is mostly hands-off, the Dutch oven does the hard work!
Step 1: Prepare carnitas in the Dutch oven by seasoning pork shoulder, then slowly braising it until it's easy to shred with two forks. Shred the pork, then spread it onto a sheet pan to broil until the edges are crispy and caramelized.
Step 2: Heat the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side until they're warm, soft, and lightly charred in spots.
Step 3: Pile the crispy carnitas into the warm tortillas, then top with diced white onion.
Step 4: Right before serving, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a spoonful of salsa.
Serve immediately while the pork is still hot and the tortillas are warm.
Tips for the Best Carnitas Tacos Recipe
- Broiling the shredded pork with just a little of the cooking liquid is the secret to juicy carnitas with crispy edges. Too much liquid will steam the pork instead of crisping it.
- Warming the tortillas makes them more pliable and less likely to tear once they're filled.
- Keep the toppings simple. Carnitas are rich and flavorful on their own, so they don't need to be buried under lots of toppings. Fresh onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa let the shredded pork remain the star of the taco. I prefer a salsa verde, like tomatillo salsa, with shredded pork tacos.
Serving Suggestions
Turn pork carnitas tacos into a full Tex-Mex meal with a few easy sides. For a classic taco night, serve them with charred corn, jalapeño rice, and beans.
One of the things I love most about street tacos is their simplicity, but if you're looking to dress them up a bit, a spoonful of spicy pico de gallo is one of my favorite additions. The juicy tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime add a bright, fresh contrast to the rich pork.
And no taco night is complete without a margarita in hand. My margarita with frozen limeade is always a crowd favorite with its sweet-tart citrus flavor, while my Aperol margarita adds a refreshing twist with hints of orange and grapefruit that pair beautifully with the savory carnitas.
More Taco Recipes
- Beer battered fish tacos are made with tender cod, pantry staples, and a cold beer.
- Crispy baked beef tacos are made entirely in the oven with no frying required!
- These crispy beer battered shrimp tacos will rival your favorite taco shop!
- With just a handful of simple ingredients and multiple cooking methods to choose from, these shrimp tacos with cabbage slaw are a weeknight win!
- I use leftover brisket, so these BBQ brisket tacos come together in only 10 minutes.
- For slow cooker chicken tacos, add chicken breasts, taco seasoning, salsa, Rotel, and onions to your crockpot, hit start, and let it do the work.
Made it? Loved it? I'd love for you to share a quick comment and star rating. Thanks, y'all! 🤠
Pork Carnitas Street Tacos Recipe
Save this Recipe!
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
- Sheet Pan
Ingredients
For the Carnitas:
- 3-4 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 onion chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- ¾ cup orange juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 cup chicken broth
For the Tacos:
- 12 tortillas corn or flour
- 6 cups pork carnitas shredded
- white onion diced
- ¾ cup salsa verde
- ¾ cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 2 limes cut into wedges
Instructions
For the Carnitas:
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Trim excess hard fat from pork shoulder and cut into 3-inch chunks.
- Combine spices in a small bowl. Pat pork dry, then coat all sides with the seasoning mixture, pressing it into the meat.
- Place pork in a Dutch oven with bay leaves, onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth. Cover and bake for 2½-3 hours, until the pork is fork-tender and easily shreds.
- Remove pork from the Dutch oven and rest for 5 minutes. Shred into bite-size pieces with two forks and discard bay leaves.
- Turn oven to broil and place a rack 6-8 inches from the heating element. Spread shredded pork onto a sheet pan and spoon a few tablespoons of cooking liquid over the meat. Broil for about 5 minutes, until the edges are browned and crispy.
For the Tacos:
- Warm or toast tortillas in a dry skillet.
- Assemble carnitas tacos by filling each tortilla with about ½ cup of shredded pork carnitas, diced onion, cilantro, and a drizzle of salsa verde. Serve with a lime wedge.
Notes
- Watch the broiler carefully. Carnitas can go from perfectly crispy to burnt very quickly under the broiler.
- Keep the toppings simple: Let the carnitas shine with diced onion, cilantro, fresh lime, and your favorite salsa. I especially love salsa verde with pork carnitas tacos.
- To store leftovers, allow the carnitas to cool completely then place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
