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Pork Tacos

Pork Tacos are the absolute best to make with smoked pulled pork. Shredded pork piled high on crispy corn taco shells with all of the best toppings will take your next taco night to a whole new level of deliciousness.

I could literally eat tacos every day and never grow tired of them. Brisket Tacos and Chicken Tacos are our favorites to make after our weekend cookouts and these smoked pork tacos are just as tasty.

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plate of 3 tacos with slices of lime

Pork Tacos ~ Leftover Pulled Pork Recipe

Over the weekend we like to smoke or grill enough meat to make easy dinners throughout the week. Pork shoulders are one of our favorites. We enjoy bbq pulled pork sandwiches, nachos and especially tacos.

Ingredients Needed:

  • Pork Shoulder
  • Olive Oil
  • Dry Rub: Brown Sugar, Granulated Garlic, Dried Thyme, Onion Powder, Green or Red Chile Powder,Smoked Paprika, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper and Dry Mustard

For the Tacos:

toppings for tacos

  • Corn Taco Shells
  • Lettuce
  • Cheese
  • Tomatoes
  • Onions
  • Cilantro
  • Sour Cream
  • Homemade Salsa
  • Fresh Lime

How to Smoke Pork Shoulder:

2 pork shoulder roasts with spice rub on a sheet pan

  • Set pork shoulder out to come to room temperature.
  • Mix rub ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Pat dry with paper towels and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle rub over all sides.
  • Prepare a grill fire to about 350° using hickory or oak for smoke flavor.

2 pork shoulder roasts on a grill with smoke

  • Place pork shoulder over indirect fire and cook with the grill closed.
  • Keep grill temperature between 300° and 325° and cook for about an hour per pound until pork reaches 200- 205° using a digital thermometer.
  • We cooked 2 shoulders that were about 4 pounds each for about 4 hours. 

2 smoked pork shoulders on a sheet pan

  • Remove from the grill and allow to rest about 15 minutes before shredding.

shredding smoked pork shoulder with meat claws

  • Use meat claws or large forks to shred the pork.

Shredded smoked pork

How to Make Pork Tacos:

Pork taco fixings

If you are using leftover pork, heat in a skillet with 1/3 cup of orange juice or water over medium heat, stirring often until heated through. Sprinkle with taco seasoning for additional flavor if desired but we find the smoked pork has plenty of flavor without it. 

plate of tacos

Serve on warmed taco shells with shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa, onions, cilantro and lime slices.

How to Store and Reheat Smoked Pork:

Place cooled pork in vacuum sealed bags to stay fresh or wrap in  2 layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months, make sure to label with the contents and date.

Reheat in a skillet with water or bbq sauce over medium heat, stirring until heated through.

We picked up two pork shoulder roasts from the grocery store to make smoked sausage. We removed the bones and made smoked sausage from half of it. It is just as easy to smoke 2 pork shoulders as it is one. It’s perfect to feed a crowd or to have on hand for meal prep. 

What to Serve with Tacos:

Tacos are just fine on their own but if you would like to add in a few more dishes to round out the meal, our favorite is Mexican Corn, Easy Spanish Rice or this easy Black Beans Skillet. Coleslaw is another favorite, especially with pork tacos and sometimes we like to have chips and Velveeta cheese dip too.  

More Ideas for Smoked Pulled Pork:

Cheesy Pulled Pork Taquitos are another favorite for a quick and easy meal. The kids love these and they would be easy to make in the air fryer.

Smoked Pork Twice Baked Potatoes have all of the goodness of a cheesy twice baked potato topped with smoky bbq pork. This is one epic dinner.

Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwiches are the classic bbq sandwich piled high with homemade sauce for a family favorite.

Smoked Pork Carnitas are made with smoked pork and then crisped up in the oven with a delicious sauce. Perfect for tacos. 

smoked pork tacos with tomatoes and cheese

Add smoked pork butt to the your weekend grilling plans and be ready for taco Tuesday with some smoky and delicious Pork Tacos next week!

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3 Pork Tacos with tomatoes, onion cilantro
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Pork Tacos

Pork Tacos are the absolute best to make with smoked pulled pork. Shredded pork piled high on crispy corn taco shells with all of the best toppings.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Course: Pork
Cuisine: American
Keyword: left over pulled pork, pulled pork tacos, smoked pork tacos, tacos
Servings: 16 servings
Author: Milisa

Ingredients

for the Smoked Pork

  • 2 four pound pork shoulders
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon green or red chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard

for the Tacos

  • 1 1/2 pounds shredded pork
  • 1/3 cup orange juice or water
  • 18 Taco Shells or Flour Tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
  • homemade salsa
  • sour cream
  • cilantro
  • fresh lime slices

Instructions

  • Set pork shoulder out to come to room temperature.
  • In a bowl, combine brown sugar, garlic, onion, thyme, chile powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and dry mustard.
  • Pat pork dry with paper towels and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle rub over all sides.
  • Prepare a grill fire to about 350° using hickory or oak for smoke flavor.
  • Cook pork over indirect fire with the grill closed for 3- 4 hours. Keeping the grill temperature between 300°, until pork reaches 200- 205° using a digital thermometer.
  • Remove from the grill and allow to rest about 15 minutes before shredding with forks or meat claws.
  • For the Tacos: If you are using the leftover pork, add 1/3 cup of orange juice or water over medium heat.
  • Cook, stirring often until heated through.
  • Serve on warmed taco shells with shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa, onions, cilantro and lime slices.

Notes

Store leftover shredded pork in a vacuum sealed bag or wrapped tight in a few layers of plastic wrap in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months.

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