Go Back
Print

Pulled Pork Tacos (Crock Pot, pressure cooker or Instant Pot!)

Pulled Pork is so easy to make and so versatile. I use it to make Pulled Pork Sammy’s and Slaw, Breakfast Huevos Rancheros , Mini Taco Bites and of course Pulled Pork Tacos! It’s even better when reheated in a pan so the edges get browned and crispy! Trust me, brown those edges!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword easy dinner recipe, Instant Pot, slow cooker recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Author Linda Spiker

Ingredients

For Pork:

  • 1 cup chicken or beef broth
  • juice of one orange
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced
  • 1 ~ 4 pound pork shoulder,also known as pork butt, bone in or out, cut into chunks roughly the size of a large lemon
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Your favorite tortillas

Garnishes and Toppings:

  • Top with chopped onion, cilantro, avocado, salsa verde and Cotija cheese

Instructions

Pork Prep:

  1. Combine all dried spices with broth and orange juice in instant pot, pressure cooker or crock pot, whisk well

  2. Place onions and pork into Instant Pot, crock pot or pressure cooker

  3. Add cinnamon stick and bay leaves

Cooking Instructions For Crock Pot:

  1. Set crock pot on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours. I prefer low for 10, it turns out a bit more tender. Remove meat from pot and set on cutting board, discard liquid and onions. Use two forks to shred, discarding fat along the way. Season with more sea salt and pepper if desired as most of the spices will be discarded in the juices.

Cooking Instructions For Instant Pot:

  1. Close lid and make sure release valve is sealed.

  2. Press 'meat' option and set to 35 minutes. When cooking time is done you can allow Instant Pot to stay in warm mode for as long as 15 minutes (any longer might dry out meat), then carefully release valve with oven mitt or spoon to release pressure.

  3. Remove meat from pot and set on cutting board, discard liquid and onions. Use two forks to shred, discarding fat along the way. Season with more sea salt and pepper if desired as most of the spices will be discarded in the juices.

Cooking Instructions For Traditional Pressure Cooker:

  1. Set pressure cooker on HIGH and cook for 35 minutes, use natural release method. Remove meat from pot and set on cutting board, discard liquid and onions. Use two forks to shred, discarding fat along the way. Season with more sea salt and pepper if desired as most of the spices will be discarded in the juices.

  2. To Make Carnitas: If you want those browned crispy edges, sear pork in a hot pan for a few minutes or place shredded meat on a cookie sheet under the broiler for a few minutes until crispy

  3. Make tacos, garnish with chopped onions, avocado, chopped cilantro and cotija or any of the salsas in the blog post above.