With unbelievable flavours and a melt in your mouth texture, these Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos are set to be your new family favourite!
I am so excited to share my latest recipe with you, because it is just so insanely delicious…one of those meals I just can’t get enough of…and it’s super simple to make too!
The only downside of this meal is that it does take a while…5 ½ hours to be precise…but it is soooo worth the wait…and it’s only actually 15 minutes prep time…the rest of the time is in your oven and resting time. And, of course, the upside is you get to smell those gorgeous spicy Mexican flavours wafting though your house all day – it will be enough to drive you demented…but in a good way!
And maybe don’t make the mistake of cooking this on the hottest day of the year – as I did when I took these photos! Or if you do, go out and don’t come back until it’s cooled down a bit…honestly the things I do for this blog! (No I didn’t have the liberty of going out as I had a million and one things to do that day and needed to take photos at various points too!)
Still, it was more than worth it when I finally got to eat this (and being the hottest day of the year the food wasn’t stone cold when I came to eat it, as it usually is after I’ve finished taking the photos!)
This gorgeous slow cooked pork is perfect for serving in tacos, with salsa, guacamole and all your favourite bits… I served them with my Mexican Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes, my Pico De Gallo and my Mexican Spiced Cauliflower Rice.
Alternatively this Mexican Pulled Pork would be great served in burger buns with some coleslaw (check out my delicious Easy No Mayo Coleslaw, if you are not usually a fan of coleslaw, I think it might convert you!)
I would personally choose a white to have with this meal – a bright and citrussy Sauvignon Blanc would be perfect, but if you prefer red, something juicy and medium bodied like a Chilean Merlot would work well too – alternatively, if you are feeling adventurous, why not try a Mexican wine?
Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos
Ingredients
Pulled Pork
- 1.5-2 kg Pork Shoulder boned, string taken off
Marinade
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 2 tablespoons paprika preferably smoked
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 4 garlic cloves grated or crushed
- 1 onion grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 10 twists black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
To Serve
- Mini, taco sized, tortillas (or normal big ones, if you prefer)
- All your favourite extra bits (I like serving mine with roasted sweet potatoes, salsa and salad or sometimes rice)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 140C / 120C fan / gas mark 1 / 275F.
- Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
- Pat dry the pork and place on a board or large sheet of greaseproof paper.
- Slather the marinade all over the pork (ideally marinate for 2 hours or longer, but it works fine if you don’t).
- Put the pork on a rack in a roasting tray and pour 500ml water into the bottom of the roasting tray. Cover completely with foil (you may need 2 sheets).
- Put the pork in your preheated oven for 4h 20m (check occasionally to make sure there is still plenty of liquid in the bottom).
- After 4h 20m, remove foil and turn the oven up to 220C / 200C fan / gas mark 6. Cook for 40 mins (check occasionally to make sure there is still plenty of liquid in the bottom – add more if it starts to get dry).
- Leave to rest for 15-30 mins then shred with two forks (this should be easy) and put on a serving plate, drizzle over some (or all) of the pan juices. Put the rest of the pan juices in a jug to serve separately.
- Serve pulled pork and mini, taco sized, tortillas with all your favourite extra bits.
Notes
(2) This recipe will provide enough to feed 8 as part of a mixed meal including tortillas and other accompaniments. Alternatively, if there are fewer of you, it makes great leftovers the next day! Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Love pork? Check out my collection of Easy Pork, Ham and Sausage Recipes…
Love Mexican Food? Check out my collection of Easy Peasy Mexican Inspired Recipes
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Corina says
It looks so so delicious! Definitely my kind of meal and although it might not be best to cook on a hot day, it’s the kind of meal I’d love to eat on a hot day! Thanks for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Corina…not it was definitely NOT the meal to cook on the hottest day of the year!!! But yes definitely a good meal to EAT on hot days – lovely for al fresco eating!! Thanks for your kind words 🙂 Eb x
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
You have such wonderful bark on that pork! I can practically taste it! I enlist my slow-cooker during the summer. It’s a trade-off, because getting that gorgeous bark isn’t possible (unless I put the meat under the broiler for a few minutes)—but I avoid heating up my house. These look absolutely delicious! 😉
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Michelle – I was super pleased with it…for me pork is ALL about the crunchy bits!! On any normal day I would have been fine about heating up my whole house for 5+ hours, but this was literally the hottest day of they year – it was ridiculous!!! But worth it…I don’t know, the things I do for this blog!! I am now the proud owner of a Crock-Pot now, so I am super excited to try this recipe out in it – I’m sure I could work out a way to still get a good bark (love that word BTW – never heard it used in the UK, but I’m going to use it from now on…maybe I’ll start a trend 😉 ) Eb x
TurksWhoEat says
BEAUTIFUL photos, they make me want to get in the kitchen and make this right now! Looks delightful!
Eb Gargano says
Aw thanks! That means a lot to me – especially as, when I started blogging, I struggled with the photography side of things SO MUCH! This is super yummy and very easy to make…do let me know how you get on if you make it! Eb x
jacqui says
Ok you have done it again (no surprise there really) another fabulous family meal that I am going to have to make for my lot.
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Jacqui 🙂 Xx
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
Another meal I have yet to get round to! I love the idea of making pulled pork, but it takes so long!… I am not sure I am patient enough to wait with lovely smells coming out of the oven. It does look so good though….. I might be persuaded to peg my nose to survive the wait! x
Eb Gargano says
Oh, Kate, it is sooooo worth it…I must admit the long wait is hard (especially as those smells are soooo good!) but it is more than worth it when you finally get to eat it!! And it is only the cooking which takes a long time…the actual prep is just minutes! Eb x
Jo Allison - Jo's Kitchen Larder says
We are all huge fans of pulled pork and I tend to make it on regular basis as it’s such an easy and extremely satisfying meal. It’s funny (just like Corina mentioned) that it is something you love to eat but not necessarily cook on a hot day 😉 , although we haven’t had too many hot days of late mind you. I will definitely be giving your lovely mexican pulled pork a go (marinade sounds amazing) to make a change from my more traditional version in a bun x
Eb Gargano says
Haha – yes really NOT the meal to make on a hot day…though I really need to work on a slow cooker version…which could be done on a hot day as I agree with you both, this is absolutely the food to EAT on a hot day! Glad you like my marinade..it is super yummy – would love to know what you think if you try it 🙂 Eb x