Mexican Pulled Pork

Easy shredded pork with a spicy twist! Mexican Pulled Pork is made with taco seasoning and orange juice, cooked to fall-apart perfection in the slow cooker.

Learn how to make the perfect pulled pork for tacos, nachos and all your favorite Mexican dishes!

Even better? You only need 3 ingredients and a few minutes of prep time.

Mexican Pulled Pork

I can’t make enough declarations about how much I love this Mexican Pulled Pork Recipe. It’s one of those “set it and forget it” slow cooker meals–that also tastes restaurant quality.

The secret?

A packet of taco seasoning. Seriously. It’s that easy.

Sprinkle the taco seasoning on the pork in the Crock-pot, pour some orange juice over it, and walk away. While you go about the rest of your day, your pork will cook to juicy, tender perfection in the slow cooker.

You barely have to touch the finished pork with your fork or some tongs to get it to fall apart into succulent shreds.

Each bite is packed with Mexican flavors like cumin, garlic, and chili.

The beauty of using taco seasoning is that it gives you all of your favorite flavors in one ready-to-use spice mix.

My family loves this pulled pork served in tacos and piled onto nachos. It would also be delicious on toasted buns for a Mexican spin on a classic pulled pork sandwich.

This Mexican Pulled Pork recipe is easy enough for any night of the week. You can even make a big batch ahead of time to stash away in the fridge or freezer.

Did I mention this is actually TWO recipes in one?

You can serve the Mexican Pulled Pork as is OR turn it into crispy carnitas. It only takes a couple of extra minutes in the pan to crisp up the outsides of the pork. I love it both ways!

How Long To Cook Pulled Pork in CrockPot

Shoulder, butt, and picnic cut pork roasts work best for this recipe. Bone-in or boneless roasts will work fine. This recipe doubles very nicely with a larger roast and doesn’t require much additional cooking time.

Cook an 8-10 pound roast for about 11-12 hours on LOW or 7-8 hours on HIGH. My preference is the longer cook time at the lower temperature, but either one works well.

Leftover pork will keep nicely in the refrigerator or the freezer. Pour any remaining juices over the shredded pork before refrigerating or freezing.

Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:

First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.

My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?

For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.

If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.

Mexican Pulled Pork Recipe

1. Rinse and pat dry the pork roast. Rub the taco seasoning all over the pork roast. Place the roast in the slow-cooker with the fat cap facing up. Pour the orange juice over the roast.
2. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 10-11 hours, until the pork is tender and falling apart. (If the fat cap is still intact over the roast, pull the biggest pieces of it off and discard.)
3. Pull the roast apart with tongs or with two forks. Shred it gently, leaving plenty of bite-size pieces. Toss the pork in any juices left in the bottom of the pot. Serve with a lime to squeeze over the meat, if desired.

How To Make Pork Carnitas

To turn the pulled pork into crispy carnitas, roughly chop the cooked pork into bite-size pieces. Spread about 2 cups of the cooked pork across a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Press it flat and let it cook for about 2 minutes until browned and most juices have been absorbed. Stir or flip it over and sear the other side, leaving plenty of juicy bites along with the crispy edges.

This Mexican Pulled Pork is bound to become a staple of your family’s dinner menu!

If you are a shredded pork fan like me be sure to try Dr Pepper Pulled Pork a sweet and tangy, absolutely delicious pork that is fantastic made into sandwiches.

For a few more easy dinner ideas, you’ll want to try classic Taco Soup, Crock-Pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Cornbread Taco Bake, and this Cheesy Sausage Pasta Skillet.

If you need side dishes, these bacon and beef stuffed Cowboy Baked Beans are sure to impress!

Mexican Pulled Pork

5 from 2 votes

Easy shredded pork with a spicy twist! Mexican Pulled Pork is made with taco seasoning and orange juice, cooked to fall-apart perfection in the slow cooker.

Pin Print Review

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 6 hours hrs

Total Time: 6 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients 

• ▢ 4-5 lb pork roast see note for preferred cuts
• ▢ 6 tablespoons taco seasoning
• ▢ 3/4 cup orange juice
• ▢ optional: fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro for serving

Instructions

• Rinse and pat dry the pork roast. Rub the taco seasoning all over the pork roast. Place the roast in the slow-cooker with the fat cap facing up. Pour the orange juice over the roast.
• Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 10-11 hours or on HIGH for 6-7 hours, until the pork is tender and falling apart. (If the fat cap is still intact over the roast, pull the biggest pieces of it off and discard.)
• Pull the roast apart with tongs or with two forks. Shred it gently, leaving plenty of bite-size pieces. Toss the pork in any juices left in the bottom of the pot. Serve with a lime to squeeze over the meat, if desired.

For crispy carnita-style pork:

• Spread about 2 cups of the cooked pork across a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Press it flat and let it cook about 2 minutes, until browned and most juices have been absorbed. Stir or flip it over and sear the other side, leaving plenty of juicy bites along with the crispy edges.

Notes

COOK’S NOTE: Shoulder, butt, and picnic cut pork roasts work best for this recipe. Bone-in or boneless roasts will work fine, this recipe doubles very nicely with an 8-9 pound roast and doesn’t require much additional cooking time.

Leftover pork will keep nicely in the refrigerator or the freezer. Pour any remaining juices over the shredded pork before refrigerating or freezing. Thaw and reheat in the microwave or on the stove. 

Nutrition

Calories: 313kcal · Carbohydrates: 3g · Protein: 51g · Fat: 9g · Saturated Fat: 3g · Cholesterol: 143mg · Sodium: 263mg · Potassium: 895mg · Fiber: 1g · Sugar: 2g · Vitamin A: 222IU · Vitamin C: 12mg · Calcium: 14mg · Iron: 1mg

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