Savor the smoky delight of Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos! These mouthwatering tacos are filled with slow-smoked tender pulled pork that's bursting with flavor. Topped with onions, jalapenos, avocado, cotija cheese, and a squeeze of lime, they're the perfect blend of smoky, zesty, and creamy. Make the best tacos with leftover smoked pulled pork for a fun family dinner, a casual get-together, or a taco night with friends.
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Why Are Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos the Best Way to Use Leftover Pulled Pork?
Tacos are taking over, and what better way to use up extra smoked pulled pork than making a few for dinner? These pulled pork tacos are well-balanced with just a touch of saltiness from the cotija cheese and the jalapeno peppers provide just the right amount of heat.
The avocado creaminess works well with the savory smokiness of the pork, while the fresh lime juice and cilantro brighten the dish. Quick and easy to make, these tacos will become a new Taco Night favorite.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
Tacos are a real crowd-pleaser, and once you have everything prepared, they come together in minutes. That means they are the ultimate party food or weeknight family dinner.
Not a fan of all the Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos toppings in this recipe? This recipe is flexible, so feel free to substitute your favorites!
Smoked Pulled Pork Taco Ingredients
- White onions
- Cilantro
- Salt
- Vegetable oil
- Pulled pork
- Taco-size soft corn tortillas
- Cotija cheese
- Jalapeno pepper thinly sliced
- Avocado thinly sliced
- Lime wedges
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
For the smoked pulled pork for tacos, you can use your favorite smoked pork butt recipe or buy it in the store if you don't own a smoker. The total time for making the tacos will depend if you have to allow for smoking a pork shoulder or butt first.
If you can't find Cotija cheese, use queso fresco or a shredded Mexican cheese blend.
You can use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas. You can warm flour tortillas in a skillet or wrap them in foil and bake them in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes.
How to Make Smoked Pork Tacos
To prepare tacos:
- Finely dice the onion and roughly cut the cilantro.
- Mix the diced onion, cut cilantro, and salt in a bowl and set aside. The salt will sweat the onions, so don't be alarmed if liquid starts collecting at the bottom of the bowl.
- Thinly slice an avocado and reserve the slices for later.
- Heat a pan, cast iron skillet, or griddle over medium heat. Add some neutral oil and heat the pulled pork.
- While the meat is heating, warm the tortillas on both sides in a separate dry pan or on the same griddle.
- Once the pulled pork and tortillas are hot, start assembling the tacos. Using a taco stand can make filling the tortillas much easier.
- Fill each tortilla with a couple of tablespoons of hot pulled pork. Top the meat with the cilantro and onion mixture, crumbled cotija cheese, a slice of avocado, and a few pieces of jalapeño. Don't add a lot of toppings, or eating the tacos can get pretty messy.
- Squeeze fresh lime over the tacos and serve with additional lime wedges.
If you want pulled pork burritos, use large burrito-size tortillas and wrap the pork and toppings in the tortillas.
Special Equipment You Might Need For This Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos Recipe
There are no must-have pieces of equipment to prepare this recipe, but a large griddle pan that covers two burners on the stove makes heating the tortillas and the pulled pork at the same time much more manageable. However, you can certainly use multiple pans.
Taco stands are helpful for making and serving this dish but aren't strictly necessary.
What Can You Serve With Pulled Pork Tacos
Tex-Mex sides go great with these tacos. Here are a few options you may want to consider making:
- Cilantro Lime Rice This Cilantro Lime Rice recipe is a perfect pairing for the tacos since both dishes share many of the same flavors.
- Coleslaw. Coleslaw is cold, creamy and adds an irresistible crunch. For something a little different from traditional coleslaw, try this Sweet and Sour Coleslaw recipe.
- Cabbage. Instead of coleslaw, just use finely shredded green or red cabbage.
- Corn Salsa. Sweet and spicy, Corn Salsa is a wonderful summery side dish that goes great with Pulled Pork Tacos.
- Hot Sauce. Add a kick of heat with your favorite hot sauce. Louisiana hot sauce is a popular one for smoked pulled pork.
How to Store Leftover Pulled Pork Tacos
Assembled tacos won't last long without getting soggy. That's why your best option is to keep all the ingredients except the tortillas in individual airtight containers inside the fridge.
While sliced avocados will start turning brown almost immediately, the other components of this dish should stay good for at least three days.
How to Reheat Tacos
Since the combination of textures and temperatures makes Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos great, always disassemble any extra tacos before reheating.
Your best option is reheating the meat and tortilla on the stove as directed above, or if you are in a rush, you can microwave the meat and tortilla for about 20 seconds. Reassemble the tacos and enjoy.
Favorite Smoked Meat Recipes
Find lots of smoker recipes right here on GDE!
Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos
Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped white onions
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 small pinch salt
- 2 cups pulled pork
- 8 taco-size soft corn tortillas
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1 jalapeno pepper thinly sliced
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- 8 lime wedges
Instructions
- Place the onions and cilantro in a small bowl with a tiny amount of salt. Mix well and set aside.
- Shred the pulled pork very finely and reheat if needed.
- Heat the tortillas on both sides in a cast-iron skillet until they just begin to brown. Set aside.
- To assemble the tacos, place a few of tablespoons of pulled pork on each tortilla and top the cilantro and onions, cotija cheese, and a few slices of jalapeño and avocado. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
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