Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos

Mouthwatering pulled pork tacos with hot sauce for the win

Fall-apart tender, sweet, spicy, and savory meat that melts in your mouth, served on some lightly charred tortillas. These make some carnitas-style tacos that everyone will love. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pulled pork, smoked, tacos

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 8

Resting Time: 2

Total Time: 10 10

Servings:

Calories: 421kcal

Author: imma

Ingredients

Smoked Pork

1 8-12 pound (3.6-5.5k) pork butt or shoulder, bone-in and skinless (see notes)
Salt, as needed
1 tablespoon (7g) ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (5g) garlic powder
1 tablespoon (6g) onion powder
2 teaspoons (2g) dried thyme
2 teaspoons (2g) dried oregano
¼ cup (53g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon (6g) chili powder
½-1 teaspoon (1-2g) cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons (12g) smoked paprika
2 teaspoon (10g) cumin
½ cup (120ml) pineapple juice (or broth)
3 tablespoon (45ml) hot sauce (or more)
½ medium onion, sliced

Taco Ingredients

2 packs corn tortillas
1 medium onion (pickled onions are also good)
½ cup cilantro chopped
1 medium avocado, sliced
1 large jalapeno, sliced (deseeded if desired)
1 lime, cut into wedges
Salsa or hot sauce of choice

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine pepper, garlic and onion powder, thyme, oregano, brown sugar, chili, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and cumin until fully combined. Set aside.
Place your pork shoulder on a large cutting board, fat cap side up. Pork has a thick fat layer covering it, which can vary in thickness. When trimming the pork, make sure to have a thin layer of fat (⅛-¼ inch thick) on the outside to protect the pork as it cooks. Pat dry with paper towels.
Salt pork and rub it with seasonings, pressing them down until every inch is covered.
Place in an aluminum foil pan and let it rest for an hour (up to 24 hours), tightly covered in the refrigerator. Remove pork from the fridge about an hour before smoking to come to room temperature.
Preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 250℉/120℃. Place pork fat side up directly on grill grates, and insert a probe in the thickest part of the pork to monitor the temperature if desired. You can also start measuring for doneness towards the end.
Let it smoke for 5-6 hours, depending on the size of the roast. At this point, the pork should have a good bark. Spritz if desired, and smoke until it reaches an internal temperature of 165-175℉.
Place pork (fat side up) in an aluminum foil pan, then add pineapple sauce, hot sauce, and sliced onions. This method captures the meat's fat and juices and can flavor the pork without using BBQ sauce.
Tightly cover it with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and put it back in the smoker to continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 205℉/96℃ or more. You shouldn't feel resistance when you probe with your instant-read thermometer.
Remove from the smoker and let it rest for at least an hour. If needed, place the pork shoulder in a cooler, without ice, for up to 3-4 hours to rest before shredding. Drain liquid from the pork and separate the fat from the juice with a separator. Use the juice to mix with the pork before serving.
Shred pork and season to taste.
Heat your corn tortillas on the grill or cast-iron skillet. Fill each one with a spoonful of pulled pork and fill it with your choice of toppings. Enjoy

Notes

You'll have way more pulled pork than you need for this recipe. You can freeze the leftovers for sandwiches or burritos later.
Pork has a thick fat layer covering it, which can vary in thickness. When trimming the pork, leave a thin layer of fat (⅛-¼ inch thick) on the outside to help protect it from drying out as it cooks.
For easy shredding, use two forks or a pair of meat claws. It will be super easy since this meat pretty much falls apart on its own after smoking. When warming up your tortillas, don't be afraid to let them char a little. It will give them a crisp texture that is ridiculously tasty. When working in batches, stack heated tortillas and wrap them with a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm until you're ready to serve.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition