Pulled Pork Tacos with Apple Slaw
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Between mouthfuls of sweet, tender pork, crispy apples, and soft corn tortilla, these pulled pork tacos are extremely satisfying. Be prepared for a little drippy, sweet, and spicy chipotle pork sauce to run down your fingers – and to have your stomach saying “another one”!
Once I started making these pulled pork tacos, they quickly became a weeknight staple in my house. They’re the kind of meal that feels generous and comforting but asks very little of you at dinnertime. The pork cooks away in the slow cooker during the day, so when evening rolls around, you’re only about 15 minutes from a seriously satisfying taco night—whether it’s Tuesday or not.
This is exactly why I love using the slow cooker for tacos. A 1½-pound pork shoulder simmers low and slow with beer, brown sugar, chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic, cumin, and salt, breaking down into tender, juicy shreds that are packed with flavor. That long cook time melts the fat and transforms the meat into something rich and spoonable, perfect for piling into warm corn tortillas. It also makes feeding a crowd easy, with enough pork to serve dinner and still have leftovers.
I like to balance the rich pork with a simple slaw of crisp cabbage, sweet apple, and fresh cilantro, tossed in a creamy dressing. The crunch and freshness play perfectly against the smoky, slightly sweet pork. It’s an unfussy, dependable meal that feels like more than the sum of its parts—and one I come back to again and again when I want dinner to practically make itself.
Pulled pork tacos toppings ideas
There are so many ways to dress a pulled pork taco, and usually your heart (or stomach) knows best. Outside of the coleslaw included in this pulled pork recipe, here’s some other ideas for ways to top a pulled pork taco:
- Cheese: Some traditional Mexican cotija cheese will taste great! If you can’t find any, you can try feta cheese instead.
- Saucy dollops: These include sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or simply more lime juice will all be great toppings on your taco!
- Make it a bowl: You can also turn your pulled pork taco into a taco bowl, by adding some rice, black beans, and some tortilla chips.
What to do with leftover pulled pork
This recipe for pulled pork tacos will give you more than enough meat for taco night. Here’s 3 ideas you should absolutely try since you have leftover pulled pork:
- Pulled pork sandwiches: Grab a bun and use your leftover pulled pork and even a spoonful or two of the coleslaw for a delicious lunch.
- Salad: Use some leftover pulled pork as a flavorful salad topping.
- Make a new dinner: Create something new from your leftovers! Add the pork to this pulled pork chili or this pulled pork shepherd’s pie!
Pulled Pork Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
Pulled Pork
- 1 ½ lb pork butt
- 1 cup beer
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- ½ teaspoon EACH: cumin and sea salt
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
The Coleslaw
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 small garlic clove (minced)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
- 1 medium crisp apple (diced small)
- ¼ cup finely sliced red onion
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
Tacos
- 8 small white corn tortillas
- Sour cream, guacamole, and salsa (to serve)
Instructions
- Put the pulled pork ingredients into your slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours.1 ½ lb pork butt, 1 cup beer, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, ½ teaspoon EACH: cumin and sea salt, 2 cloves garlic
- When the pork has finished cooking, transfer it to a bowl and shred it using two forks.
- Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a small pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Boil until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon and then mix it into the pulled pork.
- To make the dressing, mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and salt in a small bowl.¼ cup plain yogurt, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 small garlic clove, 1 pinch sea salt
- In a large bowl, add the cabbage, apple, onion, and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat.2 cups finely shredded red cabbage, 1 medium crisp apple, ¼ cup finely sliced red onion, 2 tablespoons cilantro
- Warm the tortillas wrapped in a cloth and microwave for about 20 seconds.8 small white corn tortillas
- Top the warm tortillas with pulled pork, slaw, and any or all of the toppings.Sour cream, guacamole, and salsa
Video
Nutrition
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Recipe FAQs
Does pulled pork need to be covered in liquid when cooking in a slow cooker?
It’s important to keep some liquid in the crockpot so the pork braises properly and becomes super tender. However, the meat doesn’t need to be fully covered in liquid. This pulled pork taco recipe uses 1 cup of liquid, which is enough to make tender pulled pork.
What’s the difference between pulled pork and carnitas?
Both refer to slow-cooked pork; however, carnitas is finished by broiling it in the oven or searing it on the stovetop to crisp up the meat. You can also try this pork carnitas recipe.
How long does pulled pork last?
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze them for up to a couple of months.
Found this recipe very good, however I would cut the amount of sugar in half and add 50% more chipotle. The recipe is too sweet and could use a bit more heat.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, John!
Hello – these look absolutely amazing! I am going to make them this weekend for guests. Do you think it would taste good to throw on a little queso fresco or other toppings or should I keep it strictly to the meat and slaw?
thanks!
I say a little queso fresco certainly couldn’t hurt! Have a great New Year’s 🙂
I’ll be serving pulled pork on New Year’s Eve and would like to serve it with this slaw variation. I’d bet a fortune that no one here in Germany has ever heared about this squash. Do you have any recommendations to substitute it?
Hi Markus,
It is a tough one to find, even here in Canada. I think Jicama would make a great substitute. If that’s hard to find then I would simply leave it out and add some extra apple.
Hope you have a great New Year’s!!
thanks a bunch, i’ll try to do my best to get my hands on Jicama. However, it should not be the war-deciding ingredient of my menu :-).
Hope you love it as much as I do!! Tacos are the best 🙂