Blood Orange Pork Carnitas Tacos

Bring the experience of dining in a Mexican restaurant straight to your kitchen with these Carnitas Tacos. It doesn’t get much better than crispy carnitas wrapped in warm tortillas.

You really can’t go wrong with Mexican food. Any time we’re trying to figure out what to have for dinner and can’t come up with something on the spot, Mexican is almost always the answer.

It’s simple and never fails us! Tacos can please just about anyone and they’re fun to make!

Especially these Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos.

The Best Carnitas Tacos Recipe

The idea for these came from a sort of fridge dump I did during quarantine. I had just photographed these Crispy Crockpot Carnitas and had some leftovers in the fridge. There were a bunch of oranges, avocados, and a few tortillas as well.

The only cheese I had was feta, which felt odd on a taco but I figured it was better than no cheese!

So I charred the tortillas, whipped up a quick avocado crema, and topped my tacos with some blood oranges and feta cheese. They were SO good. I was really shocked at how much I LOVED the feta cheese on a taco.

I’ve really never seen feta cheese on a taco before, have you?

Pork Carnitas Tacos Ingredients

These tacos come together with very few ingredients! You can add more toppings if you like, but this is what I used:

• pork butt (or pork shoulder) – this is the fatty part of the pork, it’s what makes it so easy to pull apart!
• white onion
• orange (I used blood oranges and cara cara, but any orange will work!)
• brown sugar
• a few seasonings from your pantry: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano
• feta cheese
• corn tortillas (or flour)

I served my tacos with an Avocado Crema that I made with:

• avocado
• greek yogurt
• garlic powder
• mayonnaise
• cilantro

How To Make Carnitas Tacos

One of my favorite things about tacos is that you can put as much or as little toppings on them as you like. They’re easy to serve a crowd or a family of 5 with kiddos because everyone can make their own.

The pork carnitas are the star of this recipe and for the most part, they’re slow cooked in the Crock-Pot while you go about your day.

Here’s how you make them:

1. Make the pulled pork. Combine the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and rub the mixture over all sides of the pork. Line the slow cooker with sliced onions and cook the pork for for 7-8 hours on low heat. When the pork is finished cooking, shred the meat with two forks and place the shredded pork on a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Turn the pulled pork into carnitas. Spoon a little bit of the juices from the slow cooker over the pork and sprinkle brown sugar and paprika on top. Broil them for 5-6 minutes, until they are charred and crispy. Not burnt!

3. Make the Cilantro Avocado Crema. While the carnitas are getting crispy in the oven, combine cilantro, avocado, greek yogurt, garlic powder, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and water in a food processor.

To serve the tacos, I like to char the tortillas on an open flame or in a hot skillet. Fill them with the crispy pork carnitas, sliced blood oranges, feta cheese, and some lime wedges for good measure.

• In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsps light brown sugar, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsps paprika, and 2 tsps cumin. Rinse the pork under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Rub the spice mixture over all sides of the pork.
• Line the bottom of the slow cooker with the sliced white onion, orange juice, and lime juice. Add the pork and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
• When the pork is finished cooking, preheat the broiler to high and remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred the meat with two forks. Arrange the pulled pork in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle one tbsp of brown sugar and 1 tsp of paprika over the meat. Place the baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and broil for 5-6 minutes until the pork is charred and crispy (not burnt).

Some Questions You Might Have About Making Carnitas

What’s the difference between pulled pork and carnitas?

Pulled pork and carnitas both come from the same cut of meat, either pork shoulder or pork butt, and then cooked in a slow cooker for several hours. They can also be made in the instant pot!

The difference is that carnitas are finished in the oven by broiling them until they are charred and crispy.

Can I cook the pork on high?

If you want to shorten the amount of time the pork is in the slow cooker, you can cook it on high for about 4 hours.

What’s the best side dish to serve with tacos?

My favorite thing to serve with tacos is Mexican Street Corn! If you’re making these in the cooler months, you might like to try Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili instead.

Can I make carnitas in the instant pot?

Yes! To make these carnitas in the Instant Pot, add all the ingredients into the pot just like you would in the slow cooker method. Then pour in 1 cup of broth – chicken, beef or vegetable will all work.

Close the lid, set the vent to “sealing” and pressure cook on high for 40 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure. Transfer the meat to a plate and shred with two forks.

I’ve got a pork loin in the freezer, can I use that?

I’ve seen other people on the internet say yes, but to add 1-2 tablespoons of fat. I haven’t tried this for myself and I know pork loin does not shred, so I don’t recommend it.

More Dinner Recipes To Try

• Tex Mex Flank Steak Salad
• Lemon Orzo Salad With Shrimp
• Blackened Shrimp Tacos
• Perfect Air Fryer Chicken

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