If you love Mexican style food, then this post is for you! Not only are you going to get the pulled pork taco recipe, but a delicious recipe for Pico de Gallo AND a recipe for a delicious Chipotle Pepper Sauce. When you put all three of these recipes together, the flavor explosion is incredible. Let's check it out.
THIS PULLED PORK TACO RECIPE IS: GLUTEN FREE, PALEO FRIENDLY, LOW CARB AND DELIGHTFULLY SPICY.
PICO DE GALLO, SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE IN THIS PULLED PORK TACO RECIPE.
Pulled pork and tacos were meant to be together. Pulled pork is just so juicy, flavorful and delicious. It's like it wants to be put into a corn tortilla and be smothered with awesome fresh ingredients. The freshness is one of the things I love so much about Mexican style food. We're going to be using my recipe for easy pulled pork which I posted a while ago. We're also going to be making some super fresh pico de gallo and a really spicy chipotle pepper sauce. A pulled pork taco recipe that is just full of yum.
MAKING PULLED PORK
Pulled pork takes time. There is no way around it. Typically, I make an 8lb shoulder and freeze off portions to be used in the future. I don't always have six hours to wait for dinner to be ready! If you don't have any pulled pork ready to go and are a bit short on time, take a look at my easy shredded chicken recipe. It will be equally delicious and ready in much less time.
I'm working with a friend of mine to put together a recipe for pressure cooker carnitas which should be ready in about an hour. The pressure cooker is an incredible piece of equipment to have on hand to speed things up when working with tougher cuts of meat. Right now we are working on the right balance of fat, spice and meat to go into the pressure cooker to make the most delicious carnitas you can imagine. Should be an awesome recipe!
For this pulled pork taco recipe, I've assumed that you have pulled pork already made or are planning on making it. There are links through to how to make some delicious pulled pork in the recipe or earlier in this post!
PUTTING TOGETHER THE PICO DE GALLO
Pico is one of my favorite salsas. It is simple, packs a ton of flavor and can be adjusted easily for spice. In this pico recipe, I used jalapeno peppers which turned out to be incredibly spicy. Have you noticed that sometimes you get jalapeno which is not too spicy, but sometimes you get ones that are outrageously loaded with capsaicin (the spicy part of the pepper). Well, these were HOT. I could feel the heat in my nose when I first cut into the pepper. For me, it was perfect.
If you're not into the heat, pick up an Anaheim (very mild) or add in a green bell pepper. Looking for just a bit of heat? The poblano pepper might be up your alley. These can pack some heat too... just one of those things you can't tell by looking at one. If you love the heat, buy jalapeno, serrano or kick it way up with habanero. My suggestion is to wear gloves if you are slicing anything above a jalapeno.
For the pico de gallo recipe, just make sure that you get the freshest ingredients you can. I know that at different times of the year tomatoes don't always look or taste the best. When you are at the grocery, see which type looks the most red and get those. It doesn't matter whether it is a plum or a vine tomato. Look for the most ripe and delicious.
You'll see that I use shallot in my pico rather than red or sweet onions. I like the flavor of the shallot more than these other types. Sometimes sweet onions aren't available at my local market and I find that the red onions can overpower a salsa quickly. The shallot does a great job of being relatively mild but still adding enough onion flavor to make the salsa stand out. It's your choice what to use. Recipes are just guidelines!
PUTTING TOGETHER THE CHIPOTLE PEPPER SAUCE
Wow. This sauce has some huge flavor and a LOT of spice. I use the hot Hungarian wax pepper in this recipe to really make sure that you know you're eating something spicy. But it's not just spice for the sake of being hot. There are really delicious flavors in here with the sauteed onions and garlic along with the adobo chile sauce. The chipotle pepper sauce kicks this pulled pork taco recipe way up in the flavor department.
When you are making this sauce, I would suggest using your ventilation system when sauteing the wax peppers. The vapor has a tendency to make you cough a bit and might burn your eyes just a touch. I would not lean in and breathe in the steam from the pan under any circumstances. Keep a lid on the pan when they are being cooked to reduce the vapor. It definitely helps a lot!
I like to make this sauce in my vitamix and leave a little "chunk" to it. Just add all the ingredients into the vitamix or your blender, turn it on a low speed and let it go for a couple minutes.
QUICK COOKING TIP: If you're looking for some additional toppings for this pulled pork taco recipe, try some sliced black olives or pieces of sliced avocado. Check out my quick picture tutorial on how to peel an avocado to make some beautiful avocado slices. We love to add in some shredded cheese and some whole kernel corn. Really tasty.
Let's get to this pulled pork taco recipe.
PULLED PORK TACO RECIPE
This super fresh pulled pork taco recipe goes great with the pico de gallo and spicy chipotle pepper sauce. Perfect for a Mexican fiesta!
Ingredients
For the Pulled Pork Taco
- 2 LBS Pulled Pork
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2-3 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
- Corn Tortilla Shells
For the Pico de Gallo
- 2 Cups Tomato, diced
- ⅓ Cup Shallot, chopped fine
- ¼ Cup Jalapeno, diced (or more if you want more spice). This is approx 2 regular jalapenos.
- ¼ Cup Lime Juice
- ¼ Cup Cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Lime Zest
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
For the Chipotle Pepper Sauce
- ½ Cup Red Onion, diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic, sliced
- 1 Hot Wax Pepper, seeded and sliced into ⅛” rings
- ¼ Cup plus 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ Cup Lime Juice
- ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar (I use Braggor Red Wine Vinegar
- ¼ Cup Chiles in Adobo sauce, use a spoon to scoop it out of the can
- Kosher salt
Instructions
For the Pulled Pork
- Add the pulled pork to a pan over medium heat with the olive oil. When the pork starts to warm, add in the cajun seasoning. Mix well and set aside, covered, when hot.
For the Pico de Gallo
- Add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix well and let sit for about 30 minutes before serving.
For the Chipotle Pepper Sauce
- In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion with a pinch of salt. Cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently. When cooked, add to the blender.
- In the same pan, heat the second tablespoon of olive oil. Add in the wax peppers and a pinch of salt. Cover the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned and softened just a bit. Add the cooked peppers to the blender.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the blender. Blend on low speed for 2-3 minutes or until a thick sauce forms.
Putting together the Pulled Pork Tacos
- Heat your saute pan with a quick spray of olive oil or non-stick spray over high heat. Add in the corn tortilla and heat through to soften. I like mine with some areas of crispy brown spots.
- Fill the tortilla with a mound of pulled pork, a drizzle of the spicy chipotle pepper sauce and a heaping of the pico de gallo.
- Enjoy hot and happy eating!
Notes
Please note that the cook times here assume that you already have cooked pulled pork made. If not, depending on how you cook it, you should add between 2-8 hours to the recipe for cooking time.
Looking for some recipes on how to make pulled pork? Here they are:
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 207Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 28mgSodium 2301mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 3gSugar 14gProtein 11g
This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.
Final thoughts on the Pulled Pork Taco Recipe:
The one component which I didn't give the recipe for is the sour cream drizzle. It's really easy to make. I use ½ cup of full fat sour cream, 2 tablespoon cream or ½ and ½. Give it a pinch of kosher salt, add to a squeeze bottle and shake it around. You'll have sour cream with just enough body to stay on top of the ingredients. The pinch of salt makes it just delicious!
If you're looking for some incredible accompanying dishes, check out my easy guacamole recipe. Or if you're not feeling the pork, take a look at my low carb chicken fajita recipe which is really fun to eat. If you decide to make the pulled pork and have leftovers, I'm putting together a pulled pork soup recipe that will be posted up soon!
Hope that you enjoy this pulled pork taco recipe and happy eating!
Andrea Wyckoff says
Your photos are freaking awesome and making me seriously hungry! This recipe looks right up my ally! Found you on FBP forum. Very impressed with your site!
Scott Groth says
Hi Andrea:
Thanks so much! FBP is the best- it has really helped me to get better at blogging!
I'm going over to your site now to take a look around too-
Take care-
Scott
Marcus DeVore says
I had a ton of pulled pork left from a potluck last weekend. Was looking for a recipe to use it with and found your pulled pork leftovers post. Great post! This recipe is incredibly delicious.
Scott Groth says
Hey Marcus:
Thanks. There's something about pulled pork leftovers. For some reason, they're even tastier than the freshly made pulled pork. Still haven't figured out the mystery.
Have an excellent day!
Scott
Dan from Platter Talk says
We love pulled pork, in sandwiches, as a main, and now thanks to this post in tacos as well. Thanks for the tip of adding a few slices of avocado. It truly is the perfect pairing with the rest of these ingredients. Thanks for the wonderful inspiration!
Scott Groth says
Hey Dan:
Thank you for your beautiful thoughts. I truly can't imagine that there is someone out there who might not like pulled pork. How is that even possible?
Take care,
Scott
Michele says
HOW HAVE I never thought of freezing it when I make pulled pork? That is the greatest idea! This is a little different than my usual recipe... pinning to give it a whirl!
Scott Groth says
Hi Michelle:
Different is fun! We have pulled pork in our freezer all the time. And it never seems to be enough, because we eat a lot of pulled pork in our house!
Thank you for sharing and have a fantastic day!
Scott
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
These pork tacos look so good!! I love spice too and pico de gallo is a favorite of mine. Wonderful recipe. Can't wait for your carnitas recipe!
Scott Groth says
Thank you for writing, Elaine. I truly appreciate it.
Glad to hear you loved the tacos.
Take care,
Scott
Sue Ringsdorf says
I will definitely have to make this with my pulled pork recipe!! My family loves tacos and I love the way you put everything together! 🙂
Scott Groth says
Hi Sue:
Did you make the tacos? How were they?
Thank you for stopping over to check out this recipe.
Have a great day!
Scott
Erin says
I love the cajun spice on the pork for this, I could eat that stuff every day! Great recipe.
Scott Groth says
Hi Erin:
Thank you for writing. My kids can't get enough of these tacos.
Hope you're having an excellent day in the kitchen!
Scott
Christine says
Love everything about this recipe - the meat, the pico de gallo, the sauce. Now I want some tacos!
Scott Groth says
Hey Christine:
Thanks for posting. How did the tacos go?
Have an awesome day!
Scott
Brian Jones says
Love the sound of this, that chiptole sauce sounds all that and then some... Stoked to have found a local supplier for chipotle in adobo too, in fact I have some in the post wining it's way to me right now 😀
Scott Groth says
Hi Brian:
So nice to hear that. Thanks for stopping by to share your thoughts.
Hope you're doing well,
Scott
Rosemary says
Wow we are going to love this, pulled pork is so good. I can't wait to make it, it looks amazing.
Scott Groth says
Hi Rosemary:
Thank you for visiting our website. How were the tacos?
Hope you're having a wonderful day today!
Scott
Meaghan | Cook. Craft. Love. says
My favorite way to make pulled pork is in a GIANT batch with base flavorings and then adding my own sauces and toppings later so that I'm not stuck eating 2 weeks worth of pulled pork tacos or bbq pulled pork. I'm definitely breaking this one out next time pork shoulders go on sale!
Scott Groth says
Thanks for sharing your tips, Meaghan. Always a pleasure to hear your useful advice.
Hope you're doing well!
Scott