Smoked Pork Tacos -

5 from 5 votes

Smoked Pork Tacos

Make it a taco night! These Smoked Pork Tacos feature carnitas-style pork topped with topped with all of your favorite taco toppings. They're perfect for a crowd...or just a Tuesday night!

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Marinating Time8

Total Time18 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carnitas, smoked pork, taco

Servings: servings

Calories: 545kcal

Author: David

Ingredients

For the Marinade

6-8 pound bone-in pork shoulder
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp kosher salt
¼ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup fresh orange juice

For the Rub

2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
1½ tsp garlic powder
1½ tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil

For the Braising Liquid

½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 red onion chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
large disposable aluminum pan

For Smoked Pork Tacos

tortillas can use flour tortillas or corn tortillas
cotija cheese
diced red onions
fresh cilantro chopped
avocado slices
lime wedges

Instructions

For the Marinade

Place the pork shoulder in a large ziptop bag or a glass baking dish.
Using a medium bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients (vegetable oil, salt, lime juice and orange juice). Pour mixture over pork shoulder, turning several times to coat.
Cover (or seal bag) and refrigerate overnight.

For the Rub

Preheat smoker for indirect smoking at 225°F.
Add several chunks of hardwood – I recommend apple or pecan for pork.
Remove pork shoulder from marinade and pat dry. Discard the leftover marinade.
Using a small bowl, combine all of the seasonings for the rub (except for the oil). Rub the oil evenly on all sides of the pork shoulder and then season with the rub mixture.
Place the pork shoulder on the smoker and smoke for 5-6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F using a meat thermometer.

For the Braising Liquid

Using a medium bowl, whisk together all of the braising ingredients.
Remove the pork shoulder from the smoker and place in a large disposable aluminum pan. Pour braising liquid over pork shoulder. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and place it back on smoker.
Increase smoker temperature to 350°F and smoke for another 3-4 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 200°F.
Remove pan from smoker and let pork shoulder rest in pan for at least 1 hour.
Transfer pork shoulder to a large cutting board and shred meat. Discard bone and any excess fat, but save the cooking liquid that is in the pan.
Place a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add 3-4 Tbsp of cooking liquid (from aluminum pan) along with all of the shredded pork. Cook for 3-4 minutes, flipping occasionally. (Tip: If you're using corn tortillas, save time and dishes by cooking them in the cast iron skillet before cooking the pork!)

For Smoked Pork Tacos

Assemble tacos by placing ~¼ cup of shredded pork on each tortilla. Sprinkle cotija cheese, diced onions, cilantro and avocado slice on top of each. Finish with a squeeze of lime before serving.

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