Slow Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork

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Slow Cooker Mexican Pork is some of the best pulled pork you can make at home. On its own, stuffed into tacos or burritos, or served over rice, the pork is slightly spicy, with just enough heat to keep it interesting.

Mexican Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Mexican Pork

The Mexican spices infuse the pork roast as it simmers in the crock-pot; meaning that with very little effort you can have dinner on the table.

I’ve made this pork countless times over the past ten years. After I made this the first time and served the pork in burrito bowls; I couldn’t resist trying my hand at the taquitos that I’ve included below.

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Mexican Pulled Pork

In the past, I’ve used a sirloin tip pork roast for this recipe, but any pork you enjoy will work. An 8-10 lb pork shoulder works nicely when cooking for a crowd or when you want to have an abundance of pulled pork on hand.

Leftover pulled pork freezes beautifully. Once the meat is cooked and shredded, let it cool then store it in an airtight bag. Let it thaw completely in the refrigerator prior to reheating.

Use the Slow Cooker Mexican Pork to make Pulled Pork Tacos, Red Chile Burritos, Quesadillas, or Pulled Pork Enchiladas for easy make-ahead meals.

I highly recommend multiplying this recipe for the largest amount of pork you can fit in your crock-pot. Trust me that you will want to have a lot of leftovers.

Mexican Pulled Pork

Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:

First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.

My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?

For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.

Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.

If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.

Pulled Pork Tacos

Mexican Pulled Pork Recipe

You’ll season a pork roast generously with salt, chili powder, paprika, oregano, garlic, onion, black pepper, and red pepper to make this recipe.

  1. Place the roast in the crock-pot and sprinkle half of the spices over it. Turn the roast and cover with the remaining spices. Add the water and cover with the lid.
  2. Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. When the roast is tender enough to shred, gently pull it apart with tongs or with two forks. Break it into bite size pieces and toss the pieces in any juices left in the bottom of the pot.
Mexican Pulled Pork in Crock-Pot

Pork Taquitos

  1. To make taquitos, place a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Warm the tortillas in the skillet, one at a time, to make them soft and pliable for rolling. (For a classic flavor, warm ¼ cup of oil in the skillet and then dip each tortilla in the oil prior to rolling them.)
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a large baking sheet. Place a warmed tortilla on the sheet, layer a tablespoon or so of cheese across the center of the tortilla, and top with a few tablespoons of the pulled pork.
  3. Roll the tortilla around the filling and place it seam-side down on the baking sheet. Once all of the taquitos are rolled, bake until lightly browned and crisp on the edges. 

If you aren’t up for dipping the tortillas in warm oil to soften them, do not skip warming them in the pan. Even without the oil, warming the tortillas prior to rolling will help hold them together. The first few times I made taquitos, they just fell apart in the oven. Warming them helps them avoid cracking.

Crock-Pot Mexican Pork and Baked Taquitos recipe by Barefeet In The Kitchen

Serve Mexican Pork with Street Corn Coleslaw or Jalapeno Coleslaw, Easy Spanish Rice or Quick Cilantro Slaw. It’s also terrific for Stuffed Potatoes and Tater Tot Nachos.

An abundance of southwestern spices infuse this Green Chile Pulled Pork as it simmers in the Crock-Pot. The pork stays amazingly moist and juicy and the flavors are awesome together.

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Mexican Pulled Pork in Crock-Pot

Slow Cooker Mexican Pork

4.43 from 7 votes
Slow Cooker Mexican Pork is some of the best pulled pork you can make at home. On its own, stuffed into tacos or burritos, or served over rice, the pork is slightly spicy, with just enough heat to keep it interesting.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 

  • 2 pounds pork roast I typically use a shoulder roast, but sirloin tip roasts will work as well
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder NM red chile powder, if available
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon granulated onion or onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ cup water

To Make Taquitos:

  • 30 white corn tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican blend pepper jack or monterey jack cheese
  • Optional: sour cream guacamole, salsa for dipping

Instructions

Mexican Pork Instructions

  • Place the roast in the crock-pot and sprinkle half of the spices over it. Turn the roast and cover with the remaining spices. Add the water and cover with the lid.
  • Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. When the roast is tender enough to shred, gently pull it apart with tongs or with two forks. Break it into bite size pieces and toss the pieces in any juices left in the bottom of the pot.

Taquito Instructions

  • To make taquitos, place a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Warm the tortillas in the skillet, one at a time, to make them soft and pliable for rolling. (For a classic flavor, warm ¼ cup of oil in the skillet and then dip each tortilla in the oil prior to rolling them.)
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a large baking sheet. Place a warmed tortilla on the sheet, layer a tablespoon or so of cheese across the center of the tortilla, and top with a few tablespoons of the pulled pork.
  • Roll the tortilla around the filling and place it seam-side down on the baking sheet. Once all of the taquitos are rolled, bake until lightly browned and crisp on the edges. Serve with the condiments of your choice. Enjoy!

Notes

In the past, I’ve used a sirloin tip pork roast for this recipe, but any pork roast will work. The recipe multiplies nicely for a crowd too. An 8-10 lb pork shoulder works nicely for cooking larger amounts. Leftover pulled pork freezes nicely and can be used in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or enchiladas for great make-ahead meals.
FREEZER MEAL: Once the meat is cooked and shredded, let it cool then store it in an airtight bag. Let it thaw completely in the refrigerator prior to reheating.
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 7/31/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 6/6/22}

Slow Cooker Mexican Pork is some of the best pulled pork you can make at home.

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. Chris Scheuer says

    Oh Mary, these look so good! I love that you used a sirloin roast rather than a boston butt. The butt roasts are so moist but I'm always thinking of how much fat is underneath all that goodness. I think my family would go crazy over this. I can see serving these with all kinds of fun fresh condiments. Thanks!

  2. Tara says

    Just served this for dinner with avocado, lime, shredded cheddar and fresh salsa on street taco-sized flour tortillas. . . the family loved it! The spices provided a great flavor!5 stars

  3. Norma says

    This is an easy and delicious dish! I used ancho chili powder but the rest of the ingredients exactly as listed. Love that it’s quick and easy to get in the slow cooker! I shredded the meat and browned it afterwards, similar to what is often done with carnitas. Served as is with condiments and a cheesy cauliflower mash (we are doing mostly low carb). Very yummy! Next time I will cook a larger piece of meat, probably in chunks, so there is plenty to make a variety of things and am especially interested in trying your enchiladas. BTW: the person who said it was too salty probably used fine salt rather than Kosher which is usually a larger grind. I never use Kosher salt as I like Real Salt, but I know when using finely ground salt you have to reduce the amount if the recipe uses Kosher as it will otherwise be way too much salt. The seasoning in this is perfect.5 stars

  4. sharon terwilliger says

    Hi! I made this, and it was a hit! The kids asked for the recipe! I made it with a large cheap pork butt, cut it in cubes, seasoned it with your recipe, Froze the rest for later use. Pulled out frozen, and had leftovers. It was delightful to have on hand, for when the kids stop by unannounced, to feed them. Thank you!5 stars

  5. Chuck says

    Magnificent recipe! I’ve been making 2.5lb pork shoulders ever since I saw this recipe. The only deviation I’ve consistently made is to add a chopped onion in the slow cooker and I use just a bit more chicken stock.
    From the rendered meat I either reduce carne asada sauce with the meat for tacos or heat the meat in a pan until the juices cook off a bit and make killer pulled BBQ pork sandwiches on Portuguese sweet rolls.
    One thing I’ve come to realize is that searing the meat first doesn’t add as much to the experience as you might think. In a pinch for time I skipped the sear (was totally married to this step for a long while) and the meat came out more tender, easier to pull apart, and juicier. For reference, I always slow cook on high for 3 hours.

    Thanks so much for the inspiration!5 stars

    • Mary Younkin says

      I’m thrilled that you are enjoying the pork, Chuck. (And I agree about skipping the sear as well! I haven’t done that in years.)

  6. Joanne Cimeot says

    Made this recipe yesterday and it’s a keeper! Pork came out so tender and flavorfull, Thank you!!5 stars