With crispy carnitas made from leftover pulled pork, a crunchy jalapeno lime brussels sprout slaw, and a quick lime sour cream, these Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos are packed with big, bold flavors. So why not mix up your next taco night?
It’s no secret that I love a good taco. But what I might just love even more is taking a classic recipe like carnitas and ramping it up with even more bold flavors. These Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos with Jalapeno Lime Brussels Sprout Slaw use simple leftover pulled pork (or pork from your favorite BBQ take out) and layer on the flavor with a crunchy and spicy jalapeno lime brussels sprout slaw and tangy lime sour cream for a taco that is sure to be one of your new favorites.
What Are Pulled Pork Carnitas?
Carnitas translated literally means “little meats”. Traditional carnitas are a Mexican classic made by slow braising pork until it is fall apart tender. The pork is then shredded and pan fried to crispy perfection. Pork carnitas are the ideal combination of tender, yet crispy making them delicious in a variety of Mexican dishes, especially tacos!
Since traditional carnitas recipes take hours to slow cook, I used precooked, leftover pulled pork to emulate carnitas, making these Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos the perfect quick weeknight dinner.
How Do You Make Crispy Carnitas from Leftover Pulled Pork?
To make the crispy pulled pork carnitas:
- Get Some Leftover Pulled Pork: For the pork, I used some leftovers that we had smoked on the smoker the day before. If your like me and find yourself with lots of leftover pulled pork often, this will be perfect. If you don’t have any leftovers, you can usually find prepackaged shredded pork in the meat or deli section of your grocery store. Or feel free to hit up your favorite BBQ joint. You just want to make sure the pork is mostly plain, rather than already tossed or coated in sauce, as this can compete with the flavors.
- Broil the Pork: Using the broiler let’s us get that crispy exterior, while still keeping the bits of pork tender and juicy. To make the pulled pork carnitas, just spread pork out on an even layer on a baking sheet. The pork should be somewhat juicy, but not soggy. If your pork looks a little dry, drizzle some olive oil over the top. Place the pan on the top rack of your oven under the broiler for about 4-6 minutes. Keep a close eye, the pork will be done when the edges start to brown into little crispy bits, but the chunks are still tender and juicy.
- Add a Squeeze of Orange: After the pork is cooked, I like to add the juice of about half an orange squeezed over top. This will make sure the pork is nice and juicy, while adding a little sweetness and another layer of flavor.
That’s it! Just a few simple steps, and only a couple of minutes and you have turned your pulled pork into crispy pork carnitas. Now, just load up your Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos with crispy pork, crunchy Jalapeno Lime Brussels Sprout Slaw, and creamy lime sour cream, and enjoy!
Why Brussels Sprout Slaw?
When I was coming up with the idea for these Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos, I had a big bag of brussels sprouts in my fridge, just staring at me patiently waiting to be used, so honestly, that is a big part of how brussels sprouts ended up on these Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos. But this Jalapeno Lime Brussels Sprout Slaw, really became the star of these tacos.
Personally, I love shredded raw brussels sprouts in salads (if you haven’t tried it yet, check out my Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad), as they are the perfect combination of crisp and crunchy, without being too dry and crunchy like cabbage can sometimes be. The earthy flavors of the brussels sprouts pair well with the spicy jalapeno, tangy lime juice, and bright cilantro. And when served on these Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos, the Jalapeno Lime Brussels Sprout Slaw adds just the right layers of crunchy, spicy, and bright tanginess to cut through the savory, rich pork carnitas.
If you aren’t a big fan of brussels sprouts, and still aren’t convinced, you can also substitute two cups of thinly shredded cabbage for the brussels sprouts, you will still get the same crunch, with a more subtle cabbage flavor.
Looking for More Taco Recipes?
If you are a huge taco fan like me, and are looking for more tasty taco recipes, check out some of my latest favorites:
- Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos with Strawberry Avocado Salsa
- Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Creamy Celery Ranch Slaw
- Brussels Sprouts and Ricotta Crispy Tacos (If I have just turned you on to the idea of putting brussels sprouts in your tacos, you definitely need to check this one out!)
What is your favorite out of the box ingredient to put in tacos? Let me know in the comments below.
Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos with Jalapeno Lime Brussels Sprout Slaw
Ingredients
Lime Sour Cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 lime (zested & juiced)
Jalapeno Lime Brussels Sprouts Slaw
- 2 cups shredded brussels sprouts (see note for tips on how to shred)
- 2 jalapenos (seeds and ribs removed if desired)
- 2 green onions
- 3 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 limes (juiced)
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 tsp honey
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos
- 4 cups pulled pork
- olive oil (for drizzling)
- juice of ½ orange
- 8-12 corn tortillas
Instructions
Lime Sour Cream
- Make the lime sour cream by zesting and juicing one lime. Add zest and juice to sour cream and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use to let the flavors combine.
Jalapeno Lime Brussels Sprout Slaw
- For the slaw, thinly slice the jalapeno (seeds and ribs removed if desired) and green onions, and toss in a medium bowl with the sliced brussels sprouts and chopped cilantro.
- In a small bowl, mix the final 7 slaw ingredients and whisk to combine. Add dressing to slaw and toss until evenly coated and combined.
Make the Tacos
- First start by broiling the carnitas - Spread the pork out on an even layer on a baking sheet. The pork should be somewhat juicy, but not soggy. If your pork looks a little dry, drizzle some olive oil over the top. Place the pan on the top rack of your oven under the preheated broiler for about 4-6 minutes. Keep a close eye, the pork will be done when the pork is warm throughout and the edges start to brown into little crispy bits, but the chunks are still tender and juicy.
- While pork is cooking, warm your tortillas over the stove.
- After the pork is cooked, squeeze the juice of about half an orange over top.
- When everything is ready, load up the tortillas with crispy pork, Jalapeno Lime Brussels Sprout Slaw, and lime sour cream, and enjoy!
Amazing! 🤤