Smoked Pork Tacos – Leftover Pulled Pork Recipes

Materials For Smoked Pork Tacos

• Leftover pulled pork (at least 1/2 cup per person, depending on how much meat everyone likes)
• Corn tortillas (plan on 3 per person)
• Two large, heavy skillets—one stainless steel or nonstick, one cast-iron
• Tortilla warmer or aluminum foil
• Shredded red cabbage
• Diced tomatoes
• Minced cilantro
• Chopped avocado
• Wedges of lime
• Barbecue sauce or apple cider vinegar, for reheating (if needed)
• Sour cream or Mexican crema (optional)
• Your favorite salsa or hot sauce (optional)

While the toppings listed above will make a fantastic taco, feel free to get creative. Here are a few suggestions for replacing or adding to the basic template:

• Charred peppers and onions
• Crumbled feta or queso fresco
• Finely diced fried potato
• Refried beans
• Sweet Thai chili sauce

Pro Tip: Invest in a set of taco holders. Not only will they make assembly easier, they have great visual appeal.

Smoked Pork Tacos: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Heat your filling

Use the stainless steel or nonstick pan to reheat the pork. If the meat has become too dry (a common problem if the meat has been previously frozen), add a little water or barbecue sauce (or vinegar, if you like a tangier flavor) to the pan for moisture.

Step 2: Prepare the toppings

If you haven't already gotten your chopping and dicing out of the way, it's a great way to pass the time while you're waiting for your meat to warm up. If you're allowing everyone to build their own, make sure you use attractive dishes for serving. A lazy susan would also come in handy here.

Pro Tip: Try to maintain a good blend of flavors and textures when it comes to toppings. Since the meat will hit the spot when it comes to smoky and savory flavor, you'll want some sweet and/or spicy notes thrown in to keep things lively. Similarly, a chewy tortilla calls for something crunchy to balance out the texture.

Step 3: Warm the tortillas

Heat the cast-iron skillet over medium heat. You'll know it's ready when you can barely stand to hold your palm a half-inch or so from the surface. Warm each tortilla for about 10-15 seconds per side, adjusting the heat if they begin to scorch. Keep each heated tortilla warm in aluminum foil or tortilla warmer while you prepare the rest.

Alternately, you can wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil, and warm them in a 325-degree oven. This method gains points for being hands-off, but be careful—some tortillas will stick together in the oven, especially if they're the cheaper store-bought variety.

Whatever you do, don't forget to heat the tortillas. A cold corn tortilla will not be pliable enough, and will crumble when you try to fold it. While it's perfectly acceptable for a taco meal to be somewhat messy (see below), you don't want all of the toppings to go flying on the first bite.

Pro Tip: Ensure the quality of your tacos by making your own corn tortillas. The recipe is simple: masa harina (a finely ground cornmeal, available in specialty markets), warm water, and a bit of salt. The process takes some trial and error, but the results will be well worth it.

Step 4: Assemble the tacos

Add a few generous tablespoons of pork to each tortilla. Don't worry if the filling spills out or if it doesn't cover the entire surface—when it comes to eating tacos, the messiness is all part of the fun.

To assemble the ideal taco, add the bulkier ingredients (like cabbage and tomato) on top of the pork, following with the finely minced or crumbled ingredients (like cilantro or cheese) and finishing off with whatever sauces you prefer. Plan on about 3 tacos per person. You might want to add a little "flair" to the plate by making each taco slightly different. This will allow everyone to experiment with a range of flavor combinations.

Pro Tip: Try a taco with a wedge of fresh lime squeezed over the top, then sample one without lime. You'll be surprised at the difference one humble fruit can make—and never again question why lime is such an important ingredient in Mexican cuisine.​

Did you enjoy our tutorial on how to make your own smoked pork tacos? If so, be sure to let us know in the comments section below. As dedicated grillers and smokers, we're always glad to introduce new recipes to the uninitiated—and to make sure those precious leftovers don't go to waste! Once you've tasted these scrumptious tacos for yourself, you may find that you don't need to use leftovers as an excuse—you'll be heading to the butcher to buy enough pork butt for another batch before you know it. If you have any tips or suggestions that you'd like to share with us, feel free to add those to the comments section as well—and don't forget to share the article with your like-minded friends. We look forward to hearing from you!

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5 from 3 votes

Smoked Pork Tacos Recipe

You could eat a different type of taco every night for a week without getting bored. By the end of this tutorial, you'll be able to turn out an expert array of smoked pork tacos that are sure to leave your crowd begging for more.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Pork Tacos

Servings: 3

Calories: 284kcal

Equipment

Two large, heavy skillets—one stainless steel or nonstick, one cast-iron

Tortilla warmer or aluminum foil

Ingredients

• Leftover pulled pork (at least 1/2 cup per person, depending on how much meat everyone likes)
  
  
• Corn tortillas (plan on 3 per person)
  
  
• Shredded red cabbage
  
  
• Diced tomatoes
  
  
• Minced cilantro
  
  
• Chopped avocado
  
  
• Wedges of lime
  
  
• Barbecue sauce or apple cider vinegar, for reheating (if needed)
  
  
• Sour cream or Mexican crema (optional)
  
  
• Your favorite salsa or hot sauce (optional)
  
  
• Charred peppers and onions
  
  
• Crumbled feta or queso fresco
  
  
• Finely diced fried potato
  
  
• Refried beans
  
  
• Sweet Thai chili sauce
  
  

Instructions

• Use the stainless steel or nonstick pan to reheat the pork.
  
  
• If the meat has become too dry (a common problem if the meat has been previously frozen), add a little water or barbecue sauce (or vinegar, if you like a tangier flavor) to the pan for moisture.
  
  
• If you haven't already gotten your chopping and dicing out of the way, it's a great way to pass the time while you're waiting for your meat to warm up.
  
  
• Heat the cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
  
  
• You'll know it's ready when you can barely stand to hold your palm a half-inch or so from the surface.
  
  
• Warm each tortilla for about 10-15 seconds per side, adjusting the heat if they begin to scorch.
  
  
• Keep each heated tortilla warm in aluminum foil or tortilla warmer while you prepare the rest.
  
  
• Alternately, you can wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil, and warm them in a 325-degree oven.
  
  
• This method gains points for being hands-off, but be careful—some tortillas will stick together in the oven, especially if they're the cheaper store-bought variety.
  
  
• Whatever you do, don't forget to heat the tortillas.
  
  
•  A cold corn tortilla will not be pliable enough, and will crumble when you try to fold it.
  
  
• While it's perfectly acceptable for a taco meal to be somewhat messy (see below), you don't want all of the toppings to go flying on the first bite.
  
  
• Add a few generous tablespoons of pork to each tortilla.
  
  
• To assemble the ideal taco, add the bulkier ingredients (like cabbage and tomato) on top of the pork, following with the finely minced or crumbled ingredients (like cilantro or cheese) and finishing off with whatever sauces you prefer. 
  
  
• You might want to add a little "flair" to the plate by making each taco slightly different.
  
  
• This will allow everyone to experiment with a range of flavor combinations.

Nutrition

Serving: 131g | Calories: 284kcal

Frequently Asked Questions