Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos with Corn Tortillas and Slaw

Tender pork shoulder rubbed with cumin, garlic, and a hint of lime, slow-cooked until it shreds with a fork. Pile it into soft corn tortillas and top with a bright, crunchy cabbage slaw dressed in lime juice and olive oil. The pork picks up deep spice notes during its long braise, and the slaw cuts through the richness with every bite. This is the kind of meal that fills your kitchen with smell all afternoon and rewards you with almost no hands-on work.

By TasteBuds

Recipe details

Yield
6 people
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
8 hours
Total time
8 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 lb Pork shoulder (bone-in or boneless), trimmed of excess fat
  • 2 tsp Ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp Chili powder
  • 1½ tsp Fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 3 medium Lime (2 for pork, 1 for slaw)
  • ½ cup Chicken stock (low-sodium preferred)
  • 3 cups Green cabbage, thinly sliced (about ¼ small head)
  • 1 cup Red cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium Carrot, grated
  • ¼ cup Fresh cilantro, chopped (for slaw, plus more for serving)
  • 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 18 small Corn tortillas (6-inch, certified gluten-free if needed)

Instructions

  1. Pat 3 lb pork shoulder dry with paper towels and trim any large chunks of exterior fat, leaving a thin layer.
  2. In a small bowl, combine 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp chili powder, 1½ tsp fine sea salt, and ½ tsp black pepper (freshly ground).
  3. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork shoulder, coating every surface.
  4. Juice 2 medium limes and pour the juice into the bottom of your slow cooker. Add ½ cup chicken stock (low-sodium preferred).
  5. Place the seasoned pork shoulder into the slow cooker, fat side up. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the pork is tender and shreds easily with a fork.
  6. While the pork cooks (about 1 hour before it finishes), thinly slice 3 cups green cabbage (about ¼ small head) and 1 cup red cabbage, and place them in a large mixing bowl.
  7. Grate 1 medium carrot and add it to the bowl with the cabbage.
  8. Chop ¼ cup fresh cilantro and add it to the slaw bowl.
  9. Juice 1 medium lime and pour it over the slaw. Drizzle with 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, toss well, and set aside.
  10. When the pork is done, transfer it to a large platter or cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat or bone. If you like, spoon a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid over the shredded pork to keep it moist.
  11. Warm 18 small corn tortillas (6-inch) by wrapping them in damp paper towels and microwaving for 30 to 45 seconds, or by heating them one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat until soft and pliable.
  12. To serve, pile pulled pork into each warm tortilla, top with a generous scoop of cabbage slaw, and finish with extra chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime if desired.