Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsMercado PasadenaCarnitas Tacos Recipe

Carnitas Tacos Recipe

Inspired by Mercado Pasadena
Time8h
Serves8

slow-cooked natural pork, flour tortillas

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Carnitas

Method

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1

    Prepare the Pork

    Start by trimming excess fat from the pork shoulder, then cut it into large chunks.

  2. 2

    Season the Pork

    In a large bowl, combine minced garlic, diced onion, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, orange juice, and lime juice. Mix well and coat the pork chunks in this marinade. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.

  3. 3

    Slow Cook the Pork

    Transfer the marinated pork to a slow cooker. Add the bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the pork is tender and easily shredded.

  4. 4

    Shred the Pork

    Once cooked, remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Discard the bay leaves.

  5. 5

    Crisp the Pork (Optional)

    For crispy carnitas, spread the shredded pork onto a baking sheet and broil in the oven for 5-7 minutes, until the edges are crispy.

  6. 6

    Prepare the Tacos

    Warm the flour tortillas in a skillet or microwave. Fill each tortilla with a generous amount of the shredded pork.

  7. 7

    Garnish the Tacos

    Top the carnitas with fresh cilantro, diced red onion, sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

More from Mercado Pasadena