Slow Cooker Sweet Pork (For Tacos and Burritos)

This has the best blend of smoky, sweet, and savory, and is my favorite filling for tacos, burritos, or enchiladas. You don’t need to do much. Just season and give it a quick sear, then let it cook. You’ll have a lot of meat, and any leftovers freeze perfectly.

This is great when you need something filling and can’t (or don’t want to) be stuck in the kitchen. Plus everyone loves customizing their meal which means no one complains (well, sometimes).

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

The boneless pork shoulder roast is the best choice here because its fatty enough to make the meat moist. You could also use pork loin, but it’ll be less fatty and not as tender. If you’re trying out liquid smoke for the first time, use just a little bit at first and see how you like the taste. It’s strong, so you don’t need much to get that smoky flavor. If you don’t want it too spicy, you can skip the cayenne pepper and use a mild green chile enchilada sauce. Or use more if you want more heat.

This makes 8 small servings for tacos or enchiladas, or 4 large servings for burritos. If you’d like to double or triple this recipe, you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Just make sure your slow cooker is big enough.

Equipment

• Slow cooker
• Medium skillet
• Small saucepan
• 9×13 baking dish
• Whisk

Ingredients

Dry rub

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Shredded pork

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 pound boneless pork shoulder roast (the best choice because it’s just the right mix of fat and meat)
• ⅓ cup water
• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 can green chile enchilada sauce (15 ounces)

To make burritos (Optional)

• 3-4 burrito-sized flour tortillas or 6-8 flour tortillas for tacos/enchiladas
• 2 cans black beans (15 ounces each, drained and rinsed)
• 2 ½ cups cooked rice (see note)
• 1 can green chile enchilada sauce (15 ounces)
• additional toppings or sides if desired: cilantro, avocado, guacamole, pico de gallo, lettuce, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese, scallions, lime wedges, cilantro ranch dressing, black beans, pinto beans, rice

How to Make Slow Cooker Sweet Pork

I love making huge burritos with this – just warm up a tortilla, pile on rice, pork, and black beans, then roll it tight. Cut it in half and you’ve got dinner that’s better than any restaurant.

Step One: Make the Dry Rub

Just mix together salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, and a tiny bit of cayenne in a bowl. Rub it all over that pork shoulder (which has the perfect fat-to-meat ratio). Don’t skimp here.

Step Two: Sear It

Heat some olive oil in a skillet and brown that pork for a minute or two on each side. This step matters – it locks in flavor. Then toss it in your slow cooker.

Step Three: Slow Cook

Pour in some water and liquid smoke, cover it up, and cook on high for 4-4½ hours or on low for 8 hours works too.

Step Four: Shred

When it’s done, pull that tender pork out and shred it with two forks. Toss any big fatty chunks – nobody wants those.

Step Five: Season Again

Mix your shredded pork with more salt, pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. I use tongs for this because it’s way easier than a spoon.

Step Six: Make the Sauce

Whisk brown sugar with about ¾ cup of green chile enchilada sauce in a small pot and heat it until the sugar dissolves.

Then pour it over your pork. This is what makes it SWEET pork.

Serving & Storing

Serve this as burritos, tacos, or enchiladas with regular or cilantro-lime rice, black or pinto beans, guacamole, tortilla chips, and fresh pico de gallo.

Once the pork has cooled, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days. When you’re ready to eat, reheat it on the stovetop or microwave with a little of the sauce to keep it moist.

You can also freeze this by portioning it into airtight freezer-safe containers or resealable freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible from the bags before sealing. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Then just reheat it the same way once it’s thawed out.

Questions and Troubleshooting

More Pork Recipes

Never suffer dry overcooked pork ever again with these recipes.

• Crockpot pork chops with apples is delicious and perfect for cozy fall evenings.
• Cast iron skillet pork chops are a quick and easy dinner that goes lovely with mashed potatoes.
• Or try this different slow cooker pork roast with a garlic lemon flavor that’s also good with mashed potatoes.

Printable Recipe