October 16, 2018
updated
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Learn how to make this taco filling ahead so everything is ready to serve by dinner time!
Pulled Pork BBQ Tacos
These BBQ Tacos are the ultimate fail-proof method to enjoy pulled pork all year round and on busy days, since all you do is place the pork in the slow cooker in the morning and allow it to cook all day. That way, by the time dinner rolls around, you are ready to feast!
The pork is covered in delicious BBQ sauce and slow-cooked to create a smoky, fall-apart tender meat. It practically begs to be eaten! With the smoky pork, these tacos needed a little crunch, so I added a simple coleslaw.
And let’s talk about the Honey Mustard Coleslaw Dressing. This homemade sauce is tangy, sweet, and creamy. It’s perfect for this slaw, on sandwiches, over salads, or even as a dip for veggies!
Ingredients
These mouthwatering BBQ Tacos combine delicious flavors and textures, from tender pork to crunchy veggies and a creamy, out-of-this-world dressing. Yummy!
Check the shopping list:
- Salt and black pepper: for seasoning the pork and the dressing.
- Garlic powder: makes the pork even more flavorful!
- Pork shoulder roast: cooked to perfection, it’s the star of these amazing tacos.
- Barbecue sauce: store-bought or homemade.
- Mayonnaise: a sour note for the epic dressing.
- Dijon mustard: adds a delicious spicy flavor.
- Honey: balances the strong taste of mayo and Dijon.
- Milk: gives the dressing a perfect consistency for drizzling.
- Slaw mix: you can buy it pre-chopped to save time or make it at home with shredded cabbage and matchstick carrots.
- Chopped cilantro: adds freshness to these BBQ tacos.
- Tortillas: corn or flour tortillas, use your favorites!
You’ll find the measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make BBQ Pork Tacos with Pulled Pork
Let’s put the slow cooker to work, and these incredible BBQ tacos will be ready to devour by dinner time with very little effort!
Here’s the step-by-step:
- Combine the seasonings
In a small dish, combine 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and garlic powder. - Cook the pork
Season the pork shoulder roast on all sides and place it in the slow cooker. Add ½ cup of the barbecue sauce, cover, and cook on high for 2 hours, then turn it down to low and cook for an additional 6 hours. - Make the dressing
While the pork is cooking, make the slaw dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, milk, and ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer the dressing to a glass jar, cover, and refrigerate until serving time. - Shred the meat
Using two forks, carefully shred pork inside the slow cooker and discard any fatty pieces. The pork should pull apart easily; if not, cover and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour. - Add more BBQ sauce!
Add the remaining 1 cup barbecue sauce to the slow cooker and toss to combine. - Prep the slaw
In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage, carrots, and chopped cilantro. Drizzle with half of the slaw dressing and toss to combine. - Assemble the tacos
To assemble the BBQ tacos, place a layer of slaw on each tortilla, top with shredded pork, drizzle with additional slaw dressing, and sprinkle with cilantro.
I don’t want you to miss out on all the action so check out this video to see how it’s made:
Other epic winners are the Asian Thai Ribs Tacos and Buffalo Chicken Tacos. Both are favorite family recipes transformed to fit inside a tortilla.
How to Prep Ahead
Since the slow cooker does all the work and you can prep these BBQ tacos ahead, it’s like enjoying a Taco Tuesday feast without barely stepping into the kitchen! You can prep everything inside the slow cooker the night before, cover it with plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge. The next morning, you set it on low and cook all day.
For the dressing, combine the ingredients and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To meal prep this recipe completely, purchase pre-shredded slaw at the store or prep the cabbage ahead and keep it in a zip bag. You can toss the slaw with the dressing 1 or 2 days ahead. It will taste even more delicious!
Save time by cooking in bulk and you can enjoy scrumptious BBQ pulled pork leftovers beyond Taco Night, assembling sliders, stuffing a baked sweet potato, topping a cheese pizza or a salad, or serving them inside a quesadilla.
What Goes On BBQ Tacos
Once the BBQ tacos are done, it’s toppings time! Tortillas always have room for something extra, so here are some delicious ideas:
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Avocado Salsa
- Crumbled or shredded cheese
- Roasted peppers and onions
- Lettuce
What to Serve with BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos
While these BBQ Tacos with pulled pork are an epic meal by themselves, you can add more nutrition and goodness by serving them with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, Grilled Veggie Kabobs, or this simple Cucumber Salad. And, hey, Taco Tuesday is not only about food. I mean, what about sipping a refreshing Tequila Lemonade? Whoa!
Pulled Pork BBQ Tacos
Ingredients
For the BBQ pulled pork:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 (3 pound) pork shoulder roast
- 1 ½ cups barbecue sauce, divided
For the Honey Mustard Dressing:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ⅛ salt
- ⅛ freshly ground black pepper
To assemble the tacos:
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, more for serving
- 12 corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Instructions
Cook a perfect pork:
- In a small dish, combine 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon of the pepper, and the garlic powder.
- Season the pork shoulder roast on all sides and place it in the slow cooker. Add ½ cup (125 g) of the barbecue sauce, cover, and cook on high for 2 hours, then turn it down to low and cook for an additional 6 hours.
- Using two forks, carefully shred pork inside the slow cooker and discard any fatty pieces. The pork should pull apart easily; if not, cover and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Add the remaining 1 cup barbecue sauce to the slow cooker and toss to combine.
Make the dressing:
- While the pork is cooking, make the slaw dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, milk, and ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Transfer the dressing to a glass jar, cover, and refrigerate until serving time. (The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.)
Assemble the BBQ tacos:
- In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage, carrots, and chopped cilantro. Drizzle with half of the slaw dressing and toss to combine.
- To assemble the tacos, place a layer of slaw on each tortilla, top with shredded pork, drizzle with additional slaw dressing, and sprinkle with cilantro.
DavidF
I am buying your Taco Tuesday cookbook, but I wish that I had a way to print out this recipe. I like having a printed copy where I can write on it as I cook. In the future, please, don’t have that clause in your Cookbook contract, because I don’t like that. I am more than happy to buy your book, but I like being able to: (1) test recipes before I buy a $30 cookbook, and (2) have a way to print it out where I don’t damage the said-cookbook. In my kitchen, stuff gets soggy, wet, slop on it, etc. So, I put stuff into a Word doc and print it out for safety’s sake. Please, consider having the full recipe on your site.
Laura Fuentes
Hi David, thank you for your support and purchasing the taco Tuesday cookbook! for the reasons you listed here, there are many recipes from the book on this website. I’m slowly adding more as the contract allows -that’s something I dont’ have a lot of control over. Don’t be afraid to write your notes on the book, it’s your very personal touch to it! Thankfully, the cookbook is most often on sale on Amazon for +/- $14-$16, making it very affordable for everyone to access. I hope Tuesdays become the best eats of your week!
Sarah
These Tacos are the Bomb. GET THE BOOK PEOPLE! So so worth it! Btw: I am following along your Taco Tuesday series. It’s been so much fun so far! I’m a week behind but this way, I can learn how to make it for the next week!