Pork Birria Tacos

These Slow Cooker Pork Birria Tacos have the same rich and smokey flavors as beef birria, but with a twist. The crisp tortilla shells are stuffed with tender shredded pork, melted cheese, and served with a side of birria consomme for dipping.

Love tacos? You can also try my Tex-Mex style Beef Birria Tacos, Chicken Tacos, or these Shredded Beef Tacos.

A hand dipping a pork birria taco into birria sauce.

Pork Birria Tacos

These slow cooked pork shoulder birria tacos are loaded with juicy, flavorful shredded pork and melted cheese, then heated on the griddle until the tortillas are nice and crispy.

Email This Recipe

Get a link to this recipe emailed so you can save it for later + get all the latest Carefree Kitchen recipes!

By submitting this form you consent to receive emails from The Carefree Kitchen

If you have somehow missed the birria tacos trend that has been all over social media, birria is basically stewed meat that is cooked in a smokey, spicy, and rich chile sauce. It originated in Mexico and has been a super popular street food there for years.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is my easy version of birria—more Tex-Mex than authentic Mexican—made in the slow cooker so that you don’t have to plan your day around cooking it!

Pork birria tacos on a plate with fresh limes and a side of sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The slow cooker does all the work. Seriously. All of those amazing layers of rich flavor comes from cooking the ingredients together low and slow. You can even make the meat ahead of time so that when you are ready to eat your tacos, you just need to reheat and assemble.
So much meaty flavor. There is a reason that birria is so popular these days—it is delicious! The rich, smokey, and spicy broth is loaded with flavor. So much so that you even dip the tortillas into it before heating up on the griddle, then dip the tacos into them while eating.
Something new for taco night. These are anything but boring. And don’t get me wrong. I love a shredded pork taco, but these are just beyond. The crisp shell loaded with juicy pork and melted cheese with a side of even more sauce for dipping.

A slow cooker with pork and seasoning to make shredded pork shoulder birria.

Key Ingredients You Will Need

Pork – for slow cooked pork, I recommend using pork shoulder. Look for one that is well-marbled which will give you the best flavor.
Onions – cut the onion into large chunks that will be easy to strain out later.
Seasoning – so much of the classic birria flavor is in the seasoning. For this recipe I use garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, dried Mexican oregano, and salt. You could also add chili flakes.
Chipotle Sauce – use the sauce from canned chipotles. If you like it a little extra hot, you can also add a few chipotle peppers.
Corn Tortillas – 6” corn tortillas are a perfect size for these tacos. Corn is more traditional (and gluten free!) but you can feel free to substitute flour tortillas.
Shredded Cheese – I like to use Monterey Jack cheese. You could also use mozzarella cheese, Oaxaca cheese, or Chihuahua cheese.
Pico de Gallo – any kind of store bought or homemade Pico de Gallo or salsa will taste great.
Limes – serve with fresh lime wedges if desired.

How to Make Pork Birria Tacos in a Slow Cooker

Slow cook the pork birria. Add the pork, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and spices to a slow cooker. Top with the chipotle sauce and chicken broth, then cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6 hours.
Shred the pork. Once the pork is easy to shred, remove it from the slow cooker and shred using two forks.
Strain the sauce. Strain the onions and garlic cloves from the consomme and transfer to a bowl.

A griddle with birria tacos cooked until golden.

Assemble the tacos. Preheat a griddle or cast iron skillet and add a thin layer of avocado oil. Dip each corn tortilla into the chipotle chicken broth mixture and place on the griddle. Let the tortilla cook until slightly crispy, then flip over. Add about 1/4 cup shredded cheese and a few tablespoons of shredded pork. Fold the taco in half and continue to cook until both sides of the taco are crispy. Remove from the heat and assemble the remaining tacos.
Serve. Open the prepared taco and add 1-2 tablespoons of pico de gallo, a few sprigs of cilantro, and a spritz of fresh lime juice. Dip the pork taco into the remaining chipotle consomme. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

A hand opening up a cooked pork birria taco filled with gooey cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make these on the stovetop?

Yes! You can cook the pork and birria sauce in a Dutch oven on the stovetop or even the oven. In the oven, cover and cook in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 5-6 hours. On the stovetop, sear the pork first, then simmer everything in a Dutch oven until the chicken is shreddable and the sauce is super rich.

What other kinds of meat can I use?

Pork is delicious, but so are some other types of meat! Beef birria, made with just about any kind of beef roast, is fall-off-the-bone tender and so delish. Chicken birria, made with chicken thighs, is also surprisingly rich and just as yummy. You could also try using lamb.

Can I freeze birria meat?

Yes! Freeze the meat and the sauce separately, storing in freezer bags or another airtight container for up to 2 months.

Recipe Tips

If you like things spicy, experiment with adding different kinds of chiles in the sauce. Both dried Guajilo chiles and chiles de arbol are easy to find at the grocery store and will add different layers of flavor to the sauce.
Don’t rush the process! The secret to getting the sauce so delicious is in the low and slow cook. You won’t be able to develop such a complex flavor in a short amount of time.
Make it ahead of time. You can easily make the pork ahead of time and store in the fridge, or even freeze them for up to 2 months.

Storage Instructions

Storing leftovers: store leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can store any extra sauce separately for the same amount of time.
Freezing: to store for longer, you can freeze the shredded pork and sauce separately for up to 2 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight.
To reheat: pull your shredded pork and sauce out of the fridge about 30 minutes-1 hour before you plan to serve and spoon any hardened fat off of the top. Place in a pot or skillet and simmer on low until warmed through.