Leftover Pulled Pork Tacos present a tasty solution to what to do with leftover pulled pork; treat it like carnitas as you reheat it to transform it into an amazing taco dinner.
I’m never not excited for leftover pulled pork - there are just so many possibilities! A favorite use for leftover pulled pork is definitely tacos. The transformation is easily accomplished, regardless of how your pork is seasoned.
Many pulled pork recipes call for brown sugar or sugary ingredients like Coca-Cola - the sugar present makes it perfect for caramelizing. Which is the move if you want to repurpose leftover pulled pork for tacos. Caramelize that leftover meat, carnitas style!
This was inspired by my Dr. Pepper Carnitas recipe. The inspiration comes from how the shredded pork is prepared - in this case, reheated - to make it all crispy and texturally delicious. Or if you want an all-purpose Pulled Pork recipe, try this Instant Pot Pork Butt recipe.
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How do you make tacos with leftover pulled pork?
The key to jazzing up leftover shredded pork for tacos is to treat it like carnitas. During the reheating process, you’ll want to make sure you caramelize pieces of your leftover pulled pork in a pan on the stovetop. This will result in irresistibly crispy bits that give your leftover pulled pork a whole new life - as a delicious carnitas-adjacent taco!
Note: My assumption here is that your leftover pulled pork is not coated in sauce. If it is you may want to skip the caramelizing step as the sauce may burn during reheating, especially if there are sugars present.
Ingredients Need to Make Leftover Pork Tacos
You don’t need a hard and fast list of ingredients to make Leftover Shredded Pork Tacos. But the suggested ingredients are my go-to's for topping inclusion. Check out the Variations for Pulled Pork Tacos section for more tasty ideas. Serves 4-5 people.
- 1 - 1 ½ pounds leftover pulled pork
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease or oil
- corn or flour tortillas
- shredded Iceberg lettuce
- red onion, finely diced
- cotija or feta cheese
- hot sauce
Instructions - How to Make Leftover Pork Tacos
Heat 1 tablespoon of bacon grease or oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Once heated, arrange shredded pork in an even layer in the pan and cook, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes.
Using tongs, flip the pork. It should appear golden brown and crispy. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve hot with desired toppings.
Variations for Pulled Pork Tacos
Assuming your leftover pork is relatively neutral in flavor, you can take it a few directions.
- Traditional BBQ - Top with coleslaw and pickled jalapenos, along with a drizzle of your favorite BBQ sauce. Try it with this Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw.
- So fresh and so spicy - Top with homemade Spicy Pico de Gallo and hot sauce.
- Hashed - Crisp up some hashbrowns or cubed potatoes along with peppers and onions for a pulled pork hash style taco.
- Breakfast style - Scramble a few eggs to go on top along with shredded cheese and maybe a drizzle of hollandaise.
Frequently Asked Questions
For making tacos, I think the best way to reheat leftover pulled pork is in a pan with bacon grease over medium-high heat. Approximately 8 minutes total, flipping the pulled pork halfway through to achieve crispy bits of pork to create carnitas-style pork perfect for tacos.
Most likely not. Especially if the sauce contains sugars, which will burn over the medium-high heat called for to achieve crispy carnitas. I would recommend heating saucy pulled pork in a skillet over medium-low heat, covered, until heated through.
There are SO many good toppings to put on pulled pork tacos. Here are a few to get you started:
Guacamole
Pico de Gallo (or try this Cucumber Pico de Gallo!)
Homemade Guacamole
Taco Sauce or Hot Sauce
Salsa (try this Roasted Green Tomato Salsa!)
Sour Cream
Creamy Green Sauce (with Jalapeno and Spring Onion)
Shredded cabbage or lettuce
Shredded or crumbly cheese
Chopped green onions
Jalapeño slices (fresh or pickled)
When serving up leftovers, my best tips are to 1) transform it and 2) serve it with something fresh / freshly made. We’ve got the transform it part down by treating leftover pulled pork like carnitas for tacos. Try pairing your Leftover Shredded Pork Tacos with one of the following side dishes:
Instant Pot Spanish Rice
Instant Pot Basmati Rice
Taco Balls
Easy Seasoned Refried Beans
Restaurant Style Refried Beans from a Can
Roasted Garlic Guacamole
Spicy Pico de Gallo
Tajin Cucumber Salsa
Top tip
Be creative! Leftover pulled pork won’t taste leftover if you treat it right and kick things up with fresh, unique taco toppings. Like in this Pulled Pork Tostada.
Also, as you are probably aware, repurposing leftovers is a fantastic way to save money! For more money-saving ideas, check out Practical Ways to Stretch Your Food Budget. And check out What to do with Leftover Nachos for more money-saving ideas.
Leftover Pulled Pork Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 - 1 ½ pounds leftover pulled pork
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease or oil
- corn or flour tortillas
- shredded Iceberg lettuce
- red onion, finely diced
- cotija or feta cheese
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon bacon grease or oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once heated, arrange shredded pork in an even layer in the pan and cook, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes.
- Using tongs, flip the pork. It should appear golden brown and crispy. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve hot with desired toppings.
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