Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ Crunchy Tacos

I promise all those words in a row are WORTH IT.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ Crunchy Tacos / Bev Cooks

This is the thing – a while back I made some BBQ-ish nachos for a client, and on top of those nachos was a dollop of BBQ sauce, and a dollop of sour cream. You guys, I was not aware at that time, of the divine union between BBQ sauce and sour cream.

Did you know – and this is true – that once the two forms come together in any way – mixed, touched, a light whisk, what have you, that inner peace rises within and the sun shines on your soul like the babies that drink the morning dew? Did you know?

This is the truth I speak.

So I made you tacos.

With BBQ sauce and sour cream.

Pony up.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ Crunchy Tacos / Bev Cooks

It’s all very simple, really. I accidentally found this Peruvian BBQ spice blend at Whole Foods, and fainted inside. So I rubbed it all over a 3-pound pork shoulder, seared it all over in a hot skillet (with my exhaust fan on because hi, I set off the smoke alarm like, every other hour around here), and placed it in a slow cooker for about six hours. Nothing added. Just the pork. Soopah simp.

I will say, if you want to skip the searing, feel free. If you’re in a time crunch and the thought of searing the pork gives you emotional gas, just don’t worry about it. Place that seasoned mutha right in the slow cooker and call it good. I just feel like there’s a bit more flavor with all the browning, but it’s totally your call. You’re still a good person.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ Crunchy Tacos / Bev Cooks

After you do some porkalicious shredding, whisk together a bit of your favorite BBQ sauce and a little more sour cream. This is the part where you can barely contain yourself because of what is about to unfold. You’ll pour most of the sauce right in the pork and gently toss it to coat. It’s not a ton of sauce. It won’t make it mushy. It simply adds a layer of SWEET BABIES I CAN’T FEEL MY TORSO.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ Crunchy Tacos / Bev Cooks

And then you’ll tuck as many mounds of pork as you can rightly deal with, into some warmed (purple!!) crunchy taco shells. (another Whole Foods find. this is not an ad.) Top it with some simple cabbage slaw you made while the pork cooked. Drizzle the rest of the sauce over the tacos. Toss a few more cilantro leaves on top. A few squeezes of lime juice. A small sprinkle of crispy onion straws (optional, but face-numbingly amazing), and there you have it!

I dig the purple taco shells because they’re not quite as STALE as the traditional ones seems to be. They have a more delicate crunch to them. Try to find them! It’s wawth it, gawgeous.

If you don’t make these soon I will question humanity.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ Crunchy Tacos / Bev Cooks

P.S. Add more sauce.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ Crunchy Tacos
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Ingredients

  • 3 pound pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
  • 2 oz favorite BBQ spice rub
  • 1/2 cup favorite BBQ sauce
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 small purple cabbage, finely shredded (a mandolin works great!)
  • 1 lime
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
  • one box purple crunchy taco shells
  • crispy fried onion straws, for garnish (totally optional)
  • coarse salt

Instructions

  1. Evenly rub the spice blend all over the pork shoulder, then place in a hot skillet with a Tbs. of oil. Sear on one side for about two minutes, then flip and sear another two minutes. If you can, flip the pork on its sides and sear another minute or two, just to get good browning all over. Transfer the pork to a slow cooker and cook on low for six hours. Shred with two forks, right in the pot.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce and sour cream. Pour 3/4th of the mix over the shredded pork and gently toss with a pair of tongs, until coated.
  3. In the meantime, combine the shredded cabbage with the lime juice, cilantro and a pinch of salt. Let it sit in a bowl to marry for about an hour.
  4. Warm the crunchy taco shells in the oven, and fill each one with shredded pork. Top with the cabbage slaw, more cilantro leaves, a good drizzle of the sauce, and a few crispy onion straws. OMG.
  5. Serves a lot. Like maybe six.
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https://bevcooks.com/2016/09/slow-cooker-pulled-pork-bbq-crunchy-tacos/

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ Crunchy Tacos / Bev Cooks

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15 Responses to Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ Crunchy Tacos

  1. McKenzi September 20, 2016 at 1:01 pm #
    I discovered this combo at a restaurant that served chicken quesadillas drizzled with BBQ sauce and sour cream but separate. And the flavor combo was unreal so now I serve our quesadillas with homemade ranch and BBQ sauce combined or with our BBQ chicken salad. It really is a life changing combo! Never thought to mix it in the pork. I'm on it!
  2. Brittany September 20, 2016 at 10:19 pm #
    Hey Bev! This looks amazing. I can't wait to try it. I'm also totally loving your blog, it's so fun! I am also in the process of starting my own blog and was wondering how you insert this pretty recipe for everyone to download? I just haven't been able to figure it out. Thanks for any help! Look forward to reading more...and eating more.
    • Bev Weidner September 22, 2016 at 9:43 am #
      Hey! It's just a little plugin - I think called Meal Planner Pro!
  3. Taylor September 21, 2016 at 8:05 am #
    I'm a fan of anything giving me an excuse for more sour cream, so these look awesome! I'm not usually a fan of crunchy taco shells but I'm intrigued by this blue variety, guess I'll have to be on the lookout for them!
  4. Kady September 21, 2016 at 12:10 pm #
    Sweeeeeeeet MOTHER!!! I would typically turn my nose up at a taco without cheese (how can you call yourself a taco WITHOUT cheese!?) but for this, I'll make a delicious exception! Give me BBQ chicken anything and I'm happy but I've never mixed bbq sauce with sour cream. This looks incredible and my mouth is watering. Thanks for that! :)
  5. Steph September 21, 2016 at 10:36 pm #
    Wait, so the pork goes straight in th slow cooker with no liquid???? I always thought I had to add liquid, like if I didn't it would burn the house down or something terrible. Is this right? Like no water at all?
    • Bev Weidner September 22, 2016 at 9:43 am #
      You're correct! No water at all. The pork will release a ton of its natural juices, and that's all ya need!
  6. Carolyn September 29, 2016 at 6:45 pm #
    Winner winner pork taco dinner. These were delicious. I was nervous about no liquid in tbe crock but it was so so good. The house smelled amazing too. Highly recommended!
  7. Catt October 2, 2016 at 4:23 am #
    Great combo of flavors! I will try theze. We love tacos too. I have been wanting a char on my taco tortilla. I started using a gluten free corn and rice tortilla from Whole Foods. They are in the freezer section. They are thicker than regular tortillas...much like homemade tortillas. I fill my tacos and then put them in a hot pan to charge slightly on each side..love that crunchy smokey char!
  8. Emily December 5, 2016 at 4:05 pm #
    These are definitely a winner. For the spice rub, I used the recipe from http://azestforlife.com/recipe/karens-peruvian-spice-blend/ but replaced the lemon peel in that recipe with the zest of the lime used in this recipe to make the red cabbage slaw. And a tip for other cooks in Europe: Danish hot dog onion topping (found often near the mustard and ketchup) can be used for the garnish.
  9. Holly December 22, 2016 at 9:54 am #
    I want to make these tonight and I already have pork tenderloin. Will this work just as good or do I need to have a pork shoulder?
    • Bev Weidner December 23, 2016 at 7:57 am #
      Either will work! The shoulder will be fattier, so if the tenderloin seems dry, just add a tad bit of stock or water! (sorry this took so long to answer. my email wasn't working!)
  10. Ron Maver May 5, 2017 at 12:47 pm #
    Bev, If I was pressed for time, could I do 3 hours on low and 2 hours on high to cook it in the crockpot?
  11. Robin January 5, 2020 at 3:16 am #
    A friend brought us these after I had my third kiddo... and we can’t stop eating them. She included the recipe and now I make them all the time. Everyone loves them and they are SO EASY. I do mine in the IP. Sear, high pressure 90min with a natural pressure release. Always a win. Thanks!!

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