I’m a bit of a taco snob. I’ve tried them all, from street tacos to fancy restaurant creations. But let me tell you, nothing beats the simple satisfaction of well-made smoked pulled pork tacos. That smoky flavor makes any topping combo better. It’s a taco lover’s dream come true!
It’s funny how I used to think tacos were fast food. They’re only fast once you have all the fillings ready! This recipe is anything but fast – at its core is that low and slow smoked pork butt that turns into the juiciest, most flavorful pulled pork you ever tasted. Good things come to those who wait, right?
Then come the toppings, and that’s where I get greedy and want a panoply of flavors. Which is why this recipe is a two-for-one deal. I went classic with BBQ sauce and a zesty Creole coleslaw, and then I spiced things up with a Mexican version.
Let’s heat up our smokers and get to work!
🛒 Ingredients
✔️For the Pork Butt:
- Pork Butt
- Taco Seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
- Mustard
✔️For the Tacos:
- Taco Size Flour Tortillas (or corn)
✔️Garnishes for Mexican Style Tacos:
- Sour Cream
- Guacamole
- Diced Red Onion
✔️Garnishes for BBQ Style Tacos:
- BBQ Sauce
- Coleslaw
👨🍳 Instructions
🍖 Smoking The Pork Butt
👉Step 1 – Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
👉Step 2 – Spread a thin layer of mustard all over the pork butt. Give it a good massage so it goes into every nook and cranny.
👉Step 3 – Rub salt all over the pork butt and then do the same with the pepper.
👉Step 4 – Once your smoker comes up to temperature, place the pork butt inside and smoke uncovered until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 175°F. This took about 6 hours for us, but the time will vary depending on your smoker, the size of the cut, and other factors. It’s best to focus on the internal temp, rather than time.
👉Step 5 – Wrap the pork butt in aluminum foil then place it back in the smoker until the internal temperature reaches 203°F (the ideal internal temperature for pull apart, juicy pork meat). This took another 4.5 hours for us.
👉Step 6 – Remove the pork butt from the smoker and let it rest for one hour. Then, you can remove the bone (if your cut was bone-in) and shred the meat.
👉Step 7 – Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the pulled pork meat and mix well.
🌮 Taco Prep
👉Step 1 – While the pork butt is smoking, prep your taco toppings. We did two styles for the sake of variety (and because they also happen to be our favorites!).
👉Step 2 – Time for taco assembly! Grab a taco-size tortilla and fill it with pulled pork. We topped the BBQ ones with coleslaw and BBQ sauce. For the Mexican-style tacos we added guacamole, sour cream, and diced red onions (in this order – yes, it matters, at least to us!).
Mexican Style – sour cream, homemade blender guacamole, and diced red onion (pickled red onions also work great here!).
BBQ Style – BBQ sauce and coleslaw. We went with our homemade Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce this time but you can use any other recipe or store-bought sauce. The same goes for coleslaw. We did this easy spicy creole coleslaw and it was a great combo with the juicy pulled pork!
❗ Recipe Tips & Tricks
📌Meat Temp – Make sure your pork butt is close to room temperature before smoking. We leave it on the counter one hour before it goes into the smoker.
📌Smoking Temp – This pork butt was smoked low and slow at 225°F and it took a little over 10 hours to reach the ideal internal temperature of 203°F. You can use this smoked pork butt recipe for a faster version (it only needs 4-6 hours in the smoker).
We smoked that one at 275°F and still got incredibly tender and juicy pulled pork.
📌Doneness – Keep in mind that cooking times vary depending on a wealth of factors: the type of smoker, the size of the pork butt, outside temperature, and so on. The most accurate way to do this is to focus on the internal temperature of the meat as an indicator for doneness, not time.
📌Smoking Wood – My favorite smoking woods for this recipe are hickory, oak, or mesquite but there are plenty of other options you can try. Check out my free printable smoking wood chart for more wood choices.
📌Seasoning – I used El Paso taco seasoning but you can use whatever taco seasoning you have on hand.
🍱 Storage
🍖Smoked pulled pork – All pulled meats can be made ahead, including pulled pork. You can keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days. And it keeps even better if you don’t shred it and just store the whole piece. I like to pull only as much meat as I know we can eat and keep the rest intact.
Another option is to freeze the smoked pulled pork in an airtight container and it will stay good for up to 3 months. If you want to freeze a whole roast, wrap it in clingfilm and place it in a freezer bag to prevent those dreaded freezer burns. If possible, vacuum seal it for the best results.
🌮Tacos – They’re best served fresh, so do not assemble them until you’re ready to serve! The juices from the meat and the other toppings will quickly turn them soggy. Freezing them is not good either. They’ll get soggy while they’re thawing.
You can prep all the ingredients in advance, place them in separate containers, and keep them in the fridge until it’s time to serve.
🥗 Sides For Smoked Pork Butt Tacos
Some of you might argue and say: tacos are everything, they don’t need sides. And you’re not wrong!
I often munch on tacos with no need for anything else except a cold beer (can’t skip that one!). However, we also have some go-to sides for tacos we enjoy so we keep coming back to them.
⭐If you’re looking for an easy way out (I know…. you just kept yourself busy for half a day to smoke that pork butt), chips and salsa are our quick fix. And with so many options available, it never gets boring!
⭐Luckily, we’re just a little lazy sometimes, and then we make some grilled corn on the cob (in the husk). I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this.
⭐So far, every time I made the spicy Creole coleslaw for the BBQ-style smoked pulled pork tacos, I couldn’t resist making some extra to serve on the side. And I never have leftovers, so no regrets!
⭐While the pork butt is smoking, I sometimes throw in some potatoes too, and make this smoked potato salad. Even if I smoke the meat one day ahead, I can do the same with this salad. In fact, letting it sit in the fridge overnight only enhances the smoky flavor. And you’re all set for the next day!
Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos (BBQ & Mexican Style)
Equipment
- Smoker
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
For The Smoked Pork Butt
- 4-5 Pound Pork Butt
- 2 Taco Seasoning Packets 1 oz each
- ¼ Cup Salt
- ¼ Cup Pepper
- 2 tbs Mustard
For The Tacos
- Taco Size Flour Tortillas (or corn, if preferred)
Garnishes For Mexican Style Tacos
- Sour Cream
- Guacamole
- Diced Red Onion
Garnishes For BBQ Style Tacos
- BBQ Sauce
- Coleslaw
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
- Rub the mustard over the entire pork butt.
- Cover the entire butt with salt and then finish with the pepper.
- Once the smoker is fully heated, place the pork butt inside and smoke uncovered until the internal temperature reaches 175°F.
- Wrap the pork butt in tin foil and place back in the smoker until the internal temperature reaches 203°F at the thickest portion.
- Remove the pork butt from the smoker and let it rest for an hour before removing the bone (if necessary) and shredding it. We tend to shred it by hand with rubber gloves, but a fork would do the trick as well.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the shredded pork butt and mix well.
- To assemble the tacos, grab a taco size flour tortilla and fill it with the pulled pork (how much is up to your preferences). To go BBQ style, we like to top the tacos with coleslaw and our favorite BBQ sauce. For Mexican style, we like to top them with guacamole, sour cream, and diced red onions (exactly in that order). Enjoy!
Notes
- Do not store already assembled tacos or they result in a soggy, gross mess. You want to store all the ingredients separately, in airtight containers. You can even freeze the pulled pork in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If storing the pulled pork in the fridge, it’s good for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Bone-in or out is fine for the pork butt. If you use a bone-in, you’ll want to remove the bone after it’s rested and is ready to be shredded. Locate the bone and give it a good tug. It should come out easily.
- Use your favorite taco seasoning. I used Old El Paso, but often use my own homemade mix as well.
- Use whatever toppings you normally prefer on your tacos.
- It’s important to note that cooking times vary across smokers and pork butts, so focus less on the time it takes to smoke, and more on the internal temperature as an indicator of when the meat is done.
- The best woods for this recipe would be hickory, oak, or mesquite, although just about any would work fine.
Nutrition
Jason’s been firing up the grill for over 30 years after graduating from the US Coast Guard Academy. His love of finely-grilled steak and chicken led him to buy his first Weber grill to put on his apartment patio in 1992. Each military move led to a new grill (a mixture of gas and charcoal) until he fell in love with the Big Green Egg in 2008. Since then, he has added another 4 grills to the collection. Yes, he has a problem. Jason loves smoking in the ceramic BGE with exotic woods including olive wood from Egypt and hard to find varieties such as sassafras and orange wood. Jason takes the term “foodie” to a whole new level, jumping at the chance to take food tours and cooking classes during foreign travels. These have provided inspiration to incorporate new ideas into recipes when he gets back home. He has been featured in Fox News, Parade, Yahoo News, Kansas City Living and more. After retiring from the military and moving to southwest Florida, he has focused grilling and smoking locally sourced meats and fish (read: he likes to catch his own fish!)
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