Pork Taquitos

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Savor these Pork Taquitos, loaded with slow-cooked pulled pork, smothered in a sweet honey-chipotle BBQ sauce. The pork is piled into a tortilla with freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese and browned to crispy perfection in a skillet.

Pair these taquitos with some veggies! We love these Roasted Sweet Potatoes or this simple Corn Salad.

Finished crunchy pork taquitos on a plate, accompanied by sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and avocado on the side.

Pork Taquitos

We’re obsessed with these Pork Taquitos! The pork is perfectly tender, the sauce is sticky, sweet, and a little bit spicy, and everything put together gives you the perfect crunchy taquito. And all without any frying! These taquitos start with slow-cooked pork and are crisped up in a skillet. Trust me, you won’t miss the frying with all the flavors going on inside.

While there are a few steps to these taquitos, they all come together nicely since the prep work is broken up throughout the day. The pork is prepared in the morning (or 7-9 hours before eating), the sauce can be prepared whenever, and the assembly is done right before eating.

The honey-chipotle BBQ sauce is customizable to personal spice levels. As written, I’d say its a little spicy, but nothing my little boys turned away from. If you love spice, feel free to increase the chipotles, tasting the sauce as you go. Speaking of sauce, I break down the individual ingredients below.

Prepping pork in a slow cooker, cooking, shredding it, adding BBQ sauce, then adding the pork to a tortilla with cheese, rolling up, and frying in a skillet.

Chipotle BBQ Sauce

This barbecue sauce is our absolute favorite! It’s sweet, spicy, and best of all, a breeze to whip together! Everything just needs to be blended together and that’s it.

  • Ketchup: I can’t recommend Heinz® ketchup enough — it’s the best in this sauce (not sponsored).
  • Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works great; lightly pack it in.
  • Honey: Between the honey and brown sugar — these two ingredients really sweeten the sauce– the sweetness is offset a bit with the chipotles, but the sauce is intended to be a bit sweet (like all good BBQ sauces!).
  • Chipotle chilies in adobo: Here’s a list of the best canned chipotle peppers; read below on how to store leftover chipotles.
  • Apple cider vinegar: The vinegar helps to balance the sweetness from the honey and sugar and the spiciness of the chipotles.
  • Worcestershire sauce: We use this ingredient to add to the depth of flavor as well as an umami element to the sauce.
  • Garlic: If using full cloves, give the garlic a quick coarse chop before adding to the blender so it blends up and integrates into the sauce nicely.
  • Salt and pepper

QUICK TIP

Taste and adjust the sauce to personal preference; the chipotles are important to balancing the sauce (so it isn’t too sweet), but add slowly and taste as you go, so you don’t end up with an overly spicy sauce. Remember also that the tortilla, pork, and cheese tame the spiciness of the sauce.

Making chipotle barbecue sauce by assembling ingredients in a blender jar and blending until smooth, with adjustments to taste if necessary.

Storing leftover chipotle peppers

There’s nothing worse than using only one or two peppers and not being able to use the rest of the can before it goes bad. Luckily, canned chipotle peppers freeze beautifully! Here’s how to freeze leftover chipotles after using some of them in these Pork Taquitos:

  • Spread a sheet of parchment paper onto a large pan.
  • Spoon out individual peppers with sauce, 1/2 inch apart, on to the pan. Place the pan in the freezer until peppers and sauce are frozen solid, about 1 hour.
  • Once frozen, the chipotles and sauce will peel off the parchment paper easily.
  • Add all the frozen peppers to a freezer-safe plastic bag, seal while pressing out any air, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. (Be sure to label and date the bag.)
  • To thaw: Take as many peppers as needed out of the bag and let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until thawed through (or pop individual peppers in the microwave for 10-15 seconds).

Crispy pork taquitos garnished with fresh cilantro and jalapeños, presenting a flavor-packed meal.

Let’s talk corn tortillas

I absolutely love corn tortillas with the pork and BBQ sauce. They can be tricky to work with, though, because they break easily. Here’s how I prepare the corn tortillas to keep them in one piece:

  1. Start with thin corn tortillas. (Not sure where to start? Here’s an article breaking down the major brands of corn tortillas so you can better navigate what brand you’d enjoy.)
  2. Spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray. I use an olive oil-based spray (canola works as well) and give each side a good spritz.
  3. Very lightly char just one side of the tortilla on an open flame on the stovetop. If you don’t have an open flame, warm for 10-15 seconds in a skillet.
  4. Immediately remove the tortilla from the heat and roll into a cylinder. Place under a towel and repeat until all the tortillas are rolled.
  5. Once all the tortillas have been charred and rolled, add the pork and Cheddar cheese to the tortillas. Place these additions on the side of the tortilla that has been charred.
  6. Re-roll the tortillas and add the taquito to the skillet. Brown on all sides.

If you don’t love corn tortillas, use flour ones. Even though flour tortillas roll up nicely, I still like to spray them with cooking spray and brown them in a skillet; this adds so much flavor and helps ensure all the cheese melts nicely.

Pork Taquito toppings

These Pork Taquitos are quite amazing on their own! They don’t need much in way of toppings or dipping, but if you’re feeling like you want a little something extra, here are my serving recommendations:

  • Fresh cilantro
  • Sliced jalapeños 
  • Guacamole or thinly sliced avocado
  • Coleslaw (homemade or packaged)

Finished meal on a plate with one portion broken apart, revealing the inside with tender meat in flavorful sauce.

Pork Taquito tips

  • Our favorite cheese to pair with the sweet sauced pork is sharp Cheddar. 
  • Use pork butt (also called Boston butt) or a pork shoulder for this recipe. The more marbled with fat, the more flavor you’ll end up with. As it slowly cooks, the meat will become tender and shred so easily. For even more flavor, opt for a bone-in pork butt. Also, if the pork has a thick layer of fat, do not cut that off! It will add tons of flavor and render easily to discard once the meat is cooked. I do recommend using a skinless piece of pork; otherwise the rub won’t actually flavor the meat.
  • Cook the meat on low. I don’t recommend cooking the meat on high; it tends to dry it out. Also, be sure to adjust the time for larger cuts of pork. A 5-7-pound pork butt/shoulder will take about 9-10 hours on low.

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Pork Taquitos

5 from 4 votes
Pork Taquitos with slow-cooked pulled pork that has been smothered in a sweet honey-chipotle BBQ sauce. The pork is added to a tortilla with freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese and browned to crispy perfection in a skillet.
Finished crunchy pork taquitos on a plate, accompanied by sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and avocado on the side.
Print Recipe

Pork Taquitos

Finished crunchy pork taquitos on a plate, accompanied by sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and avocado on the side.
5 from 4 votes
Pork Taquitos with slow-cooked pulled pork that has been smothered in a sweet honey-chipotle BBQ sauce. The pork is added to a tortilla with freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese and browned to crispy perfection in a skillet.
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword Pork Taquitos
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 439kcal
Cost $15.12

Ingredients

Pork

  • 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup (243g) chicken broth
  • 5-6 pounds bone-in pork roast (butt/shoulder) (often labeled as pork shoulder butt blade roast)
  • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder (McCormick recommended to avoid overly spicy chili powder)
  • 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/16 teaspoon (tiny pinch) ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic

Chipotle Honey BBQ Sauce

  • 1 cup (263g) ketchup (I recommend Heinz)
  • 1/2 cup (95g) lightly packed light brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (232g) honey
  • 2 tablespoons canned chipotle chilies in adobo (scale up or down to personal heat preference!)
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • pinch of pepper

Other Ingredients

  • Thin corn (or flour) tortillas and cooking spray (See Note 1)
  • Freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese
  • Optional: serve with fresh cilantro, jalapeños, guacamole or thinly sliced avocado. Coleslaw is also a fun complement to the BBQ sauce and pork.

Instructions

  • CROCKPOT: Remove the outer peels of the onion and thinly slice the onions. Generously spray the crockpot with nonstick spray and add the sliced onions in an even layer along the bottom of the crockpot. Add in the garlic. Pour the chicken broth along the bottom. Remove the packaging on the pork and dab all over to dry with paper towels.
  • RUB: Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, salt, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir and then rub evenly into and all over the pork. Place the pork in the slow cooker on top of the onions (place the fat cap on the pork facing up on top).
  • COOK: Cover and cook for 7-10 hours on low or until meat shreds easily. (I don't recommend cooking the pork on high.) For a 5.5 pound roast, it usually takes 9 hours in my crockpot. Once tender, remove the fat cap on pork (it should pull off easily and pull out and discard the bone.) Pull the pork from the crockpot into a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the pork. (Enjoy the onions if desired, discarding all the other liquids in the crockpot.)
  • CHIPOTLE HONEY BBQ SAUCE: Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust ingredients to preference (you may want more chipotles -- add chipotle very slowly; a little goes a long way; better to add less at first!). Pour the sauce over the shredded pork and gently toss to combine and warm the sauce.
  • ASSEMBLY: Prep the tortillas (See Note 1). Place about 3-4 tablespoons of the meat mixture in a tortilla. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of freshly grated cheese and roll up tightly.
  • SKILLET: Place 4-5 of the taquitos in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Using tongs, rotate the taquitos on to each side for 10-15 seconds or until browned and crispy. Increase the heat if they aren't browning and decrease if they are browning too quickly.
  • BAKE: Alternatively, you can cook these in the oven (425 degrees F for 10-13 minutes).
  • SERVE: Serve taquitos hot, right off the skillet or out of the oven! We think they're delicious as is, but if desired, serve with some guacamole or thinly sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, and/or jalapeños. Even coleslaw would make a fun topping!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Here's how I prepare the tortillas.
  1. Start with thin corn tortillas (Not sure where to start? Here's an article breaking down the major brands of corn tortillas so you can better navigate what brand you'd enjoy).
  2. Spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray. I use an olive oil based spray (canola works as well) and give each side a good spritz.
  3. Very lightly char just one side of the tortilla on an open flame on the stovetop. If you don't have an open flame, warm for 10-15 seconds in a skillet.
  4. Immediately remove the tortilla from the heat and roll up in a cylinder. Place under a towel and repeat until all the tortillas are rolled up.
  5. Once all the tortillas have been charred on one side and rolled up, add the pork and cheddar cheese to the tortillas. Place these additions on the side of the tortilla that has been charred.
  6. Re-roll the tortillas and add the taquito to the skillet. Brown on all sides.
  7. If you don't love corn tortillas, use flour! Even though flour tortillas roll up nicely, I still like to spray them with cooking spray and brown them in a skillet; this adds so much flavor and helps ensure all the Cheddar cheese melts nicely.
Note 2: Calories are for the pork and chipotle honey BBQ sauce; toppings and the tortillas you use will vary.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings | Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 69.3g | Protein: 32.5g | Fat: 3.4g | Cholesterol: 99.1mg | Sodium: 688.4mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 64.2g

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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12 Comments

  1. I made these tonight and they are amazing!! I didn’t use the sauce on a portion for my kids. They loved just the pork/cheese tortilla. My husband and I really enjoyed them as is!! The only change was using coconut palm sugar instead of brown sugar! Thanks for the recipe!!! This will be made often in my house!!

  2. An idea for that extra liquid leftover after cooking the pork: I use it in place of water when I make rice. It tastes delicious topped with seafood, such as shrimp or scallops.

  3. I’ve been having a ton of fun trying all sorts of fun recipes on your site. Thanks for all the time and effort spent in creating them. I am debating on cooking this recipe for family members this week. One member hates onions. Would omitting the onions effect the flavor of this recipe a ton???

    1. Awe that is so great to hear! I really, really appreciate your comment and that you’ve been trying my recipes! This one is one of our favorites 🙂 My husband hates onions too and couldn’t tell they were ever even near the pork. That said, you can leave them out too if desired.

    1. The taquitos have a little kick to them, but they are more sweet than anything (my two year old LOVES them so they really aren’t too spicy.) I think the honey really balances out the flavors and makes them more sweet than spicy. The chipotles add so much flavor that I would recommend just adding small amounts (cutting up the chipotles and adding just small pieces at a time) and then tasting it as you go along until it’s just right for you 🙂 Hope that helps!

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