Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Belly Tacos With Pineapple Chipotle Sauce

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We’re taking tacos to the next level with these slow cooker crispy pork belly tacos and pineapple chipotle sauce. Perfectly tender pork belly is crisped to perfection, drenched in a bright and fiery sauce, and wrapped in corn tortillas to make tacos worthy of any special occasion or date night.

We’ve been on a journey to find the best way to cook pork belly without a smoker (maybe one day we’ll own one…) and we’ve finally figured it out. We’ve tried recipes that air fry the pork belly (yuck!), slow roast it in the oven (good but not great), and even other slow cooker recipes (like this one from A Food Lover’s Kitchen that was our inspiration).

But none of them have been able to accomplish the tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork belly that we know and love, until now. By roasting the pork belly on a bed of aromatics above the liquid, we can preserve its texture while rendering the fat. That leaves us with a super tender pork belly that we then quickly pan fry for the perfect crisp. 

All in all, we end up with the perfect tender on the inside, crispy on the outside pork belly that’s ideal for tacos. And that’s not even getting into the vibrant pineapple chipotle sauce that has us absolutely obsessed with this recipe.

Why We Love This Recipe

Slow Cooker Pork Belly: Key Ingredients

• Pork belly – Since we slow roast and then pan fry the pork belly, we recommend getting pork belly with the skin on. The skin crisps really nicely adding an additional fun texture. But skin off pork belly works perfectly well too. 
• Fresh garlic – Since we’re basically steaming the pork belly on a bed of veggies, it’s important to use fresh garlic as it is far more aromatic than pre-minced garlic. That way we get more of the garlic flavor actually in the pork belly. 
• Agave nectar – Agave is the best sweetener for Mexican food. And it works really well to turn a dry rub into a paste that provides a great flavor and slight caramelization to the pork while it cooks. 

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Pineapple Chipotle Taco Sauce: Key Ingredients

• Chipotle puree – Grab a can of chipotles in adobo and puree it in a food processor to get a silky smooth chipotle puree! We love using this in all kinds of recipes, like our chipotle mayo and cauliflower tacos with chipotle glaze.
• White onion – White onion has a slightly milder, sweeter flavor than yellow onion, which balances well with the sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors in this sauce.
• Sea salt – We like to use smoked sea salt for a little extra flavor in this sauce (Hawaiian and applewood are two of our favorites), but you can use regular sea salt if that’s all you have.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Pork Belly Tacos: Key Ingredients

• Corn tortillas – Taco nights have gotten 100 times better since we started making our own corn tortillas! It’s super easy and so worth it, because the flavor is out of this world. All you need is masa harina (Masienda is our preferred brand), water, salt, a tortilla press, and a cast iron skillet. We follow the recipe from the Mi Cocina cookbook for perfect tortillas every time.
• Refried black beans – We like to make these crockpot refried beans for healthier, less processed taco nights. They taste so much fresher and have a much smoother texture than canned refried beans.
• Lime crema – A simple mixture of plain Greek yogurt, fresh lime juice, and sea salt makes a bright and zesty crema for these tacos. The cool creamy texture perfectly contrasts the sweet and savory pork belly! Alternatively, make our avocado lime crema for a slightly richer flavor. 

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Slow Cooker Pork Belly Tacos

Stage 1: Make the slow cooker pork belly (at least 7 hours ahead of time)

Step 1: Score the skin side of the pork belly in a cross-hatch pattern with a sharp knife. Make sure to cut only through the skin and not the flesh.

Step 2: Combine the dry seasonings and agave nectar in a small bowl to create a paste.

Step 3: Rub the paste on all sides of the pork belly, making sure to really work it into the slices you made in the skin.

Step 4: Add the pineapple juice, lime juice, onion, and garlic to a 4-quart slow cooker.

Step 5: Place the pork belly on top of the onion and garlic so it’s sitting just above the liquid, skin side up.

Step 6: Cover and cook on low until the pork belly reaches an internal temperature of 200F, about 4.5 to 5 hours. It should be fork tender and the skin should look crispy.

Step 7: Remove the pork belly from the crockpot and let it cool for about 1 hour. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then refrigerate.

Stage 2: Make the pineapple chipotle taco sauce

Step 8: In a small saucepan, cook the vegetable oil, garlic, and onion over medium heat until soft.

Step 9: Add the pineapple juice, lime juice, agave nectar, chipotle puree, and sea salt. Stir to combine, then simmer until fragrant.

Step 10: Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until it’s smooth and creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, a regular blender works just fine. Adjust salt to taste, then keep the sauce warm over low heat.

Stage 3: Combine and serve

Step 11: Remove the plastic wrap from the pork belly and slice it into half-inch thick slabs.

Step 12: Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add the pork belly and crisp the slabs on both sides until you see some caramelization.

Step 13: Return the pork belly to a cutting board, then slice each slab into bite-size chunks.

Step 14: Add the pork belly to the pineapple chipotle sauce and stir to combine.

Step 15: Serve hot with corn tortillas, refried black beans, and lime crema. You can also add some lime wedges on the side for an extra pop of acid!

Serving Suggestions

• Cinco de Mayo – These tacos are perfect for celebrating Cinco de Mayo since they’re on the extravagant side. To round out the celebration, make some carne asada nachos and a couple spicy mezcal margaritas. 
• Dinner parties – These tacos are sure to wow your friends and family. Just be careful because you might be hosting from now on! Start the night with some easy, lighter appetizers like mango pico de gallo or slow cooker Mexican street corn dip and make a big batch of mezcal old fashioneds. 
• Date night – Surprise your partner with a gourmet taco night and the good news that you’ll have leftovers to enjoy for lunch the following day. Mix up a round of smoky pomegranate margaritas or Mexican martinis to go with the smoky, citrusy flavors of these tacos.

Pork Belly Tacos FAQs