Carnitas are different than pork tacos because the goal is to get the meat crispy. While pork for tacos is typically marinated and grilled (or cooked in a skillet), carnitas cook in their own drippings and then are crisped on the stovetop or in the oven under the broiler. Of course, you can use carnitas meat to make a pork taco—so think of it as not all pork tacos are carnitas tacos.