Sous Vide Carnitas

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Sous Vide Carnitas will take your taco game to the next level! These pork carnitas are perfectly tender and juicy with crispy edges and a delicious blend of spicy and savory seasonings. You’ll want to eat these carnitas straight off the pan!

Tacos are a go-to meal in our house, and pork carnitas have become our latest filling obsession! I love this sous vide version, but do still have a place in my heart for this slow cooker carnitas too.

I mean, I still have a serious love for these crispy pork belly tacos and these spicy Korean pork bulgogi tacos, but sous vide carnitas are so unbelievably good!

The little pieces of shredded pork maintain their juiciness but have the most drool worthy caramelized edges - like this sous vide carne asada. 

And the best part? You’re not limited to tacos! Pork carnitas work as a filling in burritos and quesadillas or as a topping for nachos and salads! 

Check out the sous vide carnitas story!

What are carnitas?

Traditional Carnitas is made by simmering pork in lard until tender. They’re made from the same cut of pork as pulled pork - the shoulder - which is often tough and fatty and benefits from being cooked slowly to bring out maximum flavor and tenderness.

There are a few key differences, however, between carnitas and pulled pork. Carnitas are often seasoned with Mexican herbs and spices, they’re normally cooked in lard and the shredded pork is broiled or pan fried at the end to achieve crispy, caramelized edges. 

Why this recipe works

1. It’s an inexpensive way to feed a crowd. Pork shoulder is a large and cheaper cut of pork. This recipe will make enough carnitas to fill plenty of tacos!
2. Pork shoulder is best cooked low and slow, and the sous vide takes this to the next level. The pork cooks in a water bath for 24 hours, and tenderizes as it cooks. The result is flavorful and tender pork that’s perfect for carnitas.
3. The recipe is great for meal prep as the pork can be cooked in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer. Just shred and broil the pork before serving! The shredded pork also freezes well.
4. While the recipe takes longer than the traditional way to prepare carnitas in the oven or even in the crockpot or Instant Pot, the sous vide method is pretty hands off and the result is ultra juicy and tender pork!

What is Sous Vide?

Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator. This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.

Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.

To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking."

What is the Water Displacement Method?

The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).

Use a clip (I use binder clips) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.

Tools Used

• Anova Precision Sous Vide Cooker
• 12 quart container
• Vacuum sealer
• Vacuum seal bags

Other sous vide recipes

• Crispy Sous Vide Fried Chicken
• Sous Vide Broccoli
• Sous Vide London Broil
• Sous Vide Beef Ribs

Ingredients

The following are a few key ingredients for sous vide carnitas. For the full list of ingredients and quantities, please see the recipe card below.

You’ll need a 3-5 pound pork shoulder (or pork butt) for this recipe. You can use bone-in or boneless pork shoulder.

As part of the seasoning, the recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds. For maximum flavor, you’ll want to use toasted cumin seeds. If you’ve never done this, check out this quick tutorial on how to toast cumin seeds.

To add some heat to the carnitas, you’ll need 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. You can normally find these in a can or a jar at your local grocery store.

For rich and tender pork, you’ll want 1 cup of lard to add to the sealable bag the pork shoulder will cook in.

To balance some of the spiciness and help tenderize the meat, I like to add pieces of lime and orange to the bag too.

For serving, you’ll need corn tortillas, tomato salsa, diced red onion, fresh cilantro, limes and crumbled cotija cheese. I also like to serve these Mexican pickled carrots on the side.

Step by step instructions

Heat a sous vide water bath to 155F degrees.

Place all the ingredients in a vacuum seal bag or freezer bag (if using the water displacement method described above).

Vacuum seal and cook for 24 hours. Remove from the water bath and place in an ice bath for 10-15 minutes.

Remove the pork from the bag (reserve the juice) and shred it on a baking sheet.

Place it under the broiler until the edges crisp. Flip a couple of times to get crisp spots all around (be careful as you don't want it all to be crisp or it will be dry).

Drizzle with reserved bag sauce and serve on tortillas with salsa, cotija cheese, red onion, fresh cilantro, salsa and some pickled Mexican carrots on the side (optional).

Expert tips

1. You can use boneless or bone-in pork shoulder.
2. Please don’t skip the step of removing the air from the bag. This will keep bacteria out of the bag, especially for long cooks like this pork.
3. Since the pork cooks for 24 hours, it’s important to make sure the water level stays high enough so the pork stays submerged in water. Cover the water bath to minimize water evaporation.
4. If the pork shoulder floats in the water bath, just open the bag to let the excess air out, then reseal it. 
5. To prevent floating, you can weigh the bag down with a sous vide sinker weight or something heavy like a wet towel.
6. Be careful not to broil the shredded pork for too long as it may dry out. You’ll also want to flip it a couple of times to ensure evening browning.
7. If you prefer, you can crisp the pork in a skillet over high heat instead of broiling.
8. You may need to crisp the pork in two batches depending on the size of your sheet pan or skillet.

Common questions

Make ahead and freezing instructions

You can cook the pork shoulder in advance and store it in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to enjoy tacos, burritos or quesadillas!

To do this, make sure it's cooled completely before removing from the ice bath. Then, instead of opening the bag, keep it sealed and store the pork in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, place the bag of pork in a 155F degree water bath for about 10-15 minutes. Then, follow the rest of the recipe to shred and crisp the pork.

Make it a meal

What goes with pork carnitas? There are so many options! Here are a few of our favorites:

• We normally serve them with pickled carrots and jalapeños, red onion, cilantro and cotija cheese. 
• If you’re looking for more topping ideas, try serving these pork carnitas tacos with avocado crema, green salsa or even chimichurri sauce.
• As for side dishes, we love pairing carnitas with Spanish rice, spicy Mexican pasta salad or grilled corn with miso butter.
• And don’t forget dessert! Finish the meal with these Mexican hot chocolate cookies or air fryer churros.

Other delicious pork recipes

• Chinese BBQ Pork
• Pulled Pork Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce
• Sous Vide Pork Chops with Apple Mustard Sauce
• Thai BBQ Pork Spare Ribs
• Instant Pot Pork Chops with Sausage Gravy

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!