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    Home » Dinner

    01/28/2021

    Crispy Sous Vide Pork Carnitas for Mexican Tacos

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    Sous Vide Carnitas are SO moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the edges! This recipe is a foolproof and no-fuss way to cook the Mexican pulled pork to the perfect texture, as you can set the temperature precisely to your desired doneness. There is no chance of overcooking. It’s completely a game-changer!

    This delicious and comforting sous vide pork carnitas recipe can be made ahead of time. Serve them with tortillas, burritos, quesadilla, or even salad. So delicious! They are also kept easily as leftovers!

    Broiled pork carnitas on the a baking sheet.

    Featured On 36 Best Sous Vide Recipes

    Table of Contents Show
    Super tender and juicy sous vide carnitas
    Ingredients for sous vide carnitas
    How to cook sous vide carnitas
    Temperature and time
    Sous vide carnitas variations
    How to serve sous vide carnitas?
    Easy Sous Vide Carnitas Recipe

    Super tender and juicy sous vide carnitas

    Compared to traditional methods using crock pot, instant pot, or oven, sous vide carnitas are much more tender and juicier with a completely melt-in-your-mouth texture. Yes, it takes longer to cook, but it’s TOTALLY worth the wait! 

    It’s actually quite easy to make, and your sous vide machine will do most of the work. Try this once, and you will never go back to the old way!

    Also known as low-temperature-long-time cooking, Sous vide is a French cooking technique where the food is vacuum-sealed in a bag, and then cooked to a precise temperature in a warm water bath for a long time. 

    Crispy Sous Vide Carnitas are SO moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the edges. Sous vide method is a foolproof and no-fuss way to cook the Mexican pulled pork to the perfect texture, as you can set the temperature precisely to your preferred doneness. There is no chance of overcooking. It’s completely a game-changer! #SousVideCarnitas

    Ingredients for sous vide carnitas 

    • Pork: My favorite is pork shoulder (either bone-in or boneless); you can also use pork butt or Boston butt. Trim the excess fat off before seasoning.
    • Beer: Beer gives this dish bolder and better flavors. You can substitute chicken stock, or use Coca Cola for a sweeter taste.
    • Lime juice and orange juice: The acidity from the juices tenderizes the meat, producing an incredibly fall-apart texture. 
    • Dry seasonings: The combination of cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper gives this dish a true Mexican flavor. 
    • Garlic: Use smashed fresh garlic for the best results.
    • Toppings: Fresh cilantro and chopped onions are classic toppings for tacos, and are also my favorite. 

    How to cook sous vide carnitas

    Season the pork: whisk together dry seasoning ingredients until combined. Season the pork with the seasoning on all sides. Add orange juice, lemon juice and beer in another bowl, mix well. Add the seasoned pork together with the juices into a zip-lock bag.

    Seasoned raw pork shoulder on a white plate.

    Vacuum seal and sous vide cook: Vacuum seal the bag using the “water displacement” technique . Place the bag in sous vide warm water bath and cook at 160 °F (71°C) for about 18 hours.

    Vacuum-sealed pork shoulder being cooked in the sous vide warm water bath.

    Shred: Once the pork shoulder is cooked, remove it from the bag and shred with two forks.

    Closeup of shredding using two forks.

    Broil: Spread the shredded pork in a large baking sheet, and spoon about 1 cup of juices from the bag on top of the meat evenly. Broil on high heat for 5-10 minutes until the edges are golden and crispy.

    Serve: Add toppings such as cilantro and chopped onions. Serve warm on tacos, burritos or salad. 

    Temperature and time

    Sous vide allows you to cook your pork shoulder to your desired doneness, with a wide range of cooking time. You will get different textures with different temperature settings. I have tested this recipe many times and my favorite setting is to cook at 160°F / 71°C for 18 hours. If you’d like to try other settings, you can follow the chart below:

    Sous Vide Carnitas TemperatureCooking TimeTexture
    145°F / 63°C24 to 36 hoursSuper tender and moist, and cannot be easily shredded with forks.
    160°F / 71°C16 to 24 hoursTender and moist, and shreddable with forks.
    185°F / 85°C12 to 16 hoursClose to traditional texture with meat easily fall off the bones (tastes slightly dry)

    Pro Tip: You’ll need to cover the container or pot to minimize water evaporation. Use the lid that comes with the sous vide container. If you don’t have one, you can use a few pieces of aluminum foil to cover it up. 

    Shredded carnitas served on flour tortillas and topped with chopped onions and cilantro.

    Sous vide carnitas variations

    This recipe is very versatile and you can easily customize your own carnitas tacos: 

    • Taco shell: I used soft flour tortillas, but you can use hard corn shells for a crispy and crunchy carnitas taco. For a low-carb option, you can substitute lettuce leaves.
    • Flavor: Feel free to add diced jalapeño or chili flakes into the bag to make it spicy, or add liquid smoke to make it smoky.
    • Other topping ideas: You can also add sour cream, coleslaw, avocado, guacamole, and relish. Get creative!

    How to serve sous vide carnitas?

    These carnitas are best when served up in tortillas, but there are other fun ways to serve them: burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, nachos, and even salad!

    If You Like This Recipe Try Out These Sous Vide Pork Recipes

    • Never make dry and overcooked pork chops again! This Sous Vide Boneless Pork Chops recipe makes perfect juicy and tender pork that’s impossible to achieve with traditional methods! Sous vide machine cooks the chops to your targeted temperature precisely – extremely easy to make with very little fuss. I love how juicy they come out EVERY TIME!
      Sous Vide Boneless Pork Chops
    • Say goodbye to tough and flavorless pork chops! These perfect Sous Vide Pork Chops are super tender, juicy, and full of flavor! The sous vide method cooks the bone-in or boneless pork chops to your targeted temperature precisely, and we’ll show you how to easily finish them with 5 different popular flavors! #SousVidePorkChops
      Sous Vide Pork Chops
    • This Sous Vide Pork Shoulder is incredibly easy to make and turns out extremely flavorful and tender EVERY TIME! It’s a reliable and foolproof recipe to make the best pulled pork. Sous vide method allows you to set the temperature precisely to your preferred doneness, and there is no chance of overcooking!
      Sous Vide Pork Shoulder
    • This Sous Vide Pork Loin is hands down the BEST way to cook pork loin roast, turning it to a perfectly tender and juicy dinner. The recipe is so easy – simply season, sous vide, and sear, for the most delicious and flavorful pork loin! Guaranteed results EVERY TIME! #SousVidePorkLoin #SousVidePorkLoinRoast
      Sous Vide Pork Loin

    View All Sous Vide Recipes

    I hope you like this recipe. If you try it, please comment below and let me know how your Sous Vide Carnitas turn out!

    Crispy Sous Vide Carnitas are SO moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the edges. Sous vide method is a foolproof and no-fuss way to cook the Mexican pulled pork to the perfect texture, as you can set the temperature precisely to your preferred doneness. There is no chance of overcooking. It’s completely a game-changer!

    Easy Sous Vide Carnitas Recipe

    Crispy Sous Vide Carnitas are SO moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the edges. Sous vide method is a foolproof and no-fuss way to cook the Mexican pulled pork to the perfect texture, as you can set the temperature precisely to your preferred doneness. There is no chance of overcooking. It’s completely a game-changer!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 hours hours
    Servings: 8
    Author: Izzy
    Calories: 231kcal

    Ingredients 

    Carnitas:

    • 4-5 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt (bone-in or boneless)
    • 4 cloves garlic smashed
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for serving
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 lime juiced
    • 1 orange juiced
    • 3/4 cup beer or chicken stock

    Toppings:

    • chopped onions
    • cilantro
    • sour cream
    • lime wedges

    Instructions 

    • Season Pork Shoulder: Trim the excess fat from the pork.
    • In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, smashed garlic, and dried oregano. Rub dry seasoning all over the pork.
    • In another small bowl, whisk together lime juice, orange juice, and beer.
    • Sous Vide Carnitas: Add water to the sous vide container or a large pot, set the Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 160°F (71°C). This is my recommended temperature, and if you’d like to cook them to different doneness, follow the guide in the post above.
    • Place the seasoned pork and juices into a large vacuum bag or zip-lock bag. If you use a zip-lock bags, seal them using the “water displacement” technique: Seal all but one corner of the bag, and slowly place it in the water bath. Make sure everything below the zip-line is covered by water. Then seal the rest of the bag. (If your pork is too big for one bag, you can cut them into two pieces and use two bags.)
    • When the water has reached the set temperature, lower the bags into the water bath. Make sure the meat is fully submerged in the water with the bag seams above the water.
    • Cover with several pieces of aluminum foil and sous vide cook for 18 hours. This will minimize water evaporation.
    • Shred the Meat: When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath (don’t throw away the juices in the bag).
    • Remove the pork to a large baking sheet, and shred with two forks. Spoon 1 cup of juices from the bag on top of the pork and toss to combine. (Taste the pork and add more salt if you prefer.)
    • Broil on high heat for 5-10 minutes, or until the edges of the pork have browned and become crispy.
    • Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and spoon more juices over the pork and toss to combine.
    • Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and onions, then serve warm in tacos or burritos.

    Equipment

    Anova Sous Vide Cooker
    Sous Vide Cooker
    Zip-loc Bags
    Kitchen Tongs
    Baking Sheet

    Notes

    • Check from time to time to make sure the water level is not too low.
    • Leftover sous vide carnitas can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days or 3 months in the freezer.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 689mg | Potassium: 543mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg
    Author: Izzy
    Course: Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: Sous Vide Carnitas
    Tried this recipe?Follow or tag us on Pinterest @izzycooking
    Crispy Sous Vide Carnitas are SO moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the edges. Sous vide method is a foolproof and no-fuss way to cook the Mexican pulled pork to the perfect texture, as you can set the temperature precisely to your preferred doneness. There is no chance of overcooking. It’s completely a game-changer! #SousVideCarnitas #SousVidePork #SousVidePorkShoulder

    Editor note: Originally published Nov 29, 2019 and updated Jan 28, 2021.

    Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes, Sous Vide Tagged With: beer, cumin, garlic, lime juice, orange juice, oregano, paprika, pepper, pork shoulder, salt

    About Izzy

    I'm Izzy, a food lover and photographer. Here you’ll find a collection of simple recipes that are perfect for busy people. My blog aims to help you make and enjoy delicious and healthy food at home.

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    Comments

    1. Katie says

      January 28, 2021 at 5:06 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try it with the family.

      Reply
      • izzycooking says

        January 28, 2021 at 5:28 pm

        Thanks Katie. Glad you like it.

        Reply

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