Sous Vide Carnitas

Sous Vide Carnitas are carnita tacos that have been cooked via sous vide method – or water bath. Sous vide is a method of cooking that utilizes water to cook low and slow, which results in tender meats that are full of flavor. 

Because…

Well, tacos.

I want a taco truck!! I think I would do fabulously; I don’t think I would ever run out of taco ideas.

Ever.

Since sous vide cooking is my latest method addiction, I had to sous vide this; I just can’t get enough of it.

Remember this?

So, today I made my carnitas sous vide, then threw them on a hot grill to get a nice sear before I chopped it all up.

How To Make Sous Vide Carnitas

Sous vide cooking is so easy because really all you have to do is babysit it. You set the temp, throw your food in a tightly sealed bag in the water and set a timer. I LOVE it.

Sous vide, or immersion circulation, is a method of cooking that utilizes a water bath and a sous vide “stick” that attaches to the side of your water bath (usually a plastic bin or a large pot). You set the desired temperature on the circulator that you want your food to ultimately register.

There are several brands of sous vide, and I’ve tried a few.

Here are a few of the top performing sous vide circulators on the market as of March 2025 –   

All-Clad Sous Vide Pro

Breville Joule

Anova Culinary Precision Cooker

I have an Anova, and I love it. It’s easy to set up, and it gives you half an hour or longer to take care of the rest of your dinner, or other things.

Like the laundry that never ends.

Now, as far as the contraption to use to attach your sous vide to, you have many options. I use a 4 qt. cambro container, and it works perfectly as far as size. 

A large stock pot would work, a regular plastic container (without holes), or a medium size cooler.

I used Smithfield Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast – it was fork tender.

After the pork is done, these are very easy to put together. This isn’t a mandatory thing, but I like to grill my tortillas – it gives the taco another texture dimension that I just love.

The slaw is so good and can actually be used for lots of things, you could put it on a burger or eat it as a side with BBQ. (Yes; it has jalapeños in it).   

What To Serve With Sous Vide Carnitas

Poblano Queso

Pineapple Guacamole

Jalapeno Corn Souffle

Pomegranate and Shoepeg Pico de Gallo

Don’t forget to squeeze extra lime, and if you make this Sous Vide Carnitas recipe, please make sure to tag me on social media!

Here’s your printable-

Continue to Content

Sous Vide Carnitas

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

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Ingredients

For the Carnitas

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp seasoned salt
• 2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 2 1/2 lbs pork shoulder (also known as 'pork butt')
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil

For the Slaw

• 1 bag angel hair slaw
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayo
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1 cup pickled jalapenos, diced

For the Sour Cream Sauce

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp hot sauce

The Rest

• Flour tortillas
• White cheddar, shredded
• Fresh limes, quartered
• Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. For the Carnitas
2. Combine the oil through lime juice to make a rub.
3. Rub the pork shoulder, place in a gallon size zip lock bag and sous vide for 1 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature is 145 degrees.
4. Remove from bag, heat sunflower oil over medium high heat (or grill) and sear carnitas on each side about 1-2 minutes.
5. Chop pork.
6. For the Slaw
7. Combine all ingredients thoroughly; refrigerate until ready to use.
8. For the Sour Cream Sauce
9. Combine ingredients in a shaker or jar.
10. Assemble tacos by adding pork, white cheddar, slaw and sour cream sauce. Squeeze more lime juice, if desired.

Recommended Products

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites.

• 
  Acacia Serving Cutting Charcuterie Board With Round Handle, 18 x 8 inches
• 
  Cuisinart Cast Iron Chicken Fryer, Mint Green, 12″
• 
  VPCOK Sous Vide Cooker

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 2
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 832Total Fat: 67gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 43gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 2660mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 38g

The provided nutrition calculated may not always be accurate.

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