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Succulent Sous Vide Carnitas

Tender, succulent, crispy, flavourful Sous Vide Carnitas slow cooked to perfection for 24 hours at 74 degrees to fulfill your taco dreams.
Course Main
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword carnitas, sous vide, tacos
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 20 minutes
Servings 10
Author i sugar coat it!

Ingredients

Special Equipment:

  • Searzall Torch Attachment
  • Bernzomatic Torch Trigger
  • Joule Sous Vide
  • Sous Vide Container
  • Sous Vide Container Cover

For the carnitas:

  • 2.3 kilograms pork butt with ample marbling
  • coarse salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 3-4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 medium yellow onions quartered
  • 3-5 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2-3 tablespoons Mexican oregano dried
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • 3-5 whole fresh curry leaves optional
  • 2 small oranges quartered
  • 2 small cinnamon sticks
  • olive oil or lard optional

For the tacos:

  • organic corn tortillas homemade or store-bought
  • salsa homemade rules
  • guacamole homemade rules
  • black beans
  • pickled red onions homemade
  • tomatoes
  • lettuce
  • cilantro

Instructions

Make the carnitas:

  • Fill a large heavy duty pot or heatproof container with warm tap water. Set your sous vide to 74ºC/165ºF and allow the water to heat.
  • Wash and clean the pork and pat dry. Cut into 3-inch cubes and add to a large bowl. Add all the ingredients listed under carnitas, except the cinnamon sticks, orange and oil/lard, if using. Squeeze the juice from one orange wedge over the mixture. Mix all the ingredients well to coat the pork.
  • Prepare two vacuum bags or zip bags and place half the seasoned pork into each. Distribute the cinnamon sticks and remaining orange wedges evenly among each bag. 
  • Seal the bags - vacuum seal or water displacement - and add to the heated water. Cook for 12 to 24 hours.
  • When ready, carefully remove the bags from the water bath and cut open. Use tongs to remove the meat from the bags and place on a rimmed baking sheet and shred it. Crisp using a torch or broil in the oven. You can also fry in a very hot heavy-duty skillet in the lard or oil listed above. If frying, do so before shredding the meat.
  • Drain and keep the juices left in the bag. I like to use it for sauce or to flavour rice etc.

Build your tacos:

  • Use the carnitas to make tacos your way, with any of the toppings listed above, or your faves!