Sous Vide Carnitas

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These incredibly moist, melt-in-your-mouth carnitas are infused with warm spices and become the base for a variety of dishes. My favorite way to eat these is inside corn tortillas, topped with cilantro and onion, but it's also delicious in quesadillas, posole, nachos, or atop a salad! For added flavor, rub the seasonings on the pork the night before.

Submitted by France C
Published on August 30, 2021
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
1 day
Total Time:
1 day 15 mins
Servings:
12
Yield:
12 servings
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 12 servings

  • 2 teaspoons granulated garlic

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 (4 pound) boneless pork butt

  • 1 tablespoon chicken soup base (such as Better than Bouillon®)

  • 1 medium orange, sliced

  • 3 large bay leaves

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or as needed

Directions

  1. Fill a large pot with water and place a sous vide immersion cooker into the water. Set temperature to 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) according to manufacturer's directions.

  2. Combine granulated garlic, cumin, salt, oregano, coriander, and black pepper in a small bowl.

  3. Cut pork butt into 2 chunks and rub with soup base. Sprinkle with spice mixture and rub until evenly distributed. Place pork into a large vacuum bag. Add orange slices and bay leaves throughout the bag. Seal using a vacuum sealer.

  4. Place bag into the water and set timer for 24 hours, turning bag over halfway through. When done, remove pork to a platter, reserving some or all of the juices.

  5. To crisp up carnitas, heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Add shredded pork and fry until edges are browned and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle with reserved juices, if desired. Alternately, you may crisp under an oven broiler for 3 to 4 minutes.

Cook's Notes:

If you don't own a vacuum sealer, you may use a zip-top plastic freezer bag. To seal your bag, slowly lower it into the water, letting the water pressure force the air out of the bag, then seal it.

If any air remains in the bag, you will need to weigh the bag down with a heavy object to ensure the bag is fully submerged at all times.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

205 Calories
13g Fat
3g Carbs
19g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 205
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 61mg 20%
Sodium 415mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 19g 38%
Vitamin C 8mg 9%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 273mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.