Carnitas should be tender enough to shred with a fork, with crispy, caramelized edges. Sous vide handles the first part effortlessly: pork shoulder cooks for most of a day in citrus and spices without drying out. A hot pan takes care of the crisp finish.
Recipe card
Sous Vide Pork Butt Carnitas
Ingredients
- 6 lb (2.7 kg) boneless pork shoulder (pork butt), cut into 2–3 large pieces
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 oranges, juiced (keep the peels)
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1–2 tsp anise seed (optional)
Method
- Preheat your sous vide water bath to 175°F (79.4°C).
- Mix the orange juice, garlic, salt, sugar and anise (if using).
- Divide the pork between vacuum bags and add the onion, bacon, bay leaves, cinnamon and orange peel.
- Add the orange juice mixture. Freeze the bags upright for an hour so the liquid firms up, or use a chamber sealer, then vacuum seal (double-seal for a long cook).
- Cook for about 20 hours, keeping the bags fully submerged.
- Remove the pork, reserving the juices. Discard the bacon, peel, bay leaves and cinnamon.
- Shred the pork with two forks.
- Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and fry the pork in batches until crisp at the edges, splashing in some of the reserved juices for flavour.
- Serve in tacos, burritos, bowls or quesadillas.
Notes
- For sliceable rather than shreddable pork, cook at 165°F (74°C) for 18–24 hours.
Batch cooking and freezing
This recipe makes a lot, which is perfect for meal prep. After shredding (before crisping), portion the pork with a little of its juice, chill, freeze flat until firm and vacuum seal. It keeps its best quality for 2–3 months at 0°F. Crisp straight from thawed in a hot pan. Our portion & bag planner helps work out how many bags you’ll need.
