Best Sous Vide Smokey BBQ Pork Tacos Recipe (2024)

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Juicy sous vide pork tacos are a delicious way to enjoy slow cooked pork with the sous vide machine. Load these up with your favorite taco condiments including a bbq sauce made with leftover pork juice from the sous vide bag. I’ll teach you how!

Best Sous Vide Smokey BBQ Pork Tacos Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

Why This Sous Vide Pork Tacos Recipe is So Damn Tasty

Make juicy, meaty sous vide pork tacos for an easy weeknight dinner, game day main dish, or backyard potluck dinner everyone will love. Here’s why…

  • Most tender ever. Cooking pulled pork sous vide style makes extremely tender shredded pork for carnitas tacos or pulled pork sandwiches.
  • Mostly hands-off.
  • Extremely flavorful.
  • High-quality leftovers that stay juicy for days.
  • Foolproof. My sous vide pork tacos recipe always turns out perfect.

New to sous vide techniques?Learnwhy is sous vide so popular.

Ingredients for Sous Vide Pork Tacos

  • 3-pound pork
  • BBQ salt (or your favorite bbq seasoning for tacos, plus some salt)
  • Black pepper
  • Olive oil
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Taco toppings and serving ideas

Don’t forget to have your favorite sous vide pulled pork tacos toppings on hand. Here’s what I like:

  • Corn tortillas
  • Flour tortillas (see how to freeze flour tortillas)
  • Slaw
  • Avocado
  • Rice
  • Refried beans (see how to freeze refried beans)
  • Sous vide corn, sliced from the cob
  • Sautéed onions and peppers
  • BBQ sauce with leftover pork sous vide juice (shared at the end of this recipe page)

See how to make a steak salsa marinade…

See these tasty taco night smoker recipes

How to make sous vide pulled pork for BBQ tacos

Step 1. Prepare the sous vide bath by programming the sous vide machine / precision cooker to 165 degrees F.

Step 2. In a small bowl, mix together the BBQ salt seasoning and pepper. Generously rub the pork with the seasonings. You can drizzle a little olive oil on the pork to help the seasonings stick.

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PRO TIP: If you’re looking for a good BBQ blend, tryBone Suckin’ Seasoning Blend or thisSmokehouse Coffee BBQ Rub.

Step 3. Sear the pork to form a thick bark. Searing the pork before adding it to the sous vide vacuum sealer bag adds a boatload of flavor to it. This is called a “reverse sear” in the sous vide culinary world.

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Personally, I think the thick bark on the ends of tender sous vide pulled pork is the best part! Just one more photo because it looks so freakin good at this point…

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Don’t skip this searing step!

Step 4. Once the pork is seared,vacuum seal it. No additional liquid is needed in the sous vide bag before it’s vacuum sealed. And no, you don’t need butter in the bag.

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Step 5. Sous vide pulled pork for 48 hours at 165 degrees F.

For best results, use a lid on the sous vide container or cover it with foil and a kitchen cloth to prevent the heat from escaping. Check on the water periodically to make sure the pork remains underwater during the entire cook.

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Step 6. Once complete, remove the sous vide cooked pulled pork from the water.

I don’t find it necessary to put pulled pork in an ice bath with cold water and ice, like I would a sous vide prime rib, when the tacos will be made right away. I also don’t find it necessary to pat the pork dry with paper towels for this particular recipe.

Optional: Reserve the juice leftover from sous vide pork in the vacuum seal bag to make a porky bbq sauce (directions following this taco recipe.)

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Step 7. Next, pull apart the tender sous vide pork with a fork.

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Step 8. Assemble tacos with pulled pork sous vide meat and toppings.

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Check out more of my favorite game day recipes.

Make BBQ Sauce With Sous Vide Pork Juice

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Step 1. Reserve the pork juice from the sous vide bag to make a sauce.

Step 2. In a small sauce pan or skillet on the stove, set to medium-high heat, add the pork juice and 2 tbsp of butter. When the butter melts, add ¼ cup BBQ sauce and stir as it bubbles on medium-high for about 2 minutes.

Step 3. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer on the stove for 5-10 minutes until it reduces to desired thickness.

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How to prepare corn tortillas

Heat a large pan on the stove to medium heat. You can add a little butter or olive oil, but don’t add too much as it will make the corn tortillas crispy and not soft. To warm corn tortillas so they are soft and flexible, cook them 1-2 at a time so they don’t overlap, flipping before they start to burn. Prepare tortillas immediately before serving.

Also see this guide to smoked pulled pork.

FAQs

What is the best cooking time and temperature setting for this recipe?

This is a 48 hour sous vide pork recipe set at 165 degrees. While you can find recipes for 18 to 24 hours cook time, I’ve tried cooking 24 hour pulled pork, and found that isn’t enough time for the tender quality I like in pulled pork tacos.

What type of container should I use for the sous vide pulled pork?

Sous vide pork at 48 hours cooks best in a coveredlarge sous vide container. If you have a smaller,12, 18, or 22 quart sous vide container, then cover the top with foil or a lid. If you use an open container without a lid, you’ll want to watch the water level.

How about a sous vide side dish?

Buttery and always juicy sous vide sweet corn on the cob is a perfect addition to these tacos. So is a drizzle of this jalapeno ranch dressing. To start things off, serve a sous vide beet salad with goat cheese and arugula.

Can I Use Bone-in Pork Shoulder for Sous Vide Carnitas?

You can cook a bone in pork shoulder with this same sous vide recipe, as long as the weight of the meat is about the same.

How do you get the perfect sear?

How to get the perfect sear for sous vide pulled pork — Heat a pan on the stove to medium-high. Add olive oil to pan, then sear each side of the pork shoulder (don’t forget those end caps!) until a thick brown bark seals the edges of the meat.

What should I do with the leftovers?

In the AM, add leftover pulled pork to some toast with soft boiled sous vide eggs or use it in these breakfast tacoswith sous vide onions. For dinner the next day, make this leftover pulled pork pizza.

Love smoked meats but unsure where to start with your own smoker? Check out this post on smoking meat for beginners.

The Perfect Sous Vide Setup

Everyday I’m asked, “what do you need to sous vide food?”. Here’s my answer.

  1. A sous vide machine.
    Option 1: “stick” models like the Joule, Anova, or Instant Pot Slim.
    Option 2: “multipot” models like the SousPreme or InstantPot Duo Evo Plus.
  2. Sous vide container.
    If using a sous vide “stick” model, you need something to hold the water the food cooks in, like a bucket or stockpot.
  3. Bags to cook sous vide food.
    Keep it simple and sous vide in ziplock gallon bags, or get fancy like me with a vacuum sealer setup.
  4. Nice-to-have accessories for sous vide cooking.
    Sous vide weights to hold down food that floats.
    Mini mason jars for desserts and sous vide egg bites.
    Cast iron skillet to sear sous vide steaks to finish them.
  5. My sous vide cookbook with 100+ recipes.

Try a new sous vide recipe…

  • Sous vide salmon
  • Sous vide frozen steak
  • See how long to sous vide chicken
  • Learn how to sous vide frozen chicken breast
  • Sous vide chicken wings
  • Sous vide chicken breast tenders
  • Sous vide pork chops

Are you a sous vide enthusiast, too?

I’m passionate about sous vide cooking, and maybe that’s why Sip Bite Go has become one of the most popular sous vide blogs on the web.

This food hobby, turned blog, has recently become a sous vide cookbook.

Best Sous Vide Smokey BBQ Pork Tacos Recipe (13)

Find new ways to enjoy your favorite food with sous vide cooking. Get inspired with over a hundred recipes in my cookbook – The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

Another recipe to try here is this smoked bacon wrapped pork tenderloin. It’s so tasty!

Find me on Instagram @sipbitego to let me know what you’re going to sous vide next. And check out my latest sous vide recipe videos on the Sip Bite Go channel.

Easy Mexican food inspired recipes on Sip Bite Go…

  • chicken enchiladas (a must-try recipe)
  • Homemade enchilada sauce
  • fajita sides
  • make ahead Mexican salad
  • recipe for Mexican pasta salad
  • smoked Mexican food for taco night
  • Mexican tortellini salad
  • griddled quesadillas
  • griddled chicken fajitas
  • smoked salsa
  • smoked queso
  • smoked margaritas
  • sauteed peppers and onions for fajitas
  • Taco Bell inspired ground beef pizza
  • Pizza Hut inspired taco-flavored ground beef pizza
  • salsa marinade for steak
  • how to freeze refried beans
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More pork recipes to try…

  • See all my sous vide pork recipes
  • Sous vide pulled pork
  • Sous vide pork tacos
  • Sous vide pork butt
  • Sous vide pork loin
  • Sous vide bone in pork chop
  • Sous vide boneless pork chops (grill finish)
  • Sous vide pork tenderloin
  • Sous Vide Overnight Bacon
  • Quesadillas with leftover pork
  • Pulled pork pizza
  • Smoked pork belly burnt ends

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Sous Vide Pork Tacos (Sip Bite Go)

Sous vide pork tacos are a delicious way to enjoy slow cooked pork with the sous vide machine. Load these up with your favorite taco condiments including the smokey bbq sauce made with juice from cooking sous vide pork taco meat overnight.

5 from 10 votes

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Course: Dinner, Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: American, BBQ, Mexican

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 days days

Total Time: 2 days days 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 520kcal

Author: Jenna Passaro

Ingredients

For Sous Vide Pulled Pork

  • 3 lb pork shoulder
  • 1.5 tbsp bbq salt (or bbq seasoning and add salt)
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

For BBQ Sauce With Sous Vide Pork Juice

  • 2 tbsp pork juice reserved from vacuum sealer bag
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • ¼ cup BBQ sauce

Taco Toppings And Serving Ideas

  • tortillas corn / flour
  • avocado
  • salsa
  • rice
  • sour cream
  • coleslaw

Instructions

Sous Vide Pork Taco Meat Steps

  • Prepare the sous vide bath by programming the sous vide machine / precision cooker to 165 degrees F.

  • In a small bowl, mix together the BBQ salt seasoning and pepper. Generously rub the pork with the seasonings. You can drizzle a little of the olive oil on the pork to help the seasonings stick.

  • Sear the pork to form a thick bark. Heat a large cast iron skillet on the stove to medium-high and add oil. When oil begins to smoke, add the pork. Sear each side of the pork until a brown crust forms. (Searing the pork before adding it to the sous vide vacuum sealer bag adds a boatload of flavor to it. This is called a “reverse sear” in the sous vide culinary world.)

  • Once the pork is seared,vacuum seal it. No additional liquid is needed in the sous vide bag.

  • Sous vide pulled pork for 48 hours at 165 degrees F. For best results, use a lid on the sous vide container or cover it with foil and a kitchen cloth to prevent the heat from escaping. Check on the water periodically to make sure the pork remains underwater during the entire cook.

  • Once complete, remove the sous vide cooked pulled pork from the water. Optional: Reserve the juice leftover from sous vide pork in the vacuum seal bag to make a porky bbq sauce (directions following this taco recipe.)

  • Pull apart the tender sous vide pork with a fork.

  • Assemble tacos with pulled pork sous vide meat and toppings.

BBQ Sauce With Sous Vide Pork Juice Steps

  • Reserve the pork juice from the sous vide bag to make a sauce.

  • In a small sauce pan or skillet on the stove, set to medium-high heat, add the pork juice and butter. When the butter melts, add BBQ sauce and stir as it bubbles on medium-high for about 2 minutes.

  • Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer on the stove for 5-10 minutes until it reduces to desired thickness.

How to prepare corn tortillas

  • Heat a large pan on the stove to medium heat. You can add a little butter or olive oil, but don't add too much as it will make the corn tortillas crispy and not soft. To warm corn tortillas so they are soft and flexible, cook them 1-2 at a time so they don't overlap, flipping before they start to burn. Prepare tortillas immediately before serving.

Video

Notes

Toppings ideas for sous vide pulled pork tacos:

  • Corn tortillas
  • Slaw
  • Avocado
  • Sous vide corn, sliced from the cob
  • Sautéed onions and peppers
  • BBQ sauce with leftover pork sous vide juice

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 212mg | Potassium: 516mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!

Best Sous Vide Smokey BBQ Pork Tacos Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What temperature to sous vide pulled pork? ›

To Cook: Set your precision cooker to 165°F (74°C) for more traditionally textured pulled pork, or 145°F (63°C) for sliceable but tender pork. When the bath is at temperature, add sealed bag with pork and cover with foil or plastic wrap. Allow to cook for 18 to 24 hours.

What is the 3:2:1 method for pork shoulder? ›

This was all Steven's idea. Buoyed by the success of 3-2-1 ribs, one of our most popular blogs, Steven wondered what would happen if we treated a pork butt (aka, shoulder) to 3 hours of smoke, 2 hours wrapped in butcher paper, foil, or parchment paper, and 1 hour unwrapped.

How long do you sous vide pork for 12 hours? ›

Sous Vide Pork Sirloin Roast

A pork sirloin roast is tender when cooked at 140°F (60°C) for 6 to 12 hours when the meat is heated through and tenderized slightly.

How long to sous vide pork loin? ›

Notes
Recommended Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin Temperatures
140°F/60°C for 1 to 4 hoursMediumFirm but still tender; moderately juicy
150°F/66°C for 1 to 4 hoursMedium-wellFully firm; moderately juicy
160°F/71°C for 1 to 4 hoursWell-doneDry, with a firm, tacky texture
2 more rows

What temperature is smoked pork for pulled pork? ›

It's common for the internal temperature of a pork shoulder to plateau, or stop climbing for a while, between 165°F and 170°F. Don't worry — this is a completely normal part of the process, and can last as long as a few hours. For pulled or shredded pork, cook until the pork reaches an internal temperature 205°F.

What temperature is best for shredding pulled pork? ›

You could eat it at a lower temperature, but the magic number is between 200 and 205 degrees. This is the best temperature for pulling the pork apart. Take it out of the oven and let the pork rest. Just like when you cook a steak, you should let any meat rest so you don't lose the juices by cutting into it too early.

What temp does pork shoulder fall apart? ›

Return pork to the grill (or smoker) The pork is finished cooking when it pulls apart easily and reaches an internal temperature of 190 to 195 degrees F, about another 1 to 2 hours. Let rest for 1 hour, then unwrap the pork butt and pull the bone out.

Is 225 too low for pork shoulder? ›

“Low and slow” experts typically recommend keeping the internal air temperature of your smoker at about 225°F (107°C) during the cook. But at that temperature, it can take as long as 18 hours to bring the internal temperature of the pork up to its target of 195-205°F (91-96°C).

How long to smoke pulled pork at 250 degrees? ›

A basic rule of thumb, but in no way is it an exact guide, is 90 minutes of smoking time per pound at 225° to 250°. Another way is to use a thermometer the entire time for indications of when your pork may be done. Remove it from the smoker once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°.

Can you overcook pork sous vide? ›

You can also potentially overcook your meats when it comes to searing them before serving, especially if you're using a much thinner cut of meat. So, while it's certainly very difficult to overcook your food using sous vide, to say that it's impossible is a little bit of an overstatement.

What is the best pork to sous vide? ›

Q: What are the best cuts of pork to cook sous vide? I like using bone-in center-cut pork rib chops, which have a nice big eye of meat and are very tender. Blade-end pork chops will have a little more flavor and more connective tissue—you're trading off tenderness for flavor.

Is 140 safe for pork sous vide? ›

WARNING: The FDA recommends cooking pork to 145 F. Setting the sous vide to 140 F and then searing the meat after will bring it up to that temp. Pat the pork chops dry.

Can you sous vide in a Ziploc bag? ›

Ziplock and Glad brand bags are made from polyethylene plastic, and are free of BPAs and dioxins. A good rule of thumb is that when a bag is rated as microwave safe (which requires FDA approval) you can use it for sous vide. Even Dr. Schaffner agrees.

How long to sear pork after sous vide? ›

So today I want to talk about how long you actually need to sear your sous vide meat. For most searing methods, it's 2 to 3 minutes total. That is it! Flipping it every 30 to 45 seconds will get you that nice little brown crust without raising the internal temperature.

Can you leave meat in sous vide too long? ›

Longer is not always better You don't always get better results by keeping food in the sous vide machine for longer. For example, many chefs recommend that sous vide steak should not be cooked for longer than four hours because the connective tissue begins to break down and the steak can become mushy.

How long should I sous vide a 3 pound pork shoulder? ›

What is the Best Sous Vide Shoulder Temperatures and Times? Pork shoulder is a tough, fatty, and flavorful cut. It is also called a picnic roast. My favorite is 150°F (66°C) for 1 to 2 days, or 165°F (74°C) for 18 to 36 hours for pulled pork.

Can pulled pork be done at 190? ›

Pulling the Pork

Once the meat reaches an internal temperature of 180 F to 190 F, it is ready to be pulled.

Can you sous vide pork at 130? ›

Rare: 130°F / 54°C, 1 to 4 hours - Tender, juicy, and a little slippery. Medium-Rare: 140°F / 60°C, 1 to 4 hours - Tender, juicy, and meaty (my favorite). Medium-Well: 150°F / 66°C, 1 to 4 hours - Quite firm and just starting to dry out.

What temp does pulled pork dry out? ›

If you know much about cooking pork chops, you may be shocked to see us calling for a 203°C (95°F) pull temp. Pork chops are done by 145°F (63°C), and dry after that!

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