Carnitas Burrito Bowl (Printable Version)

Slow-cooked pork carnitas over rice with beans, corn, lettuce, salsa and lime crema for a satisfying Mexican-inspired meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Carnitas

01 - 1.5 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into large chunks
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
08 - 0.5 cup orange juice
09 - 0.25 cup fresh lime juice
10 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 medium onion, quartered

→ Rice

12 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
13 - 2 cups water
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt

→ Bowl Components

15 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
16 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen, or canned and drained
17 - 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
18 - 1 cup fresh tomato salsa

→ Lime Crema

19 - 0.5 cup sour cream
20 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
21 - 0.5 teaspoon lime zest
22 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

23 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
24 - Lime wedges

# How to Make:

01 - In a slow cooker, combine pork shoulder, salt, black pepper, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, chili powder, orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, and quartered onion. Toss all components until pork is evenly coated with spices and liquid.
02 - Cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high setting for 3 to 4 hours until pork is completely fork-tender and shreds easily.
03 - Remove cooked pork from slow cooker and shred using two forks. For enhanced texture and caramelization, place shredded pork under a broiler for 3 to 5 minutes or in a hot skillet until edges achieve golden-brown color.
04 - Rinse rice under cold running water. In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add rinsed rice, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.
05 - In a small mixing bowl, combine sour cream, fresh lime juice, lime zest, and salt. Whisk until smooth and fully combined. Transfer to refrigerator until assembly.
06 - Divide cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Layer each bowl with drained black beans, corn kernels, shredded romaine lettuce, fresh tomato salsa, and a generous portion of carnitas.
07 - Drizzle lime crema over each bowl. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The pork becomes so tender it practically dissolves on your tongue, and you can make it hours ahead without stress.
  • It's a build-your-own-bowl situation, so everyone customizes exactly what they want without you playing short-order cook.
  • Citrus and spices balance each other so perfectly that you won't need heavy sauces to make it feel complete.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—it's the difference between fluffy individual grains and a starchy paste that weighs down the bowl.
  • The carnitas can sit in their cooking liquid for hours after they're done and actually improve in flavor, so you can make them the morning of or even the day before.
03 -
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the pork at the 6-hour mark on low setting rather than assuming it needs the full time.
  • Chill the lime crema in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving—cold crema against warm carnitas is a textural revelation.
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