Carnitas Burrito Bowl (Printable)

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

# What You Need:

→ Carnitas

01 - 1.5 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into large chunks
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp dried oregano
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
08 - 1/2 cup orange juice
09 - 1/4 cup 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 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ Bowl Components

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

→ Lime Crema

19 - 1/2 cup sour cream
20 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
21 - 1/2 tsp lime zest
22 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

23 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
24 - Lime wedges

# How-To:

01 - In a slow cooker, combine pork shoulder, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, and onion. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until pork is fork-tender. Remove pork and shred with two forks. Optionally, crisp shredded pork under a broiler for 3–5 minutes or in a hot skillet until edges are golden.
02 - Rinse rice under cold water. In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, and salt until smooth and fully combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
04 - Divide cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Top each portion with black beans, corn, lettuce, salsa, and a generous serving of shredded carnitas. Drizzle generously with lime crema and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pork gets impossibly tender while you're basically doing nothing, then you pile on whatever makes you happy.
  • It's one of those meals that looks restaurant-worthy but costs way less and tastes even better at home.
  • Everything comes together in layers you control, so picky eaters can finally eat the same thing everyone else is eating.
02 -
  • Don't skip trimming the pork shoulder—the fat cap will render and make the whole dish greasy if you leave too much on.
  • Crisping the shredded pork under a broiler transforms it from tender to restaurant-level; it's the small step that people always comment on.
03 -
  • Fresh lime juice makes a visible difference in the crema, so squeeze it yourself if you possibly can.
  • If you're short on time, ask your butcher to trim and chunk the pork shoulder for you—it saves maybe 10 minutes but makes prep feel less daunting.
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