Carnitas Burrito Bowl (Printable)

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

# What You'll 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
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 Make:

01 - In a slow cooker, combine pork shoulder, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, and onion. Toss all ingredients to coat evenly.
02 - Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until pork is completely fork-tender and easily shreds.
03 - Remove cooked pork and shred with two forks. For enhanced texture, crisp shredded pork under a broiler for 3 to 5 minutes or in a hot skillet until edges are golden brown.
04 - Rinse rice under cold water. In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
05 - In a small bowl, combine sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, and salt. Whisk until smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve.
06 - Divide cooked rice among four bowls. Top each portion with black beans, corn, lettuce, salsa, and a generous serving of carnitas.
07 - Drizzle each bowl with lime crema. Top with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The carnitas actually become more tender the longer they cook, so you can't really mess this up.
  • Everything gets built to order, so everyone customizes their own bowl exactly how they like it.
  • You can prep the carnitas a full day ahead and just reheat, turning a three-hour project into a fifteen-minute assembly line.
  • That lime crema is ridiculously simple but tastes fancy enough to make people think you went to culinary school.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—I learned this the hard way when I made a batch of sticky, clumpy disappointment.
  • The lime crema should be tangy enough to cut through the richness, so taste as you go and don't be shy with the lime juice.
  • Carnitas keep beautifully in the fridge for up to four days, which means you can make them on Sunday and have bowls ready all week.
03 -
  • If you don't own a slow cooker, you can braise the carnitas in a Dutch oven in a 300-degree oven for the same amount of time, checking occasionally to make sure there's still liquid.
  • The secret to extra tender carnitas is not stirring them while they cook—let them hang out together undisturbed so the flavors concentrate.
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