Carnitas Bowl (Printable Version)

Tender pork carnitas over rice with beans, salsa, and avocado for a hearty Mexican-inspired meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pork Carnitas

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 0.5 onion, chopped
09 - 1 orange, juiced
10 - 1 lime, juiced
11 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Rice

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

→ Pinto Beans

15 - 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
16 - 0.25 teaspoon ground cumin
17 - 0.25 teaspoon chili powder
18 - 0.25 cup water

→ Toppings

19 - 1 cup fresh tomato salsa
20 - 1 large ripe avocado, sliced
21 - 0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro
22 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# How-To:

01 - In a slow cooker, combine pork shoulder, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, garlic, onion, orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours until pork is very tender.
02 - Shred pork with two forks. For crispy edges, transfer shredded pork to a baking sheet and broil for 5-7 minutes until browned.
03 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
04 - In a small saucepan, combine pinto beans, cumin, chili powder, and water. Simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
05 - Divide rice evenly among four bowls. Top with pinto beans, carnitas, salsa, avocado slices, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pork does almost all the work while you sleep or live your day, then you get restaurant-quality carnitas without the stress.
  • It's endlessly customizable—dress it up or down depending on what's in your fridge and what mood you're in.
  • Four servings means leftovers that taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to get cozy with each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—I learned this the hard way with a gluey mess, and it's the difference between fluffy and sad.
  • Cut the pork into large chunks, not small pieces, because they'll break down enough during cooking and stay tender instead of falling apart into mush.
03 -
  • Make the carnitas the day before and store them in the fridge—they actually taste better reheated because the flavors have time to deepen.
  • If you want crispy carnitas, save some of the cooking liquid before shredding, then drizzle it over after broiling so they don't dry out.
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