Slow-cooked pork carnitas over rice with beans, corn, lettuce, salsa, and lime crema for a satisfying Mexican-inspired meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Carnitas
01 - 1.5 pounds 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 yellow 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 or frozen
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 It:
01 - In a slow cooker, combine pork shoulder, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder, orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, and quartered onion. Toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours or on high heat for 3 to 4 hours, until pork is fork-tender and easily shreds.
02 - Remove cooked pork from slow cooker and shred using two forks. For enhanced texture, place shredded pork under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes or in a hot skillet over medium-high heat until edges are golden and crispy.
03 - Rinse rice under cold running water. In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff gently with a fork.
04 - In a small bowl, combine sour cream, fresh lime juice, lime zest, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Divide cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Layer black beans, corn kernels, shredded lettuce, and fresh tomato salsa over the rice. Top each bowl with a generous portion of shredded carnitas.
06 - Drizzle lime crema generously over each bowl. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and lime wedges. Serve immediately while carnitas are warm.
