Carnitas Bowl Mexican Pork (Print Version)

Tender pork carnitas with rice, beans, salsa, and avocado in a vibrant bowl.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pork Carnitas

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp dried oregano
06 - 0.5 tsp 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 tsp salt

→ Pinto Beans

15 - 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
16 - 0.25 tsp ground cumin
17 - 0.25 tsp 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 Make It:

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 and easily shreds.
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.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The pork becomes so tender it falls apart at the touch of a fork, and that's the kind of comfort food moment that makes everything else fade away.
  • You can prep the carnitas a full day ahead, which means dinner stress basically disappears.
  • Each bowl is totally customizable, so everyone at the table gets exactly what they want without anyone feeling like they're settling.
02 -
  • The carnitas actually taste better the next day after all those flavors have gotten to know each other, so make them ahead without guilt.
  • Don't skip the orange juice—that citrus is doing serious flavor work and it's what keeps this from tasting heavy despite all the pork.
03 -
  • Brown the shredded pork under the broiler if you want textural contrast, but do it just before serving or it'll dry out sitting there.
  • Fresh lime juice at the end makes the entire bowl taste sharper and more alive, so don't skip it even if it seems like one extra step.
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