Carnitas Bowl (Printable)

Tender carnitas with fluffy rice, pinto beans, salsa, and creamy avocado for a vibrant, satisfying meal.

# What you 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

# Directions:

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. Shred pork with two forks. For crispy edges, transfer shredded pork to a baking sheet and broil for 5-7 minutes until browned.
02 - 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.
03 - 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.
04 - Divide rice evenly among four bowls. Top with pinto beans, carnitas, salsa, avocado slices, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The pork gets impossibly tender without any babysitting once the slow cooker takes over.
  • Everything comes together in bowls that you can customize exactly how you want them, which somehow makes them taste better.
  • You can prep carnitas the day before and just warm everything else up when hunger hits.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—this single step prevents a gluey bowl that tastes like a mistake.
  • The avocado has maybe a 3-hour window where it's perfect, so slice it right before serving or it'll turn gray and lose its appeal.
  • Carnitas are best made the day before because the flavors settle and deepen overnight in the fridge.
03 -
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the pork at the 3-hour mark on high heat so you don't overcook it into something stringy and sad.
  • Squeeze lime juice onto your bowl right before eating—the acid wakes everything up in a way you don't expect.
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