Tender pork carnitas with rice, beans, corn, and lime crema
# What You Need:
→ Carnitas
01 - 1.5 lbs 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 onion, quartered
→ Rice
12 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
13 - 2 cups water
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
→ Bowl Components
15 - 1 can black beans (15 oz), 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 Steps:
01 - In a slow cooker, combine pork shoulder, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, and onion. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high 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 a preheated broiler for 3 to 5 minutes or in a hot skillet over medium-high heat until edges turn golden brown and crispy.
03 - Rinse rice thoroughly under cold water. In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a rolling boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting 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, whisk together sour cream, fresh lime juice, lime zest, and salt until smooth and well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Divide cooked rice equally among four serving bowls. Layer each bowl with black beans, corn, shredded romaine lettuce, fresh salsa, and a generous portion of carnitas. Drizzle with prepared lime crema and garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
