Carnitas Burrito Bowls

Carnitas Burrito Bowls feature crispy, flavorful pork carnitas, brown rice, cheddar cheese, tomato, green onion, tortilla chips, bell peppers and more for a fresh, filling meal ready in about 30 minutes!

My family is all about Mexican food as my husband and kids are part Mexican, plus, it's delicious! I make all different kinds of Mexican food including fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, nachos, taco salads, etc. I have actually never made carnitas before even though I've eaten it out at a restaurant, so I wanted to try out these Pork Carnitas Burrito Bowls and they came out delicious!

To start, I prepared the Smithfield Boneless Pork Shoulder Seasoned Carnitas in the slow cooker. This cooks the pork meat slow, keeping it extra tender and juicy, and it will shred easily when it is done cooking. Then, I finished off the Seasoned Carnitas in the oven, so it would get crispy and delicious! The kind of meat you want to grab a little bite of while preparing it!

I made these bowls with tomatoes, lettuce, tortilla chips, green onion, Greek yogurt, and bell peppers. Feel free to add in guacamole, sautéed onions and peppers, rice, salsa, jalapenos, etc. Whatever you feel like that has a Mexican flair to it! This meal takes about 30 minutes to make (aside from the time it takes to slow cook the shredded pork). If I’m short on time, I sometimes cook the pork carnitas the day before and store it in the fridge, so that dinner comes together quickly when it's time.

We always eat Mexican food on Christmas day and I love it! My husband's family definitely cooks rice and beans, tacos and often tamales - we eat well! These Pork Carnitas Burrito Bowls would make a fun holiday meal. You could also turn this into an interactive “build-your-own burrito bowl” style meal, with all of the ingredients out in separate bowls, so that each person add the toppings that they like.

The Smithfield Boneless Pork Shoulder Seasoned Carnitas is one of my favorites because it’s super easy to work with – it’s already cut into pieces and conveniently pre-seasoned, so all I needed to do was add it to my slow cooker with water, set it and forget it, until the pork meat easily shreds with a fork. With all of the prep work already done for you, it couldn’t be easier – I love making this on Sunday and enjoying it all week long in a variety of dishes.

Smithfield Boneless Pork Shoulder Seasoned Carnitas is packed with protein and a 4 ounce serving has 23 grams of protein, 140 calories, and no artificial ingredients. Plus, fresh pork is a good source of vitamin B6, thiamin, niacin and phosphorus, making it a healthy protein as part of a well-balanced diet. I can make it for the week ahead of time and use it in different recipes throughout the week like BBQ pork nachos, pulled pork sandwiches and more!

Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork products are available in a wide variety of cuts and flavors. You can find it at Walmart and select grocery stores. For more heart-healthy, protein-packed recipe ideas, visit www.Smithfield.com.

Yield: serves 6 Author: Amanda Hernandez

Carnitas Burrito Bowls

Carnitas Burrito Bowls feature crispy, flavorful pork carnitas, brown rice, cheddar cheese tomato, green onion, chips, bell peppers and more for a fresh, filling meal ready in about 30 minutes!

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutesTotal time: 25 mins

INGREDIENTS

2 pound package of Smithfield Boneless Pork Shoulder Seasoned Carnitas
2 teaspoons chili powder
4 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup tortilla chips
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 bell pepper, sliced
1-2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook the Smithfield Seasoned Carnitas in slow cooker for about 6 hours until meat shreds easily with a fork.
Turn broiler on and spread meat on a baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes until edges of meat become crispy. Remove from oven, flip pork and broil for another 5 minutes until edges are crispy.
Prepare all other ingredients- cooking brown rice and slicing vegetables.
Either serve meal as a make-your-own burrito bowl bar or divide all ingredients between 6 bowls.

**Also works well for meal prep! Just leave off the lettuce and tomatoes until the day you're going to eat it.

Enjoy!