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I have a confession.
I really don’t like my slow cooker.
Maybe it is just my very cheap, one setting crockpot or maybe I just hate cleaning out the huge bowl. Yeah, that’s probably it. I dread cleaning out that bowl.
Seriously though, the slow cooker is kind of a pain. At least for me anyway.
See, I have to take pictures in natural light. In order for me to properly cook food in a slowcooker I have two options for having it done during daylight hours.
One: Start the slowcooker before bed. This would seem like a good option, but somehow I ALWAYS forget to actually start the slowcooker. Seriously, I’ll make mental notes and I still can’t remember to take the thing out of the fridge (I normally prep it earlier) and flip the switch.
I know. It’s really not that hard.
Option two: Cook the food one day, shoot the food the next.
This option seems to work for me, but it takes more time and effort than I would like. I mean the idea of the crockpot it that it is supposed to be easy breezy. But I am impatient and I want to see my end product, not wait a day and half for it.
Also, everything I seem to cook in the crockpot know one likes (these carnitas are obviously not included), but that could just be because my family is super picky and really not fired up on anything other than steak, burritos and anything with buffalo sauce.
Seeing as everyone else out there seems to LOVE the slow cooker though, I gave it another try. Plus, Carnitas are the perfect crockpot meal. Ten hours of cooking time screams CROCKPOT!
I still think it’s kind of a pain, but these Carnitas were so good! Mexican food at its best! I slow cooked them in Mexican beer and spicy taco like seasonings. It. Is. Good.
I switched things up a bit and did a burrito bowl instead of the traditional taco. Really no one needs to see yet another carnitas taco recipe. And carnitas over rice, loaded with Pico de Gallo, cheddar cheese, guacamole and then stuffed into a spicy, crunchy tortilla bowl are just, well … one awesome fiesta!
Making the tortilla bowls are really simple. You just need a medium size oven safe bowl. All you do you is season the tortillas, drape them over the bowl and use your hand to mold them around the bowl and them bake for about ten minutes. Done.
Once the carnitas are cooked, just filled the bowls with some rice, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, carnitas, cheddar and a whole lot of guac. The more guac the better, obviously. Then just break into that sucker and enjoy.
Oh and one last thing. Leftover carnitas are awesome to have around. Awesome! I have been serving up leftovers on pizza (oh yes, loaded with cheese and more avocado), sandwiches and just over rice. Depending on how many people you are feeding, you could have your lunch set for the week. Score!
Crockpot Carnitas Tortilla Burrito Bowl
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 2025 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Carnitas
- 5-6 pounds pork shoulder roast or butt
- 1 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 (12 ounce) mexican beer
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 limes juiced
- 1 in large or 2 small chipotle chiles adobo minced
Rice
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime juiced
Tortilla Bowls
- 4 inch whole wheat tortillas 6-8
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Pico De Gallo
- 2 cups tom tom or cherry tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 medium sweet onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 avocado halved, pitted, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 lime juiced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- pinch of sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Begin with the Carnitas. Combine seasonings (salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, chipotle chili powder, oregano, cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder) together in a bowl and mix until combined. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Rub the pork all over with a about 1/3 of the seasonings. Once hot, add pork and sear on all sides until golden brown (about 2 minutes per side).
- Add pork to the crockpot and sprinkle with remaining seasonings all over. Pour in beer, orange juice, lime juice and chipotle chilies, then cook on low for 10-12 hours. Check once or twice if possible. Before serving, use forks or kitchen tongs to shred pork in the crock pot. Mix to combine with the remaining liquid in the crockpot. Keep warm until ready to use.
- Make the tortilla bowls. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds. Rub each tortilla with a little olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle each tortilla with a little bit of the seasonings. Gently press the tortilla (seasoned side down) around the outside of an oven safe bowl. Place the bowl on a baking sheet and place in the oven an bake for about 10 minutes or until browned and crisp. I only had 2 oven safe bowls, so I made two bowls and then made two more. If you are using only one bowl, repeat until your have four tortilla bowls. Set aside.
- For the pico de gallo, in a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon salt with the pinch of sugar. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes gently with the salt mixture. Add onion and jalapeno and combine. Place the avocado on top of the tomato mixture and squeeze with lime juice to coat the avocado. Sprinkle on the cilantro, and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon salt with the pinch of sugar. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes gently with the salt mixture. Add onion and jalapeno and combine. Place the avocado on top of the tomato mixture and squeeze with lime juice to coat the avocado. Sprinkle on the cilantro, and stir to combine.
- Toss the rice, the cilantro and lime juice. Keep warm.
- To assemble divide the rice evenly among 4 individual tortilla bowls. Top with some of the pico de gallo and shredded lettuce and then add the warm carnitas. Sprinkle on the cheese, and spoon a dollop of the guacamole on top. Finish with the chopped cilantro.
Ok, now go break our your crock pot!
I have been craving mexican!!! thanks for linking up to Tasteful Tuesdays at Nap-Time Creations… Winners for the giveaway will be announced Wed… Have you entered?
http://www.nap-timecreations.com
just a reminder that there should only be three links per blog :o) You have so many amazing things… choose your best :o)
Oops! So sorry! Thanks for being so nice about it!
I love the idea of posting more dinners, but figuring out when to make (and eat) them is mystifying. Like, do I eat dinner for lunch? These are amazing – I LOVE the bowls you made!
I make dinner at 9:00 am! I just reheat the leftovers for lunch and dinner. Gotta shoot in natural light!
starting the slow cooker for me at night ALWAYS wakes me up because i end up smelling the goodness at like 3am haha – this is making my stomach grumble!! i can ALWAYS go for a delicious looking burrito bowl. i love the tortilla bowl 🙂
Ha! My room is to far from the kitchen so I cannot smell a thing!
Burrito bowls are the best and the crispy tortilla bowl is so good!
It’s official: My husband would marry me all over again if I made this. Trouble is, I’d eat it all first! Amaaaaazing recipe, Tieghan!
Ha!! Thanks Georgia!
I totally pinned this! 🙂
I would love for you to join my Link Up this week!
http://www.pluckys-secondthought.com/pluckys-link-up-5-with-co-host/
Thank you and thanks for pinning!
I always forget about my slow cooker! Sigh. One more gadget to use. But I really need embrace it’s qualities because hello, look at these carnitas!!
Thanks Lauren!
I could dive into one of these!
Love your little corner of the internet over here, Tieghan. I cooked for my family when I lived at home, too. I never would have been cool enough for a blog, though. =) Keep it up!
Thank you Aimee! I am so excited you found my blog! And your encouraging words mean a lot, especially coming from you!
You make the BEST recipes ever!!!! Your photos!!!! I have the same problem with photographing my dinners… because I never cook early enough to get that natural light, and things don’t tend to last until the next day lol. Plus some things just don’t look right reheated the next day, ya know? Oh, blogger problems. I would never know you struggle with taking pics because I am in awe of every single one!!!
Thank you! I always make dinner at 10:00am!! I know, crazy! Normally I’ll just reheat the leftover for dinner. So happy you like my photos!
H E L L O have you guys not heard of the crock pot liners? They are in the section by the baggies and foil in the store, you line the crock pot and then when finished throw away! You will never be the same!!
Never tried those!! Maybe I should, though!
I hate using my slow cooker too for that very reason – it hate the dried on gunk, too! But it would be worth it for THESE!
So worth it!! Thanks Megan!
MARRY ME.
I mean… yum!! 🙂
Ha! Thanks Stephanie!
Cleaning the bowl from a crock pot is definitely the pits…they’re heavy and the food gets all caked to the side of it in a very non-cleaner friendly sort of way but I certainly do love the food that comes out of them. Your carnitas bowls look awesome and I’m so impressed by your homemade bowls! I’ve never tried making them on my own – I always assumed these were one of those things you can only buy from the store or receive on your front porch via stork. Will definitely be making my own burrito bowls from here on out!
Thanks Julia! You have to make the bowls they are delicious and so fun!
I use crockpot liners! They are awesome! No mess, just throw away when done 🙂 You can find them in the sandwich bag section 🙂
Thanks! I have never seen those!
This looks awesome! I hate figuring out photography. If I want something for dinner I can’t photograph it unless we eat early which bugs me. I hate eating dinner before 5:30
I make dinner at 10:00am! I just reheat the food for dinner. Gotta get in some daylight shots and we NEVER eat dinner before 7:30! Seriously, who make dinner at 10am? Food bloggers!
I also hate my slow cooker, and basically for the same reasons. How is it that such a simple machine can make meal time so much more difficult? I see lots of amazing recipes for slow cooker meals, I pin them, and then I never return to them.
I will, however, return to this. Mexican beer as an ingredient? Sounds so delicious! Plus, I am always looking for a yummy pico de gallo recipe. I am not a fan of pork, but i know chicken would be perfect for this. Thank you!
I bet chicken would be just as good! I hope you come back to this recipe, make it and love it! Thanks for reading!
Looks to be excellent!!
You might consider plugging the cooker into a timer device so it can start while you are otherwise occupied.
That would a great idea, but I have a cheapy one setting crockpot 🙁 Oh well!
Thanks so much!
I realize I am “late to the party” but I am a new follower and am getting to know you and reading older posts.
How you work the timer is by first putting the crockpot to the “on” setting. Then plugging the crockpot into the timer. Set the timer for the current time and the time you want it to come on, then plug it into the outlet. Easy!.
PS…Can’t wait to give this recipe a try. My family will be impressed with the burito bowls.