I am a huge fan of rice bowls. I’ve been making variations of rice bowls to bring to work throughout the week over the last few years. One of my quick go-to lunch bowls is a carnitas bowl. For the meat, I usually use pork shoulder, but I’ve also used tofu, chicken, and shrimp. In my pork shoulder version, I make a dry rub, rub it on the pork shoulder, brown the meat, and then cook the meat in a slow cooker with some fresh homemade salsa for several hours until the meat is fork tender. Carnitas bowls are my go-to bowls for lunch during the weekdays when I don’t want to spend too much time cooking in the kitchen. After Kevin and I came back from our vacation, I felt rejuvenated and exhausted at the same time. I knew both Kevin and I would have a long week of catching up on work after taking a week off, so I prepared a large batch of carnitas in the slow cooker to divide into different portions for us to bring to lunch in the upcoming week. My favorite part of a carnitas bowl is the ease of making the bowl. I just layer on cilantro lime rice, cooked beans, fresh salsa, and slow cooker carnitas to create a balanced bowl. It is definitely a very economical dish and is perfect for a busy week back after vacation. One of my inspirations for delicious rice bowls is Currito. Kevin and I have been eating at the restaurant for dinner almost every other weekend over the last month. It may be just me, but I almost always crave a rice bowl when I don’t know what I want for lunch or dinner.
Carnitas Bowl
(Makes about 4 bowls)
· 2-3 pound boneless pork tenderloin, cut into about six large chunks (for easy browning)
· 3 teaspoons dry rub (see recipe below)
· 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
· ½ small onion, cut into halfmoon strips,
· ¼ cup fresh salsa (see recipe below)
· 1 (0.42 ounce) packet concentrated chicken broth or 1½ teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
· ½ - 1 cup water
For the dry rub:
· ½ teaspoon garlic salt
· ½ teaspoon paprika
· ½ teaspoon cumin
· ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
· ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
· ½ teaspoon parsley
For the fresh salsa:
· ½ small onion, finely diced
· 6-8 grape tomatoes, diced
· 6 sprigs of cilantro, roughly chopped
· 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and diced
· ½ lime, zested and juiced
· ½ teaspoon salt
· ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the cilantro lime rice:
· 1½ cups cooked rice
· ½ lime, zested and juiced
· 6 sprigs of cilantro, roughly chopped
· ¼ teaspoon salt
For the rest of the bowl:
· 1 (15-ounce) can of cooked black beans
· fresh tomatoes
· lime wedges for serving
Directions:
1) Rub each chunk of pork tenderloin evenly with the dry rub. Set aside. Turn the slow cooker to high heat. Add ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the halfmoon strips of onion into the slow cooker.
2) Heat a skillet on medium heat. Once hot, add remaining ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil. Brown the pork in the skillet on all sides, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3) Transfer the pork into the slow cooker. Add the fresh salsa, concentrated chicken broth, and water to the slow cooker. Close the lid and walk away from the slow cooker. Let the pork cook until fork tender, about 3-4 hours.
4) Prepare the cilantro lime rice by combining the cooked rice, lime zest, lime juice, and salt.
5) To assemble the bowls, add a layer of cilantro lime rice, cooked black beans, fresh tomatoes, and slow cooker pork shoulder. The bowls can be consumed immediately or stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Takeaways: I’ve made the rice bowls using chicken breasts, tofu, and shrimp. When I use chicken breasts, tofu or shrimp, I usually cook the proteins in a skillet and then serve immediately over rice, beans, and fresh salsa. I’ve also tried mixing in different types of salsa, shredded cheese, and sour cream. The rice bowl is very versatile and can be assembled using any protein and mix-ins of your choice.