Mexican · main

Pork Carnitas Burrito with Rice and Beans

Pork Carnitas Burrito with Rice and Beans reads citrus 6.0, umami 5.1 and richness 4.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 2 hr 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 6.0 · Umami 5.1 · Richness 4.4 · Fruity 4.4 · Sourness 4.3 · Salinity 4.2 · Sweetness 3.7 · Allium 3.6 · Herbaceous 3.1 · Earthy 2.2 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Floral 1.7 · Nutty 1.6 · Bitterness 1.2 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (16)

• boneless pork — 907 g
• salt — 15 g
• cumin — 5 g
• dried leaf oregano — 1 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• orange — 100 g
• garlic — 12 g
• white onion — 110 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 237 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• vegetarian refried beans — 454 g
• long-grain white rice — 266 g
• shredded monterey jack cheese — 170 g
• flour tortillas — 600 g
• cilantro — 30 g
• limes — 130 g

Time & effort: about 2 hr 20 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 175.9 kcal, 10.4 g protein, 5.8 g fat, 20.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. In a large bowl, toss the pork cubes with the salt, cumin, oregano, and black pepper until evenly coated.
2. Transfer the seasoned pork to a large Dutch oven along with the orange juice, garlic, and onion quarters, then pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and braise until the pork is fork-tender and pulls apart easily, about 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring once or twice.
3. Uncover the pot, discard the onion quarters and garlic cloves, and raise the heat to medium-high. Simmer, breaking the pork into large chunks with a spoon, until the liquid reduces to a thick glaze that clings to the meat, 15-18 minutes.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the pork in a single layer, working in two batches if the pan is crowded, and cook undisturbed until deeply crisped and browned at the edges, 4-5 minutes per side.
5. While the pork crisps, warm the refried beans in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until hot and easily spreadable, about 5 minutes.
6. Warm each tortilla directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet over medium heat until pliable and lightly toasted in spots, about 20 seconds per side.
7. Lay a warm tortilla flat and spread about 1/3 cup of the refried beans across the center third, followed by about 1/4 cup of the rice, a generous portion of the crisped carnitas, and a sprinkle of Monterey Jack cheese.
8. Fold the sides of the tortilla in over the filling, then roll tightly from the bottom up to seal into a burrito; repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
9. Return the burritos seam-side down to the dry skillet over medium heat and toast until golden grill marks form and the cheese inside melts, about 1-2 minutes per side. Serve hot, topped with cilantro and lime wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Greek Red Lentil Soup with Lemon — Greek
• Crispy Fried Halloumi with Lemon-Herb Chickpeas — Greek
• Carne Asada Burrito Bowl with Grilled Corn — Tex-Mex
• Pork Tacos with Charred Pineapple Salsa — Mexican
• Greek Chickpea Stew with Rosemary (Revithia) — Greek

Keep reading: what citrus, umami, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.