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Sweet Pork Burrito Bowls Recipe

Sweet Pork Burrito Bowls

Slow-cooked pork shoulder is shredded and finished in a sweet cola-brown sugar enchilada sauce, then layered with cilantro-lime rice, seasoned black beans, and fresh burrito bowl toppings.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 8 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sweet Pork
  • 3 pounds Boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
  • 1 cup Regular cola
  • 1 cup Packed light brown sugar, divided
  • 1 cup Red enchilada sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar or fresh lime juice, optional
Bowls
  • 3 cups Cooked white or brown rice
  • 2 15-ounce cans Black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon Lime juice for beans
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground cumin for beans
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt for beans
  • 2 cups Shredded romaine or green-leaf lettuce
  • 1 cup Pico de gallo or chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican-blend cheese
  • 1 avocado or 1 cup Diced avocado or prepared guacamole
  • 1/2 cup Sour cream
  • 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • As needed Lime wedges
Optional Cilantro-Lime Rice Seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Trim only excess surface fat from the pork and place it in a slow cooker. Whisk together the cola, 1/2 cup brown sugar, garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, and optional vinegar or lime juice, then pour the mixture over the pork.
  2. Cover and cook until the pork is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork, about 7–8 hours on LOW or 4–5 hours on HIGH. Transfer the pork to a bowl, shred it, discard large pieces of fat, and reserve about 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
  3. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir in the enchilada sauce and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar. Add a little reserved cooking liquid if needed, cover, and cook for another 30–60 minutes until the sauce is thick, glossy, and clings to the pork.
  4. Warm the drained black beans with 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss the cooked rice with 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  5. Build each bowl with rice on the bottom, followed by black beans and sweet pork. Finish with lettuce, pico de gallo, cheese, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Notes

Use pork shoulder rather than pork loin for the moist, shreddable texture. For less sweetness, start with 1/2 cup total brown sugar and add more after tasting. Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers and reheat the pork and rice gently before assembling fresh bowls.