Smothered Sweet Pork Burritos with Cilantro Lime Rice (in Rice Cooker)

WOW. Just wow. These were amazing!! I was pleasantly surprised at how much Jeff loved these. He quickly scarfed two of these babies down in about ten minutes. Very tasty!

Smothered Sweet Pork Burritos

YIELD: SERVES 6

You'll get more flavor if you use a pork roast that has a bone in - it can easily be removed once the pork is done cooking; however, this could also be made with boneless pork loin or a leaner cut of pork. Just keep in mind that it might not be quite as tender as a roast that has darker meat also. A note about the enchilada sauce, not all brands are created equal. I love the Herdez brand of green salsa or enchilada sauce (which I use interchangeably) so make sure you find a brand that tastes good (with a heat level you prefer).

INGREDIENTS

·       2 1/2 pounds pork roast like pork shoulder or butt roast

·       Salt and pepper

·       1 tablespoon oil

·       1-2 teaspoons liquid smoke

·       1/2 cup water

·       1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

·       2 (15-ounce each) cans green enchilada sauce

·       1/2 teaspoon chili powder

·       1 teaspoon salt

·       1/2 teaspoon pepper

·       Dash of hot sauce (optional)

·       1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

·       1/2 cup chopped cilantro

·       8 ounces Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (or a combination), grated

·       6-8 whole wheat or white flour tortillas, burrito-sized

1.     Trim any excess fat pockets from the pork roast (it's ok to leave a bit here and there just trim the large pieces off). Cut the pork into 2-3 large pieces. Season each piece on all sides with salt and pepper.

2.     In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil until rippling and hot. Add all the pieces of pork and brown on each side, 2-3 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a 5-6 quart slow cooker.

3.     Add the liquid smoke and 1/2 cup water. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours.

4.     While the pork is cooking, prepare the rice (see directions below).

5.     Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred into bite-sized pieces (discarding the bone, if needed, or any large pieces of fat). In a large bowl, toss the shredded pork with the brown sugar, 1/2 cup of the green sauce, chili powder, salt and pepper (add more salt and pepper to taste if needed). Add the hot sauce, if using.

6.     Stir in the beans, rice and cilantro to the pork mixture.

7.     Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and spread about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of the green sauce on the bottom.

8.     Scoop about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture into each tortilla and sprinkle with a bit of cheese (you'll want to leave some cheese for the top of all the burritos before they bake). Roll up burrito style (folding the ends in and rolling).

9.     Place the burritos seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the burritos and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

10.     Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until heated through and the top is bubbly and slightly golden. Serve immediately. Garnish burritos with toppings such as sour cream, lettuce, tomato, avocado. Enjoy!

Recipe Credit: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

CILANTRO LIME RICE (in rice cooker)

1 cup uncooked brown rice

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cube chicken bullion
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

Add the rice, water, garlic, lime juice, and bullion to rice cooker and turn it on. Cook until it’s done. Then fluff it with a fork and add the cilantro and sugar straight into the rice cooker. Stir to combine and serve hot.

Recipe Credit: Bless this Mess