Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas with Cilantro-Lime Rice and Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salad

Prepare the pork by cutting 3 lbs of raw pork shoulder into 2-inch cubes, removing any excessively large chunks of surface fat.

Peel and roughly dice 1 large yellow onion. Peel and mince 4 cloves of garlic.

Place the pork cubes, diced yellow onion, and minced garlic into the slow cooker basin.

Season the pork with 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Toss with your hands to ensure the meat is evenly coated.

Halve 2 oranges and squeeze the juice over the pork. Place the spent orange halves directly into the pot for extra aromatic oil infusion.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on Low for 8 hours (or High for 4-5 hours) until the pork is tender enough to fall apart with a fork.

About 45 minutes before the pork is finished, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) for the corn salad.

Shuck 2 ears of corn, removing all silk. Rub the ears with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, turning halfway through, until kernels are lightly charred.

While corn roasts, rinse 1.5 cups long-grain white rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear. In a medium pot, combine the rinsed rice with 3 cups water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

Prepare the salad components: Dice 1 red bell pepper into small pieces. Drain and rinse 15 oz of canned black beans. Finely chop 1 bunch of fresh cilantro. Juice 3 limes into a small bowl.

Once the corn is cool enough to handle, use a knife to shave the kernels off the cob. In a medium bowl, combine the corn kernels, black beans, diced red bell pepper, half of the chopped cilantro, and half of the lime juice. Stir in 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Fold in the remaining lime juice and the rest of the chopped cilantro.

Preheat your oven broiler to high. Remove the pork from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon, discarding the orange halves. Place the pork on a large rimmed baking sheet and shred it roughly with two forks.

Drizzle 1/2 cup of the liquid remaining in the slow cooker over the shredded pork. Broil for 5-8 minutes, watching closely, until the edges of the pork become crispy and golden brown.

Serve the crispy carnitas alongside the cilantro-lime rice and the roasted corn and black bean salad.