Carnitas Carnitas Carnitas, literally meaning "little meats", is a dish of Mexican cuisine originating from the state of Michoacán. Carnitas are made by braising or simmering pork in oil or preferably lard until tender. The process takes three to four hours, and the result is very tender and juicy meat, which is then typically served with chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) and diced onion, salsa, guacamole, tortillas, and refried beans ("frijoles refritos"). Pork carnitas are traditionally made using the heavily marbled, rich boston butt or picnic ham cuts of pork. The 6–16 lb (3–7 kg) sections are usually cut down to a
Black turtle bean ("frijoles negros", "zaragoza, judía negra, poroto negro, caraota o habichuela negra" in Spanish, and "feijão preto" in Portuguese), although this can cause confusion with other black beans. The black turtle bean has a dense, meaty texture, which makes it popular in vegetarian dishes, such as "frijoles negros" and the Mexican-American black bean burrito. It is a very popular bean in various regions of Brazil, and is used in the national dish, "feijoada". It is also a main ingredient of "Moros y Cristianos" in Cuba, is a required ingredient in the typical "gallo pinto" of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, is a