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
Tex-Mex cuisine in Houston development of the cuisine in the city. Tex-Mex cuisine in Houston began in the late 1800s, when street vendors appeared. Most were Hispanic, black and Native American. In 1901 Tex-Mex good vendors began moving to indoor venues after the city government prohibited open-air food vending at Market Square. In 1907 a food safety campaign began, and the resulting laws lead to many street vendors going out of business. By 1910, while some food vendors remained in business, restaurants began to replace the food vendors. The first Tex Mex restaurant in Houston was Original Mexican Restaurant; George Caldwell, a non-Hispanic White