Posted on by Lia Fireheart

Tacos Al Pastor

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Tacos Al Pastor

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs pork shoulder thinly sliced

  • 1 pineapple

  • 3/4 onion

  • Marinade

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil

  • 4 garlic cloves smashed

  • 1/4 onion

  • 5 chile guajillo deseeded

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 2 chile chipotle in adobo (2 peppers, not 2 cans)

  • 1 tbsp achiote paste or powder

  • 1 tbsp kosher salt

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1 tsp Mexican oregano

  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

  • 1/2 tsp all spice

  • 1/4 cup juice from canned pineapple

  • 1 cup chicken stock (or 1 tsp bouillon + 1 cup water)

  • To Serve

  • corn tortillas

  • cilantro

  • raw onions

  • salsa verde

Directions

  • Partially freeze your pork shoulder for a couple of hours to make it easier to slice, then pound it out thinly. You can also ask your butcher to slice it for you (this is what I did).
  • On medium heat, lightly brown the garlic and 1/4 onion in oil. Then add the guajillo chiles and bay leaves. Saute for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add 1/4 cup each of water and apple cider vinegar. Cover on low heat for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and let it cool.
  • Pour everything into a blender with the spices, chipotle chiles, chicken stock, and canned pineapple juice. Blend until smooth. *Make sure the canned pineapple juice is the kind that comes from canned pineapples, not just pineapple juice. DO NOT use fresh pineapple juice!
  • Pour through a fine mesh strainer and keep pushing it through with a spoon until there are only chunks left. Discard the chunks or repurpose it to make a salsa.
  • Marinate the pork shoulder slices in the fridge for 4-8 hours.
  • You can cook the pork however you want- grill, pan fry, or roasting. My favorite method is to slow roast in the oven on a mini trompo, then finishing on a griddle or pan. To make the trompo, cut a thick slice of pineapple for the base and push a thick wooden skewer through it. Place on a baking sheet or cast iron skillet.
  • Layer the pork slices on top of each other, then place another pineapple on top to secure. If your pork slices are much larger, you may want to make 2 mini trompos side-by-side.
  • Slow roast in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 275°F, or until the internal temp reaches 145°F. During the last 30 minutes or so, begin basting the pork with the pan juices. *This is not required but visually looks better- during the last 10 minutes, rotate the trompo on it’s side, baste in juices, and set under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, rotating until all sides have become caramelized and crispy.
  • Let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
  • Thinly slice the pork. The inside will not be caramelized & crispy like the outside- taqueros usually finish the al pastor on a griddle to achieve that.
  • Using the pan juices, cook some sliced onions, pineapple, and al pastor on a pan for a few minutes.
  • Once the al pastor is nice and caramelized and the onions have softened, its ready to serve! I like them on corn tortillas with the cooked onions, pineapple, raw onions, cilantro, and salsa verde.