Tacos Al Pastor
Tacos al Pastor features pork marinated in pineapple, Mexican chiles, and achiote. The perfect combo of sweet, savory, citrus, and spice!
- Prep time
- 4 hr
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 3 guajillo chiles, (rinsed, stemmed, and seeded)
- 2 ancho chiles, (rinsed, stemmed, and seeded)
- 1 pineapple, (1 cup diced and the rest sliced into rounds)
- 3.5 ounces achiote paste
- 1 medium white onion, (halved)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup distilled white vinegar
- 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder, (sliced into thin slices)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- warm corn tortillas
- diced onions
- chopped cilantro
- lime wedges
- salsa verde
Instructions
- 1
In a medium pot, add the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, and enough water to completely cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the pot from the heat, cover it, and let the chiles soak for 10 minutes to soften.
- 2
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles to a blender. Add 1 cup of the chile-soaked water, 1 cup of diced pineapple, the achiote paste, onion, garlic, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, salt, Mexican oregano, cumin, and white vinegar. Blend for 3 to 5 minutes until completely smooth.
- 3
Combine the pork shoulder with the marinade in a large glass or stainless steel bowl. Toss together until all the meat is fully coated, then cover and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
- 4
Preheat a grill for direct heat grilling at high heat (450-500°F) or a grill pan over high heat. Remove the pork shoulder from the marinade and shake off any excess marinade. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
- 5
While the meat is resting, brush oil on all sides of the remaining pineapple slices. Grill over high heat until heated through and grill marks appear. Transfer to a cutting board and dice.
- 6
Chop the grilled meat into small bite-sized pieces and serve in warm corn tortillas topped with the diced grilled pineapple, diced white onion, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and salsa verde. Slice thinly against the grain and serve.