Authentic tacos al pastor

IMG_4074.jpeg
 
 

aye caramba! Tacos al pastor!!!

Made famous by the street vendors in Mexico, Tacos Al Pastor are an amazing alternative to boring old tacos. Al Pastor tacos are so good that they even have a Netflix documentary about them. This recipe is cooked deliciously over a Big Green Egg using authentic Mexican ingredients. Cooking over the grill will give it a beautiful char taste. The traditional recipe calls for pork but you can use beef or chicken too. Some ingredients may not be available at your local grocery stores but should be available at most Hispanic grocers. This is a great recipe when you want something different.  We cooked this at our Super Bowl Party but it would also be great for a Cinco De Mayo party or anytime you want to tacos!

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons of Canola Oil

  • 6 Cloves of Garlic

  • 2 Teaspoons of Dried Oregano

  • 1 Teaspoon of Ground Cumin

  • 1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Cloves

  • 8 Guajillo Chiles (Stemmed & Seeded) Sliced 1 inch wide

  • 3/4  Cup of Pineapple Juice

  • 4 Tablespoons of Achiote Paste

  • 5 lbs of Boneless Pork Shoulder sliced 1/4 inch thick

  • 1 Yellow Onion Sliced length wise 1/2 inch thick

  • 5 pineapple slices 1/2 inch thick (5 pineapple rings will do)

Al Pastor Meat Marinade

  1. In a medium saucepan on medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and garlic cloves. Stir occasionally until garlic begins to brown.

  2. Stir in the oregano, cumin, pepper and cloves and cook for 1-2 minutes.

  3. Add the chiles and cook for 30-60 seconds until they begin to blister and darken.

  4. Add the pineapple juice, vinegar and achiote paste and bring to a boil.

  5. Remove from the heat and let stand 3 minutes.

  6. Transfer the chile mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.

  7. Scrape the marinade into a large foil pan, baking dish or plastic food storage bags.

    Real BBQ Dude Tip: Add your favorite BBQ Rub to the mixture to make the flavor your own. I added in Heath Riles Honey Chipotle Rub. You can buy it at https://www.heathrilesbbq.com/products/honey-chipotle-shaker-16-oz

  8. Add the pork to the marinade and mix until meat is thoroughly coated.

  9. Let mixture marinade overnight.

  10. Place an upright skewer into a baking dish to catch drippings.

    You can get an upright skewer at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Brazilian-Barbecue-Skewers-Suitable-Chicken/dp/B07S52TXQ1/ref=sr_1_2?crid=S4UD7ZX2REYH&keywords=al+pastor+skewer&qid=1580744106&sprefix=al+pastor+ske%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-2

  11. Stack an onion slice on then skewer, then a slice of pork, then a pineapple slice. Alternate until all the pork is loaded onto the skewer. Top with a slice of pineapple.

Cooking Instructions

  1. Heat Grill or Oven to 350 degrees and place baking dish and skewer into the grill/oven. If cooking on the grill, use indirect heat.

  2. Cook for two hours. Check the meat temperature with a thermometer.

  3. Remove once meat reaches 145 degrees.

  4. Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing. 

  5. While the meat is resting, use the hot grill to warm your tortillas. Corn or Flour tortillas are great!

  6. Pull the meat off the skewer and slice it on a cutting board.

  7. Place the meat back into the cooking pan where the drippings have been captured.

  8. Enjoy with your favorite toppings

Our toppings bar included, shredded iceberg lettuce, shredded cabbage, crumbled queso fresco, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and diced onion.