Try this recipe by BonAppetit for a similar Al Pastor experience!ģ pounds boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), sliced ¾” thickģ tablespoons prepared or fresh achiote pasteġ pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into ½” rings, dividedĢ red habanero chiles, seeds removed, finely choppedīring guajillo chiles, chiles de árbol, and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. What makes Tacos Al Pastor delicious is the marinade and slow cook time of the pork. While we won’t blame you if you don’t have a trompo hanging around in your kitchen, you can still enjoy tacos that are cooked in a similar style to Al pastor. Once fully cooked, the meat is removed from the spit in very thin slices and served on tortillas with simple toppings such as cilantro, onions, lime juice, salsa, and occasionally pineapple.
![pastor meat pastor meat](https://i.imgur.com/X7uf9ZI.jpg)
Once mounted to the trompo, a piece of onion and pineapple is speared on top of the meat to help add even greater flavor. It is not uncommon to add other spices to the meat, such as achiote, a seed that imparts a subtle flavor and a reddish-orange color to the dish. The marinated meat is cooked on a slow turning vertical rotisserie (called a trompo) with a gas flame. However, the Mexican meats made in this style can commonly be found in dishes such as gringas, alambres, and huaraches. Having been derived from such a cooking style, tacos al pastor is similar to the Turkish döner kebab and Greek gyros. It is believed that the Mexican Al pastor originated from the Arab’s shawarma grilled meats. Not to be confused with the spit-grilled shawarma of Lebanese culture, Al pastor meat is typically pork-based in nature and is marinated in a combination of dried chilies, spices, and pineapple. (I prefer using the outside and then cooking more).Al pastor is a dish is popular in Central Mexico. *** temp depends on if you are wanting to slice the outside charred meat off and put back on smoker/grill or just cook it once and done. To assemble and serve, place some pork on the tortillas, followed by a few pieces of pineapple, a sprinkle of onions, a pinch of cilantro, then a small spoonful of the salsa or pico and a squeeze of lime. Slice off thin pieces of the roasted pineapple as well. Rest the meat for about 10 minutes, then carve off thin slices of the pork.
![pastor meat pastor meat](https://dashofcolorandspice.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_0615-1-768x1024.jpg)
Smoke for 3-4 hours to internal temperature is 145-180☏*** and the outside is nicely charred. Wrap the dish/bowl in cling film then marinate the pork for at least 2 days in the refrigerator. Pour the marinade over the pork, then toss the pork slices to make sure that they are all coated on all sides. In blender, combine the achiote paste, reconstituted chilies, granulated garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice, blending until smooth with no lumps (add some of the liquid from the chilies to make the mixture the desired thickness).
![pastor meat pastor meat](https://iamafoodblog.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/al-pastor-3471-1024x684.jpg)
Slice the pork shoulder into about ¼” – 3/8”slices, pound with meat mallet then transfer to a large dish or bowl. Will make it the same next time.ĥ large dried guajillo chili peppers seeded and reconstitutedġ pineapple, skinned and sliced into 1-inch roundsĢ sweet onions, 1 chopped & 1 whole for base The recipe is one that I pieced together from several different recipes I found online and in you tube videos.