Pork Al Pastor Recipes

OVEN SPIT PORK AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the ancho chiles. Toast, turning halfway through, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the orange juice, honey, tomato paste, garlic, yellow onion, chipotle, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the peppers and onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Cool completely.
• Combine the cooled marinade with the pork chops in a large resealable bag and massage to coat the meat. Marinate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut off the top of the pineapple and reserve. Cut the remaining pineapple in half crosswise. Peel both halves with a knife. Slice three 1/8-inch-thick rounds from the top half of the pineapple and set the rest aside. Place the bottom half of the pineapple in a medium cast-iron skillet and insert a long wooden skewer pointed tip up into the core of the pineapple. Thread one-quarter of the pork chops on the skewer, then slide on 1 cube of butter. Repeat with the remaining pork chops and butter, ending with the meat on top. Top with the 3 pineapple rounds and press the meat down firmly to compress the layers.
• Carefully transfer to the oven and cook until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat stack registers 160 degrees F, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, core and dice the remaining pineapple. Combine with the cilantro, red onion, lime juice, habanero and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
• Transfer the stack of pork and pineapple to a cutting board and thread the reserved pineapple top on the skewer. Holding the pineapple top to stabilize the stack, use a sharp carving knife or electric knife to shave off thin pieces of meat. Serve with the tortillas and pineapple salsa.

AUTHENTIC TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Cook tomato on a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat until slightly blackened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool until easily handled. Peel off skin and remove seeds.
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add guajillo and ancho chile peppers; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Combine tomato flesh, softened chile peppers, 2 slices pineapple, orange juice, quartered onion, vinegar, chipotle peppers, salt, garlic, cloves, cumin seeds, and oregano in a blender; blend until smooth.
• Arrange pork slices in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour blended mixture over pork, ensuring all sides are evenly coated. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap.
• Marinate pork in the refrigerator, 4 hours to overnight.
• Cook remaining pineapple slices on a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat until slightly blackened and soft, about 5 minutes per side. Chop into small pieces.
• Wipe out grill pan and preheat over medium-high heat. Cook marinated pork in the hot pan, turning once, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Chop pork coarsely into small pieces against the grain. Serve with pineapple, chopped onion, and cilantro.

MEXICAN-STYLE PORK TACOS (TACOS AL PASTOR) RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Slice the pork shoulder into about 1-centimeter (¼ in) slices, then transfer to a large dish or bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the achiote paste, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice, mashing and stirring until smooth with no lumps. Pour the marinade over the pork slices, then toss to make sure they are coated on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Place a slice or two of the pineapple on the baking sheet. Take a wooden skewer and push it directly in the middle of the pineapple. Remove the pork from the fridge and push the slices through the skewer, layering one after the other until there is a 1-inch (2 ½ cm) gap at the top. Push another pineapple slice on top.
• Bake for about 1½ hours, until the pork is slightly charred on the outside and deep red. Rest the meat for about 10 minutes, then carve off thin slices of pork and roasted pineapple.
• To assemble, place some pork on the tortillas, followed by a few pieces of pineapple, a sprinkling of onion, a pinch of cilantro, and a spoonful of salsa, and some diced avocado. Serve with lime wedges.
• Enjoy!

PORK AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Slice tenderloin, lengthwise and then in 1/2 inch slices.
• In a medium bowl combine juice (see note in ingredients) chile, adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add pork and toss to coat. Set aside.
• Brush onion and pineapple slices with canola oil and add to grill pan over medium high heat, cook, stirring until charred (5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool and then chop together.
• Add pork to pan and grill turning - 5 minutes or until done. Chop pork into 1/4 inch pieces and add to pineapple mixture.
• Serve with warm tortillas and salsa and other condiments.

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN AL PASTOR WITH AVOCADO CREMA

Steps:

• Add the pineapple juice, achiote paste, chipotles, garlic and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to a food processor and puree until uniform. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the marinade for glazing. Put the remaining marinade and the pork in a resealable plastic bag and marinate for 2 hours in the fridge, rotating if necessary halfway through.
• Heat a grill to high heat; clean and oil the grill grates.
• Thread the onion rounds on the skewers, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the onions, developing a deep char on each side, about 10 minutes per side. Set aside to cool.
• Lightly season the tenderloins once more, then grill on all 4 sides, frequently basting with the reserved marinade, until golden brown and the internal temperature registers 145 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes.
• Mince the cooled onions and season again. Slice the pork and serve with a dollop of Avocado Crema and garnished with chopped cilantro and charred onions.
• Put the cilantro, Mexican cream, avocado and lime zest and juice in a food processor and run until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap pressed on top until serving, to keep the avocado from browning.

TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Make the marinade: Soak the dried chiles in warm water until softened, about 15 minutes; drain. Discard the stems and seeds. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chiles, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and add the pineapple juice, orange juice, apple juice, beer, vinegar, oregano, paprika, annatto, cloves, 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper; puree until smooth.
• Make the tacos: Place the pork in a large roasting pan and pour the marinade on top; cover with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Transfer the pork to the oven and roast, covered, 3 hours. Remove the pork from the braising liquid and transfer to a cutting board; let rest at least 10 minutes. Reserve the braising liquid. Cut the pork into 1/4-inch pieces and return to the braising liquid, tossing to coat.
• Assemble the tacos: Arrange the pork on the tortillas and top with the pineapple-serrano salsa and tomatillo salsa. Top with cotija, chicharrónes, cilantro and radishes. Serve with lime wedges.
• Soak 20 dried guajillo chiles in warm water at least 30 minutes; drain. Remove the stems and seeds. Transfer the chiles to a blender and add 4 cups water, 5 garlic cloves, 1 diced onion, 2 teaspoons each chicken stock and kosher salt, 1 teaspoon each pepper and dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon cumin; puree. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip a tortilla in the chile mixture, then add to the skillet and cook until lightly browned, 1 minute per side. Remove and sprinkle with cotija cheese. Repeat to make about 30 tortillas.
• Heat a grill to medium high. Peel 2 pineapples and cut into 1/4-inch-thick planks; grill until marked, about 3 minutes per side. Finely chop the pineapple, removing the core. Soak 2 to 3 thinly sliced serrano chiles in ice water, 10 minutes, then drain. Combine the pineapple, serranos, 2 diced small red onions, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl; toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

AL PASTOR MARINATED PORK

Steps:

• Drain the guajillos, add them to a blender and blend with 4 to 6 ounces water. Strain the puree. Add the guajillo puree, garlic, apple juice, orange juice, vinegar, onion, achiote, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, 1 ounce salt and 1/2 ounce pepper to the blender and blend to make the marinade.
• Combine the marinade and the pork in a large resealable plastic bag and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Dice the marinated pork into small pieces.
• Heat a large pan over medium-high heat with a squirt of oil. Add the pork and bacon and cook. When the meat is cooked through, add some diced pineapple if using.

PORK AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Puree the salt, pineapple, achiote and garlic in a blender until a thick paste forms, adding up to 1/4 cup water if necessary.
• Trim and remove most of the fat from the pork butt. Slice and then dice the trimmed meat and mix with half the puree. Place in the fridge and let sit for 24 hours.
• Before cooking the pork, rub the puree into the meat, adding more if necessary. Add to a skillet and cook over medium heat until the meat is cooked through and browned, 6 to 10 minutes.
• Serve in tacos, over rice and beans or on potatoes.

SLOW COOKER TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Place pineapple, onion, chipotle peppers plus 1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce, guajillo chiles, chile de arbol, garlic, and oregano in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add orange juice, vinegar, achiote powder, salt, cumin, lime zest, chile powder, and black pepper. Mix sauce well.
• Place pork in a slow cooker and cover with the sauce. Cover and cook on Low until pork is very tender, 7 to 9 hours. Begin heating tortillas 35 to 40 minutes before pork is done.
• Heat oil in a saucepan over high heat. Cook tortillas one at a time until brown spots appear, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Plate tortillas in stacks of two for each taco.
• Shred pork using 2 forks; mix to coat with the sauce. Scoop pork onto tacos using a slotted spoon. Top each with a portion of pineapple, cilantro, and onion.

PORK VOLCáNES AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Place pork shoulder on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and freeze, uncovered, until almost completely frozen, about 2 hours. Using a very sharp knife, thinly slice pork (shoot for about ⅛" thick). Transfer to a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, bring guajillo and morita chiles and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit 30 minutes to allow chiles to soften.
• Transfer chiles and soaking liquid to a blender. Add garlic, orange juice, lime juice, achiote paste, and salt; purée until smooth. Pour over pork and toss to coat. Cover and let sit at room temperature 2 hours, or chill up to 6 hours.
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°F. Evenly space out tortillas on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted and very crisp (edges will curl and pucker), 35-45 minutes.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over high until smoking. Spread about one-fourth of pork across skillet in a single layer; cook, undisturbed, until browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn over and cook, undisturbed, until browned underneath and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter and wipe out skillet. Working in 3 batches, repeat process with remaining pork and 3 Tbsp. oil.
• Increase oven temperature to 500°F. Divide pork among tostadas and top with quesillo; bake until cheese is melted, 8-10 minutes. Top with onion and cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

PORK KEBABS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Heat a dry small heavy skillet over medium heat until hot, then toast chiles, turning and pressing with tongs, until more pliable and slightly changed in color, about 30 seconds. Stem chiles.
• Purée 1 chile (reserve remainder for salsa) in a blender with pineapple, vinegar, oil, garlic, oregano, cumin, and 1 3/4 tsp salt, then transfer to a bowl.
• Preheat broiler.
• Oil a small baking pan, then add tomatoes and onion. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat, turning occasionally, until tomatoes are wilted, skins are blistered, and onions begin to soften and are charred in spots, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to blender. Add remaining 2 toasted chiles, water, and 1 tsp salt and purée until smooth. Add cilantro and 1/2 cup pineapple basting sauce and pulse until cilantro is finely chopped.
• Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas).
• Toss pork with half of remaining pineapple basting sauce, then thread pork, onion, and pineapple onto skewers, leaving small spaces between pieces. Put on a tray. Wrap tortillas in 2 separate foil packages.
• Oil grill rack, then grill skewers, covered only if using a gas grill, turning and basting frequently with remaining sauce (do not baste during last 3 minutes), until pork is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, covered.
• Heat tortillas (in foil) on grill, turning once, until warmed through, about 3 minutes total.
• Remove pork, pineapple, and onion from skewers. Serve wrapped in tortillas with salsa and other accompaniments.

SLOW-COOKER AL PASTOR BOWLS

Steps:

• Puree first 12 ingredients in a blender. In a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker, combine pork and pepper mixture. Cook, covered, on low until pork is very tender, 6-8 hours. Stir to break up pork., Serve pork in bowls over rice. If desired, add toppings.

PINEAPPLE PULLED PORK AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Place pork in a large brining vessel. Cut a few slashes into the fat side of the pork.
• Whisk salt, pineapple juice, and water together in a large bowl. Pour brine over the pork. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
• Combine salt, ancho powder, chipotle powder, garlic powder, cumin, cinnamon, and oregano together for the rub.
• Remove pork from the brine and place on a deep baking pan lined with foil. Season generously with the spice rub. Reserve remaining spice rub for another use.
• Preheat a charcoal grill for 300 to 325 degrees F (150 to 175 degrees C). Place 2 bricks on the grate, if you like, and place the baking pan on top.
• Grill, occasionally spooning rendered juices over the meat, until very tender, about 7 hours. Make sure to maintain the same 25-degree range in temperature by adjusting the vents under, and on top of the grill, or smoker. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork should read 195 degrees F (91 degrees C).
• Remove pan from the grill, wrap top in foil, and let rest for 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook pineapple over the last of the coals until nicely charred, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Dice the grilled pineapple to get about 2 cups. Combine in a bowl with serrano pepper, red peppers, cilantro, and rice vinegar. Season with salt and a pinch of the leftover spice rub.
• Remove pork bone and pull the meat apart. Add to a bowl with some of the rendered fat; pull apart with 2 forks. Place some pork over each bottom bun, top with pineapple salsa, and cover with the other bun half.