Do you ever find yourself scrolling along on Instagram only to get mesmerized by the Tasty videos? Everything looks so tasty and easy to make. Over the weekend, my babe and I watched the Tacos Al Pastor video on Tasty and he decided to make it.
If you can’t find the guajillo chili powder, buy the guajillo chili pods, then cut them open to get rid of the seeds, and blend until it becomes a powder.
Pro tip: Have the butcher cut the pork into 1 cm thick slices before you leave the store.
We ran into a tiny problem after while the pork was cooking, the meat fell over because it was too heavy. We had to put extra skewers in the meat to support it. Next time, we are going to use the turkey fryer rack for the pineapple and meat so it doesn’t fall over.
Use a turkey fryer rack to support the meat
Wrap your baking sheet in heavy duty foil before you put the al pastor on it to bake. This will save you tons of time in cleaning. We used parchment paper and it helped but since you will have drippings from the meat and the pineapple, you’re going to want to use heavy duty foil so you can pour the drippings over the meat after you’re done slicing it for the tacos.
Secret to Amazing Al Pastor Leave the pork marinating in the fridge for at least a day for the most flavor.
Taco Toppings
- Diced onions
- Chopped cilantro
- Pineapple
- Crema
- Cotija cheese
- Lemon slices
- Tapatio
- Salsa of your choice
Ingredients
- 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder (1 cm thick slices - have the butcher do this for you)
- 3 tablespoons achiote paste
- 2 tablespoons guajillo chili powder (or buy guajillo chili pods and blend to a powder)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- ¾ cup white vinegar
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 pineapple, skinned and sliced into 1-inch rounds
- 1 THICK wooden skewer, trimmed to the height of your oven or turkey fryer rack
- 10-12 small corn tortillas
- 1 white onion, chopped finely
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped finely
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 1 cotija cheese or cheese of your choice
- 1 cup salsa of your choice
- Tapatio
Instructions
- Slice the pork shoulder into about 1-cm slices, then transfer to a large dish or bowl.
- In a bowl, combine the achiote powder, guajillo chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice, mashing and stirring with a wisk until smooth with no lumps.
- Pour the marinade over the pork, then toss the pork slices to make sure that they are all coated on all sides.
- Wrap the dish/bowl in plastic wrap then marinate the pork for at least 2 hours. You can marinate in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days for the most flavor.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or heavy duty foil, place down two slices of the pineapple.
- Take a THICK wooden skewer and push it directly in the middle of the pineapple or if using a turkey fryer rack, cut a slit in the middle of the pineapple slice so you can thread it onto the rack.
- Remove the pork from the fridge, cut a slit in the middle of each piece then push the slices through the the rack, layering one after the other until there is a 1-inch gap at the top. Push another pineapple slice on top.
- Bake for about an hour and a half, until slightly charred on the outside and deep red.
- Rest the meat for about 10 minutes, then carve off thin slices of the pork.
- Slice off thin pieces of the roasted pineapples as well.
- 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.
Source: Buzzfeed Tasty Tacos al pastor
What are your thoughts?