Tacobab Al Pastor Recipes

BURGERS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Soak the chiles in boiling water until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and puree with the marjoram, oregano, garlic, one-quarter of the chopped onion and the pineapple juice in a blender until smooth. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Blend to combine.
• Combine the pork and the marinade with a fork in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler. Divide the pork mixture into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet; place the patties on the baking sheet and broil until slightly charred and cooked through, about 9 minutes per side. Transfer the burgers to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Let rest about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, lightly oil another rimmed baking sheet, add the pineapple and broil until slightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.
• Spread about 1 teaspoon mayonnaise on the cut sides of each bun and broil them until the mayonnaise has melted, about 2 minutes. Place the burgers on the bottom halves of the buns. Top with the pineapple, cilantro, the remaining chopped onion and the bun tops.

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.

TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• For the al pastor: Put the ancho and guajillo chiles in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow the chiles to steep until they are rehydrated, about 30 minutes. Discard the seeds and stems and toss the chiles in a food processor along with the pineapple, honey, smoked paprika, vinegar, salt, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, garlic and oregano.
• Slice the roast into 3/4-inch-thick slices, but don't cut all the way through.
• Slather the marinade between each layer until all the meat is covered. Stack the onion slices in between the slices of meat. Tie the roast back together. Cover it and allow it to marinade in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
• Put the roast on a rack in a roasting pan and add water to the bottom of the pan (this is to keep the drippings from smoking). Roast for 30 minutes at this temperature, and then turn down the heat to 300 degrees F (160 degrees C). Roast until the meat is very tender, about 3 hours.
• After removing the meat from the oven, cover it with foil and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
• When you're ready to serve, thinly slice the meat. Serve the meat on corn tortillas and garnish with onions, salsa and cilantro, and lime wedges on the side.

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.

TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Soak pasilla chiles and guajillo chiles in a bowl with hot water until chiles are softened, about 10 minutes; drain. Mash chiles, garlic, achiote powder, cumin, and cloves in a saucepan with a fork.
• Pour vinegar into sauce pan and bring to a boil; cook and stir until mixture becomes a thick paste. Season with salt. Rub chile paste over sliced pork, stacking meat on a plate. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours to overnight.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir marinated pork and pineapple until pork is browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Divide pork over stacks of two corn tortillas and serve with onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.

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!

TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Make the marinade: Break off the stem ends of the cascabel and ancho (or guajillo) chiles and shake out and discard the seeds. Place chiles in a saucepan and pour over cold water to just cover. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn off the heat and let the chiles soak, 15 minutes.
• In a blender, combine tomatoes, onion, oil, citrus juices, stemmed chile de árbol, garlic, clove, achiote seeds, cumin, oregano and salt. Add the soaked chiles and a few tablespoons of the soaking water and purée until smooth. Add more of the soaking water if needed to make a thin paste. Set aside about 1/2 cup of the marinade for cooking.
• Sprinkle the meat with salt. Place in a container, add remaining marinade, and mix until well coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. (The recipe can be made up to this point up to 1 day in advance.) Bring to room temperature before cooking.
• Combine the pineapple and sugar in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir often until the sugar is melted and the pineapple is caramelized, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 225 degrees. Prepare a tortilla basket or slightly damp clean dish towel. On a griddle or in a heavy skillet, warm the tortillas on both sides until hot and blistered, stacking them in the basket or wrapped in the towel. Transfer to the oven until ready to serve.
• Place a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Drain off all excess liquid from the meat and blot between layers of paper towels. Add the oil to the hot skillet, swirl to heat through, then add 2 tablespoons marinade. Let sizzle for a moment, then add the meat, spreading it out in a single layer. (If your skillet is smaller than 12 inches, cook in batches to avoid crowding the pan.) Let meat cook undisturbed over high heat until browned on the bottom, then sauté over high heat, stirring often, until cooked through but still moist, about 5 minutes. After 3 minutes, taste and stir in more reserved marinade as needed. When cooked, transfer to a serving bowl.
• Place everything on the table, including the toppings, and serve at once.