Tacos al Pastor
Mains · Serves 6 · Prep 40 min · Cook 55 min · Total 1 hr 35 min
Thin slices of pork soaked in a guajillo, achiote and pineapple marinade, roasted in a tight stack and then seared hard so the edges char. It is the home-oven answer to the street trompo, and the caramelized pineapple on top is the point.
Ingredients
The Marinade
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
- 2 oz achiote paste (about half of a standard block)
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 4 clove garlic
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 whole cloves (or a pinch of ground cloves)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
Pork and Tacos
- 3 lb boneless pork shoulder, partially frozen and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut in 1/2-inch rings
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 18 small corn tortillas
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 cup salsa verde, for serving
- 2 limes, cut in wedges
Steps
The Marinade
- Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and pliable, about 30 seconds per side. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain.
- Blend the chiles with the achiote, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves and salt until completely smooth.
Pork and Tacos
- Toss the pork slices with the marinade until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight for the deepest flavor.
- Heat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with foil. Lay half the pineapple rings down in two spots, then stack the pork slices tightly on top of them in two compact piles. Lay the remaining pineapple on the sheet pan beside the stacks.
- Roast until the outside of the stacks is charred at the edges and the center reads 160°F, 40 to 45 minutes. Rest 10 minutes, then shave the stacks into thin strips and chop the pineapple.
- Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear the pork in batches, without stirring much, until crisp at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Warm the tortillas on a dry comal or skillet. Serve the pork in doubled tortillas with pineapple, onion, cilantro, salsa and a squeeze of lime.