al pastor

A guide to making classic tacos al pastor on the grill or in the oven.

Homemade Tacos Al Pastor Recipe

For the Pork:

ancho chilies, seeds

pasilla

chicken stock

vegetable oil

dried Mexican oregano

cumin seed

achiote powder

chipotle chili

white vinegar

garlic

salt

sugar

blade-end loin or sirloin pork roast

(1/2 pound) sliced bacon

To Finish and Serve:

pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into quarters lengthwise

corn tortillas,

white onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

cilantro leaves and tender stems

basic salsa verde salsa

limes,

Place chilies in a large saucepan over medium high heat and cook, turning chilies occasionally, until puffed, pliable, lightly browned in spots, and very aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock (it should boil immediately), then pour contents of pan into a small bowl. Cover loosely and set aside.

Wipe out saucepan, add oil, and return to medium-high heat until oil is shimmering. Add cumin, oregano, and achiote and cook, stirring frequently, untila aromatic but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add chipotle chilies and sauce and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds longer. Add vinegar, salt, and sugar and remove from heat.

Scrape contents of saucepan into a blender along with garlic and chilies with their soaking liquid. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides as necessary. Set sauce aside to cool slightly.

Using a very sharp chef's knife or slicing knife, slice the meat as thin as possible. If necessary, place meat in freezer for 15 minutes to firm it up. Split the sides of a heavy duty zipper-lock bag. Place one slice of meat inside bag and pound with the bottom of a heavy 8-inch skillet or a meat pounder until less than 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining meat.

Add marinade to bowl and toss with hands until every piece of meat is evenly coated in marinade.

Line the bottom of a disposable aluminum loaf pan with bacon. Add a layer of thin-sliced marinated meat. Continue layering in bacon and meat until all the meat is used up. (It may pile above the pan a little bit. This is ok.) Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 36.

To cook indoors: preheat the oven to 275°F. Uncover aluminum loaf pan and place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and cook until meat is completely tender (It will drip lots of fat), about 4 hours. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

To cook outdoors: light half a chimney of charcoal and allow to preheat until coals are mostly covered in gray ash. Spread out under one half of coal grate, and place cooking grate on top. Alternatively, set one set of burners on a gas grill to low and leave the remaining burners off. Unwrap aluminum loaf pan and place directly over cooler side of grill, placing a drip pan underneath if desired. Cover grill and cook until loaf registers 180 to 190°F in the center, about 4 hours, adding more coals to grill or adjusting burners as necessary to maintain an air temperature of around 275°F for the duration of cooking. Remove from grill, allow to cool slightly, cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

To Serve: Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove cooked meat from aluminum tray, scraping off any fat or jellied juices from its sides. Use a spoon to collect fat and juices from tray, reserving each separately. Using a sharp chef's knife or slicing knife, slice meat as thinly as possible to create fine shavings of meat and fat. Transfer to a bowl.

If fat from meat is solid, heat gently in the microwave or in the oven until melted. Transfer pineapple pieces to a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Brush with fat. Transfer to oven and roast until completely tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

About 10 minutes before pineapple is done roasting, transfer meat and 1 tablespoon of fat to a large cast iron or non-stick skillet. Heat over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until meat crisps and deeply browns in spots. Add any reserved juices and toss to combine, allowing it to cook until reduced to a moist glaze. Transfer meat to a warmed serving bowl.

Chop roasted pineapple into large chunks. Serve meat and pineapple immediately with warmed tortillas, onions, cilantro, salsa, and lime wedges. Meat will be very moist and should be packed into double-stacked tortillas for serving.

This Smoked Al Pastor is a rich and savory pork with an awesome chili marinade. It&#039;s smoky from the grill with gorgeous crispy edges. If you&#039;re a fan of al pastor, you&#039;ll love this smoky version of a delicious classic.

Smoked Al Pastor

pork shoulder (sliced 1/4 inch thick)

pineapple

Tablespoons butter

onion

ancho chili peppers

chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce

½ Tablespoons achiote paste (or powder)

cumin

Mexican oregano

½ Tablespoons kosher salt

Tablespoon sugar

street taco shells (corn

cilantro (chopped)

limes

Prepare the marinade.

Prepare the marinade. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Add the chicken stock, ancho chili peppers, and chipotle chili peppers with adobo sauce to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook the peppers and onions in the stock for 4-5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the achiote paste, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Simmer the marinade for 4-5 more minutes.

Blend the marinade.

Blend the marinade. Turn off the heat. Carefully remove the stems from the ancho chili peppers and place in a blender jar. Transfer the remaining contents of the pan to the blender jar, close the lid, and blend until completely smooth. Allow to cool to at least room temperature. Marinade can be made a day in advance, if needed.

Marinate the pork.

Marinate the pork. Place your sliced pork shoulder in a large glass bowl or gallon sized zip top bag. Pour the cooled marinade over the pork and massage everything together to thoroughly coat each piece of pork. Cover with plastic wrap or seal tightly in the bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.

Preheat your smoker.

Preheat your smoker. Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees F using your favorite hardwood. I used cherry wood for this cook, but oak, maple, or apple would all work well.

Assemble the meat on the spit.

Assemble the meat on the spit. Using a vertical skewer or rotisserie attachment, slide the meat onto the skewer one piece at a time, keeping the meat even around the edges and sides so there aren&#039;t any large pieces of meat overhanging any other.

Smoke the al pastor.

Smoke the al pastor. Place the assembled al pastor meat on the grill grates and close the lid. Smoke for about 4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the pork in the thickest portion reads 145 degrees F. If using a vertical skewer, baste the outside of the meat with the drippings from the pan every 30 minutes during the cooking process (skip this step if cooking on a rotisserie, it will self-baste).

Grill the pineapple.

Grill the pineapple. During the last 30 minutes of smoking, place the pineapple wedges on the grill next to the al pastor. Close the lid and cook, flipping once after 15 minutes.

Slice and serve.

Slice and serve. Remove the al pastor and the pineapple from the smoker. Top the al pastor skewer with the pineapple top and chop up the grilled pineapple. Slice the al pastor from the spit with a sharp knife, using a light sawing motion to remove small, bite-sized pieces. Place the meat and pineapple in taco shells and top with fresh cilantro, diced onion, and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Mike modified an original recipe by Chef Tom at All Things Barbecue, a Yoder Smokers dealer, so it could be cooked on a YS640s pellet grill and conform to his family’s own personal tastes – which means a reduction in the use of cooked pineapple.

Tacos al Pastor

pork

Cattleman’s Grill Carne Asada 8 Second Ride

Al Pastor marinade (recipe below)

red onion,

cilantro,

cotija cheese, crumbled

tortillas

oz Achiote paste

Adobo Sauce (recipe below)

orange juice

apple cider vinegar

olive oil

chipotle chiles

oz dried guajillo chiles

white onion, diced

pineapple juice

fl oz orange juice

tbsp apple cider vinegar

oz piloncillo (or brown sugar)

garlic,

tbsp ground toasted cumin

tbsp dried Mexican oregano

thyme

allspice

tsp kosher salt

To make the adobo sauce, toast the dried chiles in a cast iron skillet on both sides until fragrant and just browned. Remove from the skillet. Remove the stems and seeds. Place the chiles back in the skillet. Cover with water. Bring the water to a simmer. Cover and simmer for five minutes (or until tender). Drain the water and discard. Transfer the chiles to a blender or food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt level as desired.

To prepare the marinade, combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Next, combine the marinade and pork in a zip-top bag or plastic container. Rub the marinade into the meat, making sure that there is marinade on all surfaces. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove all but two of the lower grates and preheat your YS640s to 350ºF. You will be using indirect and direct grilling.

Remove the meat from the marinade, wiping off excess marinade. Using a standing skewer, thread the meat at varying intervals and once it is all threaded, place the skewer in the center of the lower rack, cooking for one hour at 350º. After cooking one hour, open the access door in the two-piece diffuser for direct grilling. Crank the YS640s up to 375º, push the heat plate all the way in and position the grates and skewer so that one side of the meat is exposed to the flames. Close the lid and cook for 15 minutes to get the sides closest to the flame charred a bit.

Slide the grates and skewer away from the fire and use an electric carving knife to slice off part of the outside layer of meat using a small baking sheet to catch the meat. Rotate the meat and slide the grates and skewer back to cook and keep repeating the process until all the meat is cooked. Hold the pork in a warm place. Reheating the meat right before serving (or the following day) in a cast iron skillet will give it that extra bit of crispiness.

Serve the pork wrapped in warm tortillas, with red onions, cilantro and cotija cheese.

Al pastor tacos consist of an amazing blend of marinated, tender and aromatic pork with pineapple.

Braised Tacos Al Pastor

Kosher salt, (to taste)

guajillo chilies

ancho chilies

½ medium yellow onion, (roughly chopped)

garlic, (sliced)

annatto, (achiote*)

oregano

black pepper

cloves

cinnamon

pineapple, (cored)

white onion

cilantro

lime juice

white corn tortillas

Avocado-tomatillo salsa verde,

Lime wedges, (for serving)

Season the pork on all sides with kosher salt. Heat a 7.25-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add the pieces of pork, working in batches and brown on all sides. Set aside.

Add the chilies, onion, garlic, annatto, oregano, cumin, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, pineapple juice, orange juice and vinegar to a blender. Blend until the mixture is puréed.

Preheat the oven to 325ºF (170ºC).

Add the chicken stock to the pot to deglaze the bottom. Add pork back to the Dutch oven, pour the mixture over the top and add the pineapple.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Move the Dutch oven to the oven and cook until the mixture is fork tender, about 2½ hours, rotating the meat halfway through cooking.

Remove the meat, from the braising liquid and let cool. Use two forks to shred the meat then return to the braising liquid.

For the al pastor pork:

Preheat a grill or griddle pan to medium heat. Brush the pineapple with oil and grill on both sides, about 1 minute each side.

Remove, finely dice and set aside. In a small bowl stir together the onion, cilantro and lime juice. Season the mixture with salt and set aside.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and put two mini tortillas on top of each other, then warm the tortillas on both sides. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Use tongs to place about ¼ cup of meat on each tortillas. Top with a spoonful of pineapple, onion cilantro mixture and Avocado-tomatillo salsa verde (optional).

For serving:

These ground beef tacos are cooked al pastor -style with pineapple juice and fresh pineapple. Grated cheese is folded in at end for a tangy, spicy, cheesy filling. Serve with corn or flour tortillas and all the fixings for an easy weeknight meal!

Ground Beef Tacos, al pastor -style

chili powder

paprika

chipotle pepper canned in adobo

lb beef

yellow onion (thinly sliced)

jalapeno

kosher salt (to taste)

cheddar cheese (shredded)

monterey jack cheese (shredded)

corn tortillas

chopped red onion

avocado

In a blender or food processor, place the garlic, chili powder, paprika, chipotle pepper, pineapple juice, vinegar and 1/2 cup of the pineapple chunks. Puree until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until the meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.

Bring the heat down to low and add the pineapple sauce, remaining cup of pineapple chunks ( I like to dice these a bit smaller), and jalapeno. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce is reduced and coats the beef. Taste and season with salt if desired.

Remove from heat and fold in the shredded cheese and cilantro. Serve with the warmed tortillas and toppings.

Pork Tenderloin Tacos al Pastor paired with a delicious Cilantro Date Relish are just the thing to try for dinner tonight!

Pork Tenderloin Tacos al Pastor

lb pork tenderloin, sliced thin (1/4”)

of a small pineapple, sliced thin (1/4” rounds)

red onion, sliced thin (1/4” rounds)

Cattleman’s Grill 8 Second Ride Carne Asada Seasoning

(3.5 oz) package Achiote paste

chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

adobo sauce

tbsp orange juice

dates, pitted, diced

beer of choice

cilantro, chopped

juice of 1/2 a lime

Combine all marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add 1/2 cup water. Blend until smooth. Place half of the marinade in a zip top bag, or sealable plastic container. Reserve the rest of the marinade for another day. Add the sliced pork to the marinade. Massage the marinade into the meat. Refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat your cooker to 450°F. Brush the onions and pineapple rounds with oil and season with Cattleman’s Grill 8 Second Ride. Grill over direct heat until browned then transfer to a cooler indirect spot to finish softening. Grill the pork over direct heat, flipping once to brown both sides, until cooked through (140°F).

Transfer the pork, onions and pineapple to a cutting board, dice and serve immediately with Date and Cilantro Relish.

Place the diced dates and orange juice in a pint mason jar (or other container larger than 1.5 cups). Pour enough beer in to cover the dates. Refrigerate the dates for one hour. Drink the beer while you wait.

Strain the liquid from the dates and discard. Toss the dates, cilantro and lime juice together. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Easy, homemade Tacos Al Pastor perfect for your weeknight dinners, special occasions, get togethers or game day parties. Made with pork shoulder marinated in the most delicious restaurant-style, flavorful marinade that&#039;s earthy, citrusy and slightly spicy! The meat is perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas and more.

Tacos Al Pastor

pork shoulder (boneless)

guajillo chiles (dried)

onion (roughly chopped)

achiote paste

pineapple (cleaned,

red onion

Prepare the pork.

Prepare the pork. Using a sharp knife, cut the pork into thin ¼ inch slices. Place the pork slices in a large bowl.

Prep the peppers. 

Prep the peppers. Add the guajillo chiles to a pot with boiling water. Cover with lid and let them soak for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Transfer the chiles to a cutting board and carefully remove the seeds and stems. Set aside. I recommend using gloves.

Make the marinade.

Make the marinade. To a blender add the guajillo chile, orange juice, lime juice, onion, cinnamon, pepper, Mexican oregano, cumin and salt. Blend everything together until it forms a smooth paste. If the paste is too thick, add a bit of the hot water that you used to soak the chiles and blend it in until combined.

Marinate the meat.

Marinate the meat. Pour the marinade over the pork and mix everything thoroughly together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to overnight. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

Grill option.

Grill option. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly grease it. Grill the meat for about 7 to 8 minutes per side or until slightly charred. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the largest piece should read at least 145°F. Transfer the pork to a platter or baking sheet and grill the pineapple slices on both sides until slightly charred about 5 minutes per side.

Oven option. 

Oven option. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking pan that is narrower than your skewers with aluminum foil. You want to be able to prop your skewers on the baking sheet while cooking. A 9x13 inch pan usually works great if you&#39;re using 12-inch skewers.

Roast the meat in the oven.

Roast the meat in the oven. Drizzle the top of the meat with some olive oil. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the surface of the meat browns and you can see some charred bits. Might need to turn the broiler on for more charred bits. During the cooking process baste the meat with juices from pan.

Cut the meat.

Cut the meat. Let the cooked meat rest for 5 minutes before cutting it up into bite size pieces.

Assemble the tacos and serve. 

Assemble the tacos and serve. Serve on tacos with grilled pineapple, fresh cilantro, red onion, salsa, and lime wedges.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/hB2gOlEk.mp4

Easy, homemade Tacos Al Pastor perfect for your weeknight dinners, special occasions, get togethers or game day parties. Made with pork shoulder marinated in the most delicious restaurant-style, flavorful marinade that's earthy, citrusy and slightly spicy! The meat is perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas and more.

This easy homemade Al Pastor Marinade recipe hits all the right notes – it's earthy, citrusy, &amp; subtly sweet thanks to flavor-forward ingredients, like orange juice, smoky chiles, &amp; achiote. Prepped in a blender in 10 minutes or less, homemade al pastor has never been so easy – use it to make tacos al pastor &amp; more!

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Top Tags

Homemade Tacos Al Pastor Recipe

Smoked Al Pastor

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Braised Tacos Al Pastor

Ground Beef Tacos, al pastor -style

Pork Tenderloin Tacos al Pastor

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