Al pastor, a popular Mexican dish, is famous for its succulent pork that is marinated in achiote paste and slow-cooked on a vertical spit. This article will guide you through the process of preparing delectable al pastor-inspired tacos, providing you with a comprehensive recipe that captures the essence of this traditional dish. From selecting the right ingredients and preparing the marinade to cooking the pork and assembling the tacos, you'll find step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to ensure a flavorful and authentic culinary experience.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
TACOS AL PASTOR
Tacos al pastor, a Mexican street-food staple, are a perfect synthesis of local flavors (pineapple, chiles, annatto), Spanish influence (pork, adobo), and Middle Eastern technique (a spinning, shawarma-style vertical rotisserie). The synthesis comes from Mexico's history, but perfection comes from the combination of sweet pineapple, spicy meat and fragrant corn. This recipe, from the chef Gabriela Cámara, provides an easy way to make it at home; try boneless chicken thighs if you don't want pork. Either way, make sure to blot the meat until very dry before cooking it so you get a hard sear that mimics the char of a grill.
Provided by Julia Moskin
Categories dinner, lunch, meat, tacos, main course
Time 45m
Yield 12 tacos (3 to 4 servings)
Number Of Ingredients 22
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.
MEXICAN-STYLE PORK TACOS (TACOS AL PASTOR) RECIPE BY TASTY
It's Taco Tuesday! Or maybe it's taco ANYday because let's face it: there's never NOT a good day to eat a taco. But you don't want something basic. You want the real deal, and we're here to make that dream come true. With our super flavorful tacos al pastor, you're going to feel like you're at a food truck on a beach, chowing down on some of the best eats around.
Provided by Alvin Zhou
Categories Dinner
Yield 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
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!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 597 calories, Carbohydrate 29 grams, Fat 32 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 48 grams, Sugar 10 grams
TACOS AL PASTOR
Provided by Mark Miller
Categories Pork Side Marinate Kosher Simmer Dairy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
Yield makes 24 tacos
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Stem, seed, and rehydrate the dried chiles (page 153). Drain and set aside, reserving the soaking liquid.
- In a small saucepan, simmer the orange juice over medium-low heat until reduced by half; set aside. In the jar of a blender, puree the rehydrated chiles until smooth, adding some of the soaking water, if needed, to achieve a smooth consistency.
- In a large bowl, add the reduced orange juice, pureed chiles, orange zest, brown sugar, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, vinegar, lime juice, cola, and beer and stir to mix well. Add the pork, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
- When ready to cook, remove the pork from the marinade and drain well. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the pork pieces until the meat is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve right away or keep warm in the pan until ready to serve.
- To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with pineapple and salsa. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with pineapple and salsa, fold, and eat right away.
QUICK TACOS AL PASTOR
We loved the pork and pineapple tacos from a food truck in Hawaii. My husband, a high school football referee, gives my version a thumb's up. -Lori McLain, Denton, Texas
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 25m
Yield 4 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Coarsely shred pork, reserving juices. In a small bowl, crush half the pineapple with a fork., In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add whole pineapple chunks; cook until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove from pan., Add enchilada sauce and crushed pineapple to same skillet; stir in pork and reserved juices. Cook over medium-high heat until liquid is evaporated, 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally., Serve in tortillas with pineapple chunks, onion and cilantro. If desired, top with queso fresco and salsa, and serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 317 calories, Fat 11g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 57mg cholesterol, Sodium 573mg sodium, Carbohydrate 36g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 5g fiber), Protein 24g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
AUTHENTIC TACOS AL PASTOR
Tacos al pastor is a quintessential Mexican dish, with tender pork and pineapple marinated in a savory and aromatic chile sauce. Serve with warm corn tortillas, tomatillos salsa, and lemon or lime wedges.
Provided by docmancito
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 5h19m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 16
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 204.3 calories, Carbohydrate 23 g, Cholesterol 43.5 mg, Fat 5.6 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 16.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.9 g, Sodium 748.1 mg, Sugar 15.9 g
AL PASTOR-INSPIRED TACOS
Steps:
- For the basting sauce: Add the honey, butter, coriander, cumin, salt, cinnamon, pepper and saffron to a small saucepan over low heat. Let cook 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.
- For the yogurt sauce: Combine the yogurt, vinegar, mint and garlic in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt.
- For the roasted tomatoes: Preheat the broiler.
- Quarter the tomatoes, then toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and broil, checking occasionally to prevent burning, about 7 minutes, then turn over the tomatoes and roast until lightly charred, another 7 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
- For the pickled onions: Add the onions, vinegar, salt, sugar and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat and set aside.
- For the meat: Grate the onion on the largest holes of a box grater and mix into the ground meat along with the salt. Shape the meat into 6 cigar shapes on koobideh swords or flat shish kebab skewers.
- Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Grill the kebabs, basting with the saffron sauce occasionally, until charred on the outside and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
- To serve: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Warm the tortillas in a pan in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Spread a heaping spoonful of yogurt sauce on a tortilla. Add the meat, roasted tomatoes and pickled onions. Garnish with torn herbs.
MEXICAN TACOS AL PASTOR
Al pastor, meaning literally "shepherd style," is a traditional way to prepare pork, lamb, and goat meat that originated in northern Mexico. Historically, pigs and goats were slow-roasted whole over a mesquite fire, but over time preparation methods evolved. In Mexico city there are taquerias dedicated mostly or even exclusively to tacos al Pastor. Tacos al Pastor are made from pork meat that has been marinated in a secret recipe and then cooked in a rotisserie with pineapple on top. Similar to the roast lamb from Greek delis, taquerias stack the marinated pork al pastor into a large cylindrical heap and cook it on a vertical spit. The tacos should be very small (almost like 2 bites size) and garnished with cilantro (coriander), chopped onion and the pineapple. Add your favorite hot sauce (if desired). I haven't tried this myself, just thought it would make a good contribution to Recipezaar. Marinating time not included in preparation time.
Provided by Molly53
Categories Mexican
Time 1h20m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- For the marinade: Seed the chiles, and chop finely.
- Mash them together with the garlic, cloves, and cumin; add vinegar (avoid touching the chiles and vinegar with your bare hands if possible to prevent burning the skin).
- Boil the ingredients in heavy saucepan until it thickens into a heavy paste, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Let cool.
- Cut the pork meat in thin steaks or slices (normally the slices rest on top of each other while marinating and cooking).
- Apply the paste to the meat putting one slice on top of the other (At an authentic taqueria, this would form a unit topped with pineapple for added flavor and moisture, and placed into the rotisserie and rotated constantly).
- Cover and place in the fridge at least 6 hours (or overnight).
- If using a rotisserie, cook the meat until well done.
- If not using a rotisserie, drain the marinade and cut the pork in small pieces.
- Put in a frying pan with a little oil and cook the meat with small pieces of pineapple making sure the pork is well-cooked, using care not to burn.
- While the meat is cooking, heat the tortillas.
- Finely chop the onion and cilantro together.
- Cut the limes in quarters.
- Serve the cooked meat wrapped in the hot tortillas, and garnished with the chopped cilantro, onion, pineapple, and the lime quarters.
TACOS AL PASTOR
Believe it or not, I am posting yet another pastor recipe! I love this stuff! Never, ever, forget the extra grilled pineapple, it makes them something special. The meat needs to marinate from 4 hours up to 1 day. From Bon Appetit May 2008. Cook's tip: To make your own guajillo chile powder, finely grind about 6 large dried seeded guajillo chiles in a spice mill to yield about 1/4 cup powder.
Provided by cookiedog
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 1h
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Coarsely chop 1 onion half. Coarsely chop 2 pineapple rounds, discarding core; cover and chill remaining pineapple. Place chopped onion and chopped pineapple in blender. Add orange juice and next 7 ingredients; puree marinade until smooth. Place pork in large resealable plastic bag. Add marinade and seal bag, releasing excess air. Turn to coat. Chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
- Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill remaining pineapple until warm and slightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Grill pork with some marinade still clinging until slightly charred and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer pineapple and pork to work surface; chop pineapple into 1/2-inch cubes, discarding cores. Chop pork. Transfer to platter; toss to combine.
- Meanwhile, finely chop remaining onion half and place in medium bowl. Add cilantro; toss to combine. Grill tortillas until warm and slightly charred, about 10 seconds per side.
- Serve pork-pineapple mixture with onion-cilantro relish, Salsa, and lime wedges.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 497.5, Fat 27.4, SaturatedFat 9.2, Cholesterol 131, Sodium 742.3, Carbohydrate 19.6, Fiber 3.6, Sugar 11.3, Protein 43
Tips:
- Prep Your Meat: Before cooking, slice your pork shoulder into thin strips against the grain and marinate it overnight in a flavorful blend of spices, herbs, and citrus juices. This will tenderize the meat and infuse it with delicious flavors.
- Create the Perfect Marinade: For an authentic al pastor marinade, combine guajillo and ancho chiles, garlic, cumin, oregano, achiote paste, pineapple juice, orange juice, and vinegar. This flavorful mixture will impart a vibrant red color and a complex taste to the pork.
- Slow-Cook for Tenderness: To achieve fall-off-the-bone tenderness, braise the marinated pork shoulder in a slow cooker or Dutch oven filled with pineapple chunks, onion slices, and additional marinade. Cook on low heat for several hours, or until the meat is easily shredded.
- Roast for a Crispy Exterior: After slow-cooking, transfer the shredded pork to a baking sheet and broil for a few minutes until the edges become crispy and caramelized. This step adds a delightful smoky flavor and texture to the tacos.
- Assemble with Fresh Ingredients: For a delicious and authentic taco experience, use fresh, high-quality ingredients. Serve your al pastor tacos with warm tortillas, pineapple slices, cilantro, chopped onion, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Conclusion:
Al pastor-inspired tacos are a delectable fusion of Mexican and Middle Eastern flavors. By following these tips and using high-quality ingredients, you can easily recreate this flavorful dish at home. Impress your friends and family with your culinary skills and enjoy a taco night like no other. The combination of tender, juicy pork, tangy pineapple, and fresh herbs will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more. So, gather your ingredients, fire up the stove, and embark on a culinary adventure with these al pastor-inspired tacos.
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