Grilled Tacos Al Pastor Food

CHARRED TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Combine adobo, ancho powder, oil, achiote paste, brown sugar, salt, cumin, garlic and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Whisk until uniform while bringing to a simmer to bloom all the spices and flavors, then simmer, about 5 minutes. Take off heat to cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Coat all slices of pork with marinade. Spray a plastic quart container with cooking spray. Stuff the container with the slices of marinated pork, arranging them in a stack. Cover and place in the fridge 8 hours or overnight to marinate.
• Slide marinated meat gently out of quart container. Cut the pineapple into 4 equal rounds. Reserve 2 whole slices of pineapple and core the remaining 2 slices, then cut them into chunks. Place the stack of marinated meat in between the reserved slices of pineapple. Evenly skewer the stack with 8 to 10 metal skewers to make the "pastor".
• Heat a grill for cooking at about 275 degrees F. Using a chimney starter, ignite 3 to 4 charcoal briquettes. Place the briquettes in a smoker box with apple or cherry wood chips that have soaked in water 30 minutes, and place the box directly on the grate.
• Place onion and pineapple chunks in a small drip tray or roasting pan. Position the pan right on the grill, and the pastor on the elevated grill shelf directly above it. Place smoker box directly in front of the drip pan, so that some of the heat and smoke from the wood can reach the pastor.
• Cook for 4 hours, rotating a quarter every 45 minutes to 1 hour. Take it off the heat and let rest for at least 1 hour.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Dice onions and pineapple from drip tray and sear in the skillet until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
• Holding the pastor vertical, shave off shards of pork. Sear off in the skillet until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
• Serve with corn tortillas, salsa verde and fresh cilantro.

GRILLED TACOS AL PASTOR RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium-high heat.
• Blend first 4 ingredients in blender until smooth. Press through wire mesh strainer into medium bowl. Add meat; mix lightly.
• Thread meat onto 24 skewers. Add pineapple. Grill 5 min. or until meat is done, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, blend avocado, mayo and serrano chile in blender until smooth.
• Remove meat and pineapple from skewers; place on tortillas. Top with avocado mixture, onions and cilantro; roll up. Serve with lime wedges.

GRILLED PORK TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Place dried guajillo and pasilla chiles into a bowl and pour in boiling water to cover. Let chiles stand 30 minutes to soften.
• Cut pork tenderloins in half crosswise and in half again lengthwise again to make 8 long strips.
• Drain water from chiles and pour in pineapple juice and vinegar. Add garlic cloves, chipotle pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cumin, and oregano. Transfer chile mixture to a blender and blend to make a smooth marinade.
• Place pork into a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over pork; knead bag several times to coat pork. Squeeze out excess air and seal the bag. Refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat outdoor grill (preferably charcoal) for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove pork from bag and drain and discard marinade; transfer pork to a platter. Drizzle meat with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and season with salt. Use tongs to gently stir pork pieces to coat lightly with oil.
• Cook pork strips on preheated grill until meat shows good grill marks and is lightly pink in the center, 7 to 8 minutes per side. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the largest piece should read at least 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Transfer pork to a fresh platter.
• Drizzle a nonstick skillet with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and place over medium heat. Lay a tortilla into the hot oil and place 1 slice of Monterey Jack cheese into center of the tortilla. Cook until tortilla is hot, lightly browned on the bottom, and cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining tortillas and cheese slices. Transfer each tortilla to a plate.
• Slice pork strips across the grain into pieces about 1/4 inch thick. Divide shredded cabbage onto each tortilla and top each with about 6 slices of pork, 1 tablespoon roasted tomato salsa, and a few slices of jalapeno pepper. Fold taco over fillings to eat.

GRILLED PORK TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• In a blender, combine achiote, chiles and sauce, 1/4 cup oil, and 3/4 cup water; blend until smooth, about 5 seconds. Use one-third the marinade to coat pork all over (refrigerate or freeze remaining marinade to use on other meat or fish). Cover pork and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Set up a grill for indirect cooking over medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Brush onion slices with oil and season with salt. Arrange in a single layer over hot side of grill. Cook until grill marks are dark brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side, flipping once. Move to cool side of grill and cook until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Repeat with pineapple. In batches, grill pork over direct heat, about 1 minute per side.
• Transfer pork to a cutting board; chop into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces. Add to a skillet set on grill to keep warm. Chop onion and pineapple into small pieces, add to skillet, and toss. Season with salt. Serve pork mixture with tortillas and salsa.

GRILLED CHEDDAR TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Blend first 7 ingredients and 1/2 cup pineapple in blender until smooth. Pour over steaks in shallow glass dish; turn to coat both sides of each steak. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate, turning after 15 min.
• Heat grill to medium-high heat. Remove meat from marinade; discard marinade. Grill steaks 3 to 4 min. or until done (160°F), turning once. Cut into thin slices; keep warm.
• Reduce grill to low heat. Place tortillas on grill grate; top with cheese. Grill 1 min. or until cheese is melted. Transfer to plates; top with meat, onions, cilantro and remaining pineapple. Fold in half. Serve with lime wedges.