Homemade Tacos Al Pastor Food

HOMEMADE TACOS AL PASTOR RECIPE

Steps:

• 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 at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• At least 6 hours before cooking, make the marinade: Heat a heavy griddle or frying pan over medium heat and gently toast the chiles, pressing them down quickly with a spatula. Turn and repeat on the other side. Be very careful not to scorch the chiles or they will have an off taste. Cool and then remove the stems, seeds, and stringy ribs.
• Tear the chiles into small pieces and pulse in a spice grinder until they are as finely ground as possible.
• In a blender, combine the garlic, vinegar, achiote, salt, cumin, and cloves. Puree until well combined. Add the ground chiles and blend for several minutes, or until the sauce is very smooth; if necessary, add a tablespoon or so of vinegar to make a thick paste.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chile paste; use the water to swish out the blender and add to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until thickened. Scrape onto a plate and cool completely.
• Cut the pork into lengthwise slices about 3/4 inch thick and smear a layer of the chile paste on each side (thick enough to draw a line in). Stack the slices in a shallow container, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.
• Cut the crown off the pineapple and cut a slice off the bottom. Carve off the prickly skin, slicing from top to bottom, then cut the flesh into slices 1/2 inch thick; set aside.
• Grill Method: Half an hour before cooking, clean the grill thoroughly with a brush and wipe it down with an oil-dampened rag. Preheat the grill on high. Remove any thick blobs of chile paste from the meat, as these will burn. Grill the meat and pineapple for 7 minutes on each side, directly over the flame (if your grill is hot as heck -- medium is ok). Watch carefully to make sure the chile paste is not burning; if needed, turn down the heat or move the meat to a cooler part of the grill. The pineapple should be given a half-turn partway through cooking to make nice crosshatch marks. When the meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees (don't overcook) remove to a warm plate.
• Oven method: Preheat the oven to 375°F Spread the meat out in one layer in a shallow, lightly oiled baking dish or a rimmed cookie sheet. There should be some open space between the pieces; it's better to use several baking dishes than crowd the meat. Cut half of the pineapple slices into quarters and scatter over the top. Reserve the rest for another use. Roast the meat and pineapple for 30 to 40 minutes, or until well browned and crisp; there should be some caramelized juices in the bottom of the dish. Remove from the oven, cover the cooked meat and pineapple loosely with foil, and let stand 5 minutes while you heat the tortillas.
• To Serve: Heat the tortillas' keep them warm in a cloth napkin or a tortilla warmer. Dice the meat into small bits, mix with the juices on the plate or in the baking dish, and fill the tortillas. The pineapple can be chopped up or cut into quarters. Serve with the onion, radishes, cilantro, and your choice of salsa or hot sauce.

TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• First, make the marinade using the following instructions.
• Rinse peppers under running water. Roast the whole peppers on a warm (not too hot) skillet until warm and dark in color. Do not burn. They burn easily.
• Soak roasted peppers in hot water (just enough to cover them) for about 20-30 minutes, until soft and rehydrated.
• Combine all marinade ingredients (including the soaking water from the peppers) in a blender. The original recipe does not require removing the tops of the peppers or the seeds; blend them whole into the marinade since the meat will soak and then the marinade will not be used beyond that. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Next, prepare the pork:
• Cut pork ribs into thin strips and remove excess fat. This cut of meat can be tough. If you want to or have to keep the meat whole, that is fine.
• Place the cut meat and marinade into a large bowl. Marinate overnight or for several hours.
• Grill or fry the marinated pork ribs on an electric griddle or pan. Allow any marinade that clings to the meat to come with it: it will add flavor. Once meat is cooked, either cut it into small chunks or leave as thin strips.
• Grill pineapple rings in the same pan as the pork: the marinade that pooled in the pan under the pork will lend flavor to the pineapple.
• Soak corn tortillas in the grease solution from the grilled pork. If there was no grease solution from the pork, add vegetable oil to the pan and heat. Run corn tortillas through this and keep them warm until serving.
• Assemble the tacos: take one tortilla, pile high with meat, place 1/2 ring of pineapple on top, squeeze lime juice over the top, and top with chopped cilantro.

HORIZONTAL TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Puree 3/4 cup of the pineapple juice, the vegetable oil, achiote paste, adobo sauce, chipotles, garlic and salt in a food processor. Mix the pineapple juice mixture with the pork in a freezer bag and move around to coat. Marinate the pork in the fridge, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat a cast-iron skillet or grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the skillet and add the tortillas, toasting, about 30 seconds per side. Remove the tortillas and store in a towel to keep warm.
• Raise the heat under the skillet to high and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Remove the pork from the bag and wipe off any excess pineapple juice mixture. Cook the pork in batches, until charred and cooked through.
• Remove the pork from the skillet. Chop the meat into bite-size pieces. Add half of the onions and the fresh pineapple and quickly cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup pineapple juice and the chopped pork back to the skillet with the juices.
• Place the pork, pineapple and onion mixture in the tortillas. Top with the remaining onions, cilantro, cotija and salsa. Order a margarita, apply SPF 2 and take a bite.

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.

AL PASTOR TACOS

Steps:

• For the marinade: Blend the orange juice, achiote paste, cinnamon, ginger, salt and pepper, mashing and stirring until smooth with no lumps. Use mix to marinate pork for 24 hours.
• Preheat a rotisserie or oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place meat on a skewer layering with onions and cook in a rotisserie or bake until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, about 1 hour. Cut thin slices of meat and place on tortillas, followed by a few pieces of fresh pineapple, a sprinkling of chopped onion, a pinch of cilantro, a spoonful of Salsa de Aguacate and Salsa Roja. Serve with lime wedges.
• Blend together avocados, sour cream, jalapenos, cilantro, serrano, if using, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
• Grill tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic and onion until roasted. Blend very well, then add salt and pepper.

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:

• Make the marinade: Soak the dried chiles in warm water until softened, about 15 minutes; drain. Discard the stems and seeds. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chiles, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and add the pineapple juice, orange juice, apple juice, beer, vinegar, oregano, paprika, annatto, cloves, 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper; puree until smooth.
• Make the tacos: Place the pork in a large roasting pan and pour the marinade on top; cover with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Transfer the pork to the oven and roast, covered, 3 hours. Remove the pork from the braising liquid and transfer to a cutting board; let rest at least 10 minutes. Reserve the braising liquid. Cut the pork into 1/4-inch pieces and return to the braising liquid, tossing to coat.
• Assemble the tacos: Arrange the pork on the tortillas and top with the pineapple-serrano salsa and tomatillo salsa. Top with cotija, chicharrónes, cilantro and radishes. Serve with lime wedges.
• Soak 20 dried guajillo chiles in warm water at least 30 minutes; drain. Remove the stems and seeds. Transfer the chiles to a blender and add 4 cups water, 5 garlic cloves, 1 diced onion, 2 teaspoons each chicken stock and kosher salt, 1 teaspoon each pepper and dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon cumin; puree. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip a tortilla in the chile mixture, then add to the skillet and cook until lightly browned, 1 minute per side. Remove and sprinkle with cotija cheese. Repeat to make about 30 tortillas.
• Heat a grill to medium high. Peel 2 pineapples and cut into 1/4-inch-thick planks; grill until marked, about 3 minutes per side. Finely chop the pineapple, removing the core. Soak 2 to 3 thinly sliced serrano chiles in ice water, 10 minutes, then drain. Combine the pineapple, serranos, 2 diced small red onions, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl; toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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.

TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Toast chiles on a skillet or comal or in a hot oven (425°F) until darkened slightly but not burned. (On a skillet this takes just seconds- as soon as they release their perfume).
• Bring water to a boil, add toasted chiles, stir well and remove from heat. Soak chiles for 15 to 20 minutes, drain and reserve water. Puree chiles in a blender with a little of the water and the tomatoes.
• Heat oil in a 4 to 5 quart saucepan or in a pressure cooker. Brown meat a little at a time, remove, and reserve cooked pieces.
• Add onions and then garlic and cook until onion is softened and begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add oregano, cumin, thyme, bay leaves, and pepper along with chile-tomato puree and fry for one additional minute, stirring constantly.
• Return browned pork to the pan and add vinegar, pineapple juice, sugar, salt, and 1 cup of reserved chile soaking water.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 35 minutes, at 15 pounds in the pressure cooker. (Note: if using a regular pan, cook covered on low heat for about 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender. You may need to add water during the cooking process to prevent burning.).
• Strain the sauce from the meat and cook longer, if needed, to thicken.
• To serve, shred meat and place in soft corn tortillas. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve with guacamole, some of the reserved sauce, salsa fresca, and lime wedges.

TACOS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Combine achiote paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, vinegar, and majo juice into a bowl or bag. If you don't have achiote paste, combine 1.5T paprika, 1T vinegar, 3/4t oregano, 1 minced garlic, 1/4t cumin. Mix and replace achiote paste above.
• Cut pork shoulder into 1 inch slices.
• Combine bacon, pork and marinade above to a bowl or bag and let it rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
• With a pan underneath, skewer the 2 largest pork steak with two different bamboo skewers and then lay 2 pieces of bacon over top of each. There will be a fair amount of bacon over each side of the steak. It's important to make sure you skewer in the center as this is your base.
• Add the next largest pork steak and wrap the excess bacon from the previous layer on top.
• Lay 2 more pieces of bacon perpendicular to the last layer, skewer a pork steak, wrap and repeat until all the pork is skewered. Excess bacon? Wrap around of the outside of each. If unstable, support with additional bamboo skewers. You should have 2 equally sized pork footballs of love wrapped and layered with bacon.
• Cook at 350F until internal temperature is 155F Occasionally baste with marinade.
• While the pork is cooking (it will start smelling amazing very quickly), dice onion, chop cilantro, cut mangos into 1/2 inch cubes, shred cheese.
• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Shave pork off spit.
• Add pork, mango, cheese, sour cream, salsa verde, cheese to a warm tortilla and top with cilatro and a squeeze of fresh lime. Serve and wait for the complements to come inches.

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!

HOME-STYLE TACOS AL PASTOR (CHILE AND PINEAPPLE PORK TACOS)

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add guajillo and pasilla chiles. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chiles soften, about 10 minutes; transfer to plate. Remove and discard stem and seeds. Meanwhile, coarsely chop one onion half; reserve remaining half. Strain pineapples; reserve juice and fruit separately.
• Transfer guajillo, pasilla and chipotle chiles, chopped onion half, reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic and cumin to bowl of food processor. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer chile mixture to saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring chile mixture to a boil; cook until paste loses raw onion taste, about 2 minutes. Season with Adobo; cool. In large container with lid, or in large ziptop bag, combine pork cubes, cooled chile marinade and reserved pineapple chunks; transfer to refrigerator. Marinate at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Strain pork and pineapples, discarding marinade. Add pork and pineapples to skillet. Cook in batches until dark golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 15 minutes; transfer to large serving plate.
• Meanwhile, finely slice remaining onion half. Transfer sliced onion to bowl with cilantro. Serve pork and pineapple mixture in warm tortillas. Garnish pork tacos with cilantro, onions and limes.