How To Make Al Pastor Tacos

This classic street taco is not difficult to make at home. We’ll cook thin slices of marinated pork on the grill instead of using a trompo since we don’t have one. We will also make a roasted tomatillo salsa to complement the Al pastor Tacos.

We seek out the al pastor tacos when we are in Mexico. The pineapple just adds a beautiful brightness that makes this one of our favorite street foods. The vendors set up the trompo right out front where you can see it and it invites us in. Since we don’t have a trompo at home we had to find another way to make this delicious dish.

The Traditional Trompo

Here is the trompo one sees in Mexico:

Watch a Video

Here is a video of 2 Cooks in the Kitchen making Al Pastor Tacos:

The Ingredients For Al Pastor Tacos

Al Pastor

• 2 lb Pork Shoulder
• 4 Guajillo Chiles
• 1 Ancho Chile
• 6 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Large Shallot or Small Onion
• 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
• 3/4 Cup Pineapple Juice
• 1 Tbls Oregano
• 1Tbls Thyme
• 1 Tbls Pepper
• 1 Tbls Cumin
• 2 Tbls Paprika
• 1 Tbls Salt

Roasted Tomatillo Chipotle Sauce

• 3 Tomatillos
• 1/4 Onion (yellow or sweet)
• 3 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Tbls Chipotle
• 3 Tbls Pineapple Juice
• Salt and Pepper

For serving

• Corn Tortillas
• Cilantro

Prepare the Dried Chiles

Of course Mr Cook gets excited when he finds a recipe that uses dried chiles. Starting with the dried chiles, we need to remove the stems and seeds, tear them into strips, put them in a bowl and cover with hot water to soak for 30 minutes.

Slice the Pork

Now we need to cut the pork into thin slices. We use pork shoulder or cushion for this because we can get nice wide slices, but go with what you can find. Cut across the grain as much as possible to get it more tender.

Make The Marinade

To make the marinade, chop the onion and put it in a blender. Add the soaked chiles, pepper, thyme, oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, orange juice and pineapple juice. Blend into a smooth, thick liquid.

Marinate The Pork

Put some marinade in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan. Lay half the pork on top with the pieces next to each other. Cover that with marinade, add another layer of pork and cover with the rest of the marinade. The idea is to get as much of the meat exposed to as much of the marinade as possible. Marinate for at least four hours in the refrigerator.

Make the Salsa. Roast Tomatoes, Shallot and Garlic

We can work on our salsa while the pork is marinating. Place the tomatillos, shallot and garlic in a greased baking dish. Put that in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes to cook them a bit.

Blend With Chipotle and Pineapple Juice

Put the cooked tomatillos, shallot and garlic in a blender with the chipotle and pineapple juice. Blend until almost smooth. Since this is a salsa we want to leave a little chunk to it.

Add Salt and Pepper

Pour the salsa into a bowl and add the salt and pepper. Mix well.

Put the Pork In A Grill Basket

Now to cook the pork that has been marinating for hours. It’s going to be tasty. We find it easiest to put the pork in a grill basket rather than just laying it on the grill. There are a lot of pieces and some of them are a little on the small side so the basket helps keep it all contained and makes it easier to turn them over. It won’t all fit in one basket so we do this in batches. If you keep the meat refrigerated, you can do the second basket the next day for another meal.

Grill 5 Minutes On Each Side

Let’s get cooking! Put the basket on a hot grill and cook the first side for 5 minutes. Turn it over and cook side 2 for 5 minutes.

Cook One More Minute On Each Side

Flip it again and cook each side one minute more. We want just a little bit of that barbecue char on the edges of the meat. Some of the marinade will still be pretty wet but that’s just fine.

Lay Out The Meat For Cutting

Lay the meat on a cutting board, overlapping the pieces like shingles so you can cut down one side of them. You may need to do this in two columns. Remember, we are trying to mimic the cut you would get slicing it off the trompo. Smaller pieces will go on the taco better as well.

Warm The Tortillas

While that is going on, warm the tortillas on a dry, warm griddle. You don’t need to cook them, just get them warm.

Assemble Your Tacos

Time to assemble a taco. Put some meat on your taco shell, Add some of the tomatillo salsa and then some cilantro leaves. Squeeze some lime over the top and you have a real street-taco-style al pastor taco.

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Here are some other Salsa Recipe ideas you can make

• Pico de Gallo
• Smoky Four Pepper Salsa
• Salsa Negra
• Morita Salsa
• Arbol Salsa
• Corn Salsa
• Pineapple Salsa
• Guacamolé

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