Tacos al Pastor

Name: Tacos al Pastor
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: mexican
Ingredients: 2 lb boneless pork shoulder; 4 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 2 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 1 small pineapple, peeled; 2 tbsp achiote paste; 3 tbsp white vinegar; 1/2 cup orange juice; 4 cloves garlic; 1 large white onion; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp Mexican oregano; 1/4 tsp cloves, ground; 2 tsp kosher salt; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 16 small corn tortillas; 1 bunch fresh cilantro; 3 limes

Mexico City's Lebanese-by-way-of-Puebla street taco — thin slabs of pork shoulder marinated in a sunset-colored adobo of achiote, guajillo, and pineapple, then seared crisp and tucked into warm corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, and a tiny crown of charred pineapple.

gluten-free
dairy-free
nut-free
egg-free
high-protein
contains-meat

Ingredients

boneless pork shoulder2 lb
guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded4
ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded2
pineapple, peeled1 small
achiote paste2 tbsp
white vinegar3 tbsp
orange juice1/2 cup
garlic4 cloves
white onion1 large
cumin1 tsp
Mexican oregano1 tsp
cloves, ground1/4 tsp
kosher salt2 tsp
neutral oil2 tbsp
corn tortillas16 small
fresh cilantro1 bunch
limes3

Steps

Slice the pork shoulder.
Slice the pork shoulder against the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slabs and lay them flat on a board.
Toast and soak the chiles.
Toast the guajillos and anchos in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side, then soak in hot water for 15 minutes until soft.
Prepare pineapple for grilling and marinade.
Cut a thick slice from the pineapple, reserve it for grilling, and chop a generous cup of fruit for the marinade.
Blend ingredients into adobo.
Blend the drained chiles with the chopped pineapple, achiote paste, vinegar, orange juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, and salt into a thick, glossy adobo.
Marinate the pork slabs.
Coat the pork slabs in the adobo, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Sear pork slabs until caramelized.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat with the oil until shimmering, then sear the pork slabs in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deeply caramelized at the edges.
Char and dice reserved pineapple.
Char the reserved pineapple slice in the same skillet, about 2 minutes per side, then dice it small.
Rest and chop the pork.
Rest the pork for 5 minutes, then chop into small, ragged pieces — irregular shapes mean more crispy edges.
Dice onion and chop cilantro.
Finely dice the onion and chop the cilantro leaves.
Warm tortillas and assemble tacos.
Warm the corn tortillas on a hot comal until soft and lightly toasted, then stack two per taco, pile with pork, and finish with onion, cilantro, charred pineapple, and a squeeze of lime.

Nutrition

Nutrition, per serving. 420 calories. Protein 33.5 grams, 31 percent. Carbs 32.7 grams, 31 percent. Fat 18.2 grams, 38 percent. Fiber 5.1 grams, sugar 8.3 grams, saturated fat 4.5 grams, sodium 710 milligrams. Estimated from ingredients.