
Roasting the pineapple caramelizes the sugar, increasing the sweetness and reducing the acidity. Since everything is cooked on the stovetop in this version, pan roasting is the move.Ī few minutes per side over medium heat should give you just the right amount of browning. With traditional tacos al pastor, the pineapple is roasted right on the trompo with the marinated pork shoulder. If you have any questions about the recipe that aren’t covered here, leave a comment below the recipe card. You’ll find a visual recipe walkthrough below, and you’ll find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
AL PASTOR MEAT RECIPE HOW TO
How to Make Tacos Al Pastor with Ground Pork And since the recipe calls for ground pork, it’s easy to make meat substitutions like chicken or lean ground beef for different calorie or dietary needs. You still get all the chile and pineapple flavors but in a fraction of the time and without needing to marinate ahead of time. If you use a finer kosher salt, such as Morton's, use 1/4 cup, which equals 2 ounces.This easier spin on tacos al pastor swaps pork shoulder and a trompo for ground pork and a sauté pan.
AL PASTOR MEAT RECIPE PLUS
This recipe was developed with 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (2 ounces) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which has larger flakes and takes up more volume. Serve with the salsa, reserved marinade and warm tortillas.ĭifferent brands of kosher salt can yield dramatically different amounts of salty flavor. Slice the pork 1/2 inch thick and cut each slice into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Stir in the remaining onion along with the cilantro, lime juice and habanero chile. Meanwhile, once the pineapple has cooled, dice it and add it along with any juices to a medium bowl. Remove from the grill and allow to rest 20 to 30 minutes. Continue to cook the pork until the internal temperature reaches 195 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 3 hours more. Put the reserved pineapple directly on the grill grates and cook until pineapple is golden and caramelized, about 1 hour 30 minutes remove from grill. Increase the temperature of the grill to 275 degrees F and return the pork to the grill, putting it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices that escape. Remove the pork from the grill and wrap it tightly in several sheets of aluminum foil so that it is completely sealed. Put the pork directly on the grill grate and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 hours. Once lit, cover and let preheat for 15 minutes. Light a pellet grill according to manufacturer's directions and set to 250 degrees F. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before you are ready to cook it. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours. Put the pork in a large enough container to hold it comfortably and coat completely with the chile-pineapple marinade. Reserve 1 cup for later and let the rest cool completely. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a blender, filling only halfway.

Reduce the heat and let simmer until the chiles have softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the dried chiles, pineapple chunks, vinegar, salt, brown sugar, achiote paste and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Add the garlic and half the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Cut one quarter into chunks and set the rest aside. Meanwhile, cut the pineapple lengthwise into four pieces, then remove the core from each piece. Bake until slightly puffed, about 5 minutes.
