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Tacos Al Pastor

Serves 6-8

Prep Time 30 min

Cook Time 240 min
Category:

Ingredients

For the Pork:

  • 2 whole ancho chillies (seeds and stems removed)
  • 2 whole pasilla or guajillo chillies (seeds and stems removed)
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried ground cumin seed
  • 1 tablespoon achiote powder or paste
  • 1 chipotle chilli packed in adobo sauce, plus 2 teaspoons sauce from the can
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 3 whole cloves garlic
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 900gm boneless loin or shoulder pork roast (most fats removed)
  • 225gm sliced bacon

To Serve:

  • 3 cups Creative Gourmet Frozen Pineapple Pieces
  • 30 to 50 corn tortillas heated and kept warm
  • 1 medium white onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup finely minced fresh coriander (include stems)
  • 1 cup salsa verde or guacamole
  • 3 to 4 limes, cut into 8 wedges each for serving
  • 2 tablespoons butter (melted)

Method

  1. Heat ancho and pasilla or guajillo chillies in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, turning chillies occasionally until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, then pour into a small bowl. Cover loosely and set aside.
  2. In the same saucepan, add oil, and return to medium heat until oil heats. Add cumin, oregano, achiote and cook. Stirring for about 30 seconds. Add chipotle chilies and sauce and cook for about 30 seconds. Add vinegar, salt, and sugar and remove from heat.
  3. Place mixture into a blender with garlic and all chillies with liquid. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides as necessary. Set sauce aside to cool slightly.
  4. Slice the meat as thin as possible. If necessary, place meat in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm it up. Place slices of meat on a sheet of baking paper and cover with another sheet and pound with the bottom of a heavy 8-inch skillet or a meat pounder until less than 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining meat.
  5. Add marinade into a bowl and toss with hands until every piece of meat is evenly coated in marinade.
  6. Line the bottom of a disposable aluminium loaf pan with bacon. Add a layer of thin-sliced marinated meat. Continue layering in bacon and meat until all the meat is used up. (It may pile above the pan a little bit. This is ok.) Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 36.
  7. Preheat the oven to 130°C. Uncover aluminium loaf pan and place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and cook until meat is completely tender (It will drip lots of fat), about 4 hours. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, cover with aluminium foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
  8. Preheat oven to 175°C. Remove cooked meat from aluminium tray, scraping off any fat or jellied juices from its sides. Use a spoon to collect fat and juices from tray, reserving each separately. Using a sharp knife, slice meat as thinly as possible to create fine shavings of meat and fat. Transfer to a bowl.
  9. Transfer pineapple pieces to a baking tray lined with aluminium foil. Brush with butter. Transfer to oven and roast until completely tender, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
  10. Transfer meat and 1 tablespoon of fat to a large cast iron or non-stick skillet. Heat over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until meat crisps and deeply browns in spots. Add any reserved juices and toss to combine, allowing it to cook until reduced to a glaze. Transfer meat to a warmed serving bowl.
  11. Serve meat and pineapple immediately with warmed tortillas, onions, coriander, salsa, and lime wedges.

Products Used In This Recipe

OTHER PRODUCTS