Tacos Al Pastor

I live in the land of the best tacos on earth, so its a bold move for me to attempt to capture the glory of a taco truck at home, but I did my best.

Tacos Al Pastor

4 pounds of Pork shoulder, sliced 1/4 inch thick 

5 ea Guajillo, de-seeded, stemmed 

1 ea ancho chile, de-seeded, stemmed 

1/2 ea Mexican cinnamon stick, broken

1 tsp Black peppercorns

5 ea whole cloves

1/2 tsp whole cumin 

1/2 tsp whole allspice berries

6 garlic cloves

1/2 small onion, about 1/2 cup

2 oz achiote paste

1 tsp Mexican dry oregano 

1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

1 cup pineapple juice, from a can 

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup avocado oil

2 tablespoons of salt

1 pineapple, peeled and cut. Leave 2 large rounds, for the top and bottom of the skewer reserve the rest to serve with the tacos

Radishes sliced thinly on the mandolin

Fresh Cilantro 

Fresh tortillas

2 cups masa harina (corn flour) finely ground

1 1/2 to 2 cups warm water

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, combine the masa harina and salt.

Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of warm water to the masa harina, mixing with your hands until a dough forms.

If the dough is too dry, add more water, a little at a time, until the dough is soft and pliable but not sticky

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes. This allows the masa to fully hydrate

Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, rolling each portion into a ball about 2 ounces in weight

Using a tortilla press or a heavy skillet, press each ball between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper to form a thin, round tortilla.

Cook the Tortillas:

Preheat a dry skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.

Carefully peel off the plastic wrap or parchment paper and place the tortilla on the hot skillet or comal

Cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, or until the tortilla begins to puff up and develop brown spots.

Transfer the cooked tortilla to a clean kitchen towel and cover to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Recipe

1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed

1 small white onion, quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 jalapeño

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 lime, juiced

Salt to taste

Grill the tomatillos, onion and jalapeño until nicely charred. You can grill the garlic also, just take it off after a few seconds so it doesn’t burn

Transfer them to a blender or food processor. And blend to desired texture

 Add the fresh cilantro and lime juice and salt. Adjust seasoning if it needs more salt

Serve the salsa immediately, or refrigerate it for up to a week.

Enjoy it with chips, tacos, grilled meats, or as a condiment for various dishes

Al pastor 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, set oven rack to just lower than the middle position 

Toast both sides of the guajillo and ancho chilis in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Rinse, then cover completely with hot water and soak until soft and pliable.

Toast the cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, cumin, and allspice until fragrant. Transfer them to a blender. Add the hydrated peppers (discarding the soaking liquid), garlic, achiote paste, oregano, onion, pineapple juice, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, avocado oil, and salt. Blend until smooth. Transfer the marinade to a bowl and set aside until needed

Trim excess fat from the pork, then slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces.  

Coat each pork slice in the marinade, then place in a non-reactive container. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours but best overnight to marinate.

Stack the meat on the skewer one piece at a time, keeping it centered and layered upward, leaving space at the top. Top with the 2-inch peeled pineapple piece 

Cook in the oven for about 90 minutes, turning every 30 minutes for even browning

Remove form the oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing thinly with a sharp knife

Serve with sliced pineapple, fresh tortillas, radish and Salsa verde