Tacos Al Pastor
Louiie Victa
August 5, 2021
Al pastor literally means “in the style of the shepherd.” This Mexican pork dish is cooked in the same style as shawarma because Lebanese immigrants brought their famous spit-roasting technique with them when they moved to Mexico in the 1900s.
Tacos al pastor uses thin strips of pork that have been marinated in chiles and spices and have a characteristic red color from achiote. The pork strips are stacked onto a long vertical spit called a trompo, and in many cases, a slice of pineapple is stacked on top of the spit.
As the meat cooks in the Anova Precision Oven, the outside layer becomes crisp from the heat, but, by adding steam, the interior remains tender. And by placing the probe right in the center of the meat, we can tell exactly when it is cooked to perfection.
Serves
6
Prep Time
03:30
Cook Time
02:00
4.67 (3)
115
Ingredients
2 lb
guajillo chiles
Hot water, for soaking the chiles
¾ cup
pineapple juice
½ cup
chipotles en adobo
⅓ cup
distilled white vinegar
3 cloves
garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp
achiote paste
1 Tbsp
dried oregano
1.5 tsp
ground cumin
1.5 tsp
table salt
1.5 tsp
freshly ground black pepper
3 lb
boneless pork shoulder
1
pineapple
6
wooden skewers, for assembly
Corn tortillas, for serving
Pico de Gallo, for serving
Chopped onion, for serving
Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
Salsa, for serving
Steps
1. Assemble the Marinade
Place the guajillo chiles in a medium bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand for 10 minutes to soften, then drain. Combine the pineapple juice, chipotles, vinegar, garlic, achiote paste, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper in a blender. Add the drained chiles and puree until smooth.
2. Slice Pork Shoulder
Thinly slice the pork shoulder and place in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish or similarly-sized container.
3. Marinate Pork
Pour marinade mixture over the pork and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
4. Preheat Oven
Rack
When meat is done marinating, preheat the oven.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 50%
Temp: 325°F
Heat: Rear
5. Cut Pineapple and Skewers
Peel and slice the pineapple into 1-inch rounds. Do not take out the core. Trim the skewers to about 7 inches in length.
6. Assemble the Trompo and Insert Probe
Place an oven-safe rack in an 8-inch baking dish. Place a few slices of the pineapple on the rack to make a stable base. Insert one skewer through the middle of the pineapple slices. Take the marinated pork strips and stack the slices through the skewer. Place a slice of pineapple on top. Take the other five skewers and push through the stack to hold everything stable as it cooks. Insert the probe thermometer through the center of the trompo, making sure that it is inserted into meat and not empty space.
7. Cook
Rack
Place the baking dish in the oven and connect the probe. Bake until the probe registers its target temperature of 180°F (82°C).
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 50%
Temp: 325°F
Heat: Rear
180°F Probe Target
8. Let Rest
Take the trompo out of the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. When it is cool enough to handle, remove a majority of the skewers.
9. Carve and Serve
Shave pork into thin slices. Cut up the pineapple into bite-sized pieces. Serve on corn tortillas with pico de gallo, onions, cilantro, and salsa of your choice.
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