How Do I Make Tacos al Pastor?

[Jimontheriver]

Originally Posted by Dijo

will be in Playa or Cozumel. Achiote paste? Like I'd have have a snowball's hope in hell of finding it where we live. We go to Michigan to get corn tortillas or else I make my own.

I'll definitely put it on my list for next year, but we did enjoy our rendition on al pastor. I am now hoarding my Controy as I can't find any place here or Michigan where you can purchase it. I've "googled" and still come up empty. For some reason I prefer it's taste to that of Grand Marnier, Contrieux (sp?) or Triple Secs.

Try "Patron" Citronge (produced and bottled in Mexico). I think it is the same as Controy. It cost about $21 for 750ml in the states compared to about $7.50 for a liter of Controy in Mexico. I also us Gran Gala (Italy) a triple distled orange liqueur made with V.S.O.P. Brandy. It cost about $20 for 750ml. I think it is better in the rita that the high dollar Grand Marnier and Contrieux. Bols makes a very good Triple Sec for the money, but not the same as Controy. If you try the Citronge, let me know how you think it compares to the Controy, I'm thinking it's the same stuff in a Patron bottle.

[Dijo]

just sent you a PM. You are in Illinois on the Mississippi River? I'm not too bad with my US geography, but will have to get my maps out.

[Skiptown]

Just wanted to say we have searched thru many, many taco trucks and mexican reataraunts and while we have found tacos al pastor we have not found any like those in Playa. I am convinced it is the machine that rotates the meat while it cooks that makes the finished product so great. I wonder if the vertical rotisary cooker machines are available online somewhere. I could make a retirement living selling tacos al pastor here. I have found that many of our local hispanics know and speak fondly of them, but when asked where to get really good authintic ones they say go to Mexico. So we are planning our next visit for next April. Sounds like as good a reason to return as any.

[james]

I doubt the health department would approve of the taco al pastor preparation technique

[Loree]

Ron Popeil sells them.

[Jessie James]

Originally Posted by Heather

Yet another bonus for living here. At this time, I have absolutely no interest in this recipe. Why would I go to all that trouble when I can head to the corner and get tacos al pastor for 4 pesos each??

Lucky me! If I ever live outside of Mexico again, however, I'll be crying like a little girl.

I really miss the Mexico price for tacos Al Pastor, but there is a place here in Minneapolis called "Hacienda Taqueria" with some of the best pastor I've ever tasted. Just like the good stuff one will find in Playa. So for all you Minnesotans (and there's a lot here), if you're missing Playa and those yummy tacos head to the Hacienda. Cost four times as much ($1.50), but what ya gonna do... They're at Clinton Ave. and Lake St.... Kind of makes me miss playa even more though when I'm there. I eat there every week or so...

[PlayadelSoul]

Pastor is Mexico's answer to the gyro. Now, if anyone could get me a gyro, I would gladly go across the street and steal el Fogon's recipe for their pastor. God, I want a gyro right now!

[Itkollo]

Well, there is a step by step on how to make them at www.alpastororiginal.com

[atractiva]

Check out WWW.RICKBAYLESS.COM. Some great dishes there. I like watching his cooking shows when he does them in PDC

[Itkollo]

I like Rick Bayless, You are right he is entretaining but reading his blog saw that even though he loves tacos al pastor, he does not have the recipe. It is hard to find.

[Seakony]

I have found a couple of good spots in Dallas that has them.

[KSSIL]

We made the recipe below and then grilled the meat on the grill and then brought it in cut it in to bite sized pieces and then cooked it a little more in a cast iron skillet with diced pineapple. They were great, but a lot of work, I am just waiting to buy the real thing at El Fogon next month in Playa.


Cerdo Al Pastor / Tacos Al Pastor meat


1 ½ pounds boneless pork leg or boneless country ribs
2 gusajillo or New Mexico chilies, stemmed and seeded, veins removed
2 ancho or pasilla chilies, stemmed and seeded*
2 chiles de arboil, stemmed and seeded*
25 grams achote paste (local Mexican section)
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
2 whole cloves
1-teaspoon cumin seeds
1-teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper, or to taste
¾ cup sour orange juice (Seville orange juice – Goya brand)
½ cup water
5 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pineapple rings

*Note: if you can get fresh chilies, roast over a gas flame until the skin chars, then put in a paper bag for about 10 minutes to steam skins – remove skins by peeling with fingers or rub off with paper towel.

Cut the pork into thin slices of about 1/3 inch each and place in a non-reactive bowl or glass pie plate.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, over medium heat, cook the chilies, oregano, cloves, cumin, salt, sour orange juice, and water until chilies are soft, or about 10 minutes.
Cool for about 5 minutes, and then pour the mixture into a blender or food processor. Add the raw garlic and blend into a paste.
In the same saucepan, heat the oil and cook the mixture over medium-low heat about 5 minutes.
Cool sauce completely and spread over the individual slices of meat. Cover the meat and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the meat from the marinade and scrape off the excess.
Reserve the marinade; thin a bit with pineapple juice or water

[Rissask]

The best tacos al pastor I have ever had were in Zihuantanejo at a street stand...oh my they were so delicious.

No idea what set them apart from others (and I am not sure I want to know ), but something sure did!

I wouldn't even want to try to make them at home...they are a treat for when we are in Mexico.

[Itkollo]

WOW!! that does sound like a lot of work, That recipe I sounds delicious but it is closer to cochinita pibil than it is to the tacos alpastor. Al pastor does not have achiote or orange juice. I will try your recipe for a good taco de cochinita though!!

[cook4me]

This is from the May 2008 issue of bon appetit. These were fantastic. Marinating the meat overnight makes for a very tender taco.

Tacos al Pastor

1 large white onion, halved
1 pineapple, peeled, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup guajillo chile powder
3 garlic cloves, halved
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large or 2 small chipotle chiles and 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo from canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1 2 1/2-to 3-pound boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Corn tortillas
Smoky Two-Chile Salsa
Lime wedges

Coarsely chop 1 onion half. Coarsely chop 2 pineapple rounds, discarding core; cover and chill remaining pineapple. Place chopped onion and chopped pineapple in blender. Add orange juice and next 7 ingredients; puree marinade until smooth. Place pork in large resealable plastic bag. Add marinade and seal bag, releasing excess air. Turn to coat. Chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill remaining pineapple until warm and slightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Grill pork with some marinade still clinging until slightly charred and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer pineapple and pork to work surface; chop pineapple into 1/2-inch cubes, discarding cores. Chop pork. Transfer to platter; toss to combine.

Meanwhile, finely chop remaining onion half and place in medium bowl. Add cilantro; toss to combine. Grill tortillas until warm and slightly charred, about 10 seconds per side.

Serve pork-pineapple mixture with onion-cilantro relish, Smoky Two-Chile Salsa, and lime wedges.

Test-kitchen tip: To make your own guajillo chile powder, finely grind about 6 large dried seeded guajillo chiles in a spice mill to yield about 1/4 cup powder.



Smoky Two-Chile Salsa

8 large dried guajillo chiles or New Mexico chiles, stemmed, seeded, coarsely torn
2 cups hot water
1/2 medium onion, halved lengthwise through core end
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 to 2 chipotle chiles and 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo from canned chipotles in adobo
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Coarse kosher salt

Place torn chiles in bowl. Add 2 cups hot water; soak at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid.

Heat small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to dry skillet; cook until browned in spots, about 6 minutes for garlic and 10 minutes for onion. Trim core from onion. Place onion and garlic in blender. Add drained chiles, 1 cup soaking liquid, 1 chipotle chile, 1 teaspoon adobo, cilantro, and lime juice; puree until smooth. Add remaining chipotle and 1 teaspoon adobo, if desired; puree. Transfer to bowl. Season to taste with coarse salt. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.