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Brian Sunter

Oven-Baked Tacos Al Pastor

Traditional al pastor flavor using an oven-baked pork loaf method with pineapple juice marinade and dried chiles.

4 hours cook 1 hour prep 12 hours total 8 servings
main mexican pork tacos slow-cook
Scale
Units

Ingredients

  • 2 whole ancho chiles
  • 2 whole guajillo chiles
  • 0.5 cup chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 tablespoon achiote powder
  • 1 whole chipotle chile in adobo
  • 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
  • 0.25 cup white vinegar
  • 0.25 cup pineapple juice
  • 2.5 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 0.25 medium onion
  • 2 pounds boneless pork sirloin
  • 8 ounces sliced bacon
  • 1 small fresh pineapple
  • 24-32 count corn tortillas
  • 1 medium white onion
  • 0.5 cup fresh cilantro
  • - lime wedges
  • - salsa

Equipment

  • saucepan
  • blender
  • loaf pan
  • oven
  • baking sheet
  • skillet

About

The meat can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and crisped just before serving. Double-stack the tortillas for serving as the meat is very juicy. For best results, use fresh pineapple rather than canned.

Instructions

Prepare the Chiles

1

Toast the 2 whole ancho chiles and 2 whole guajillo chiles (seeds and stems removed) in a dry saucepan over medium heat until pliable and aromatic, 5 minutes .

2

Add 0.5 cup chicken stock and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let soak for 15 minutes .

Make the Marinade

3

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in the same pan. Add 1 teaspoon ground cumin , 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano , and 1 tablespoon achiote powder . Cook until fragrant, 30 seconds .

4

Add 1 whole chipotle chile in adobo plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce and cook another 30 seconds .

5

Add 0.25 cup white vinegar , 0.25 cup pineapple juice , 2.5 teaspoons kosher salt , and 2 teaspoons sugar . Stir to combine.

6

Transfer all soaked chiles and their liquid along with the spiced vinegar mixture to a blender . Add 5 cloves garlic and 0.25 medium onion . Blend until smooth.

Prepare the Pork

7

Slice 2 pounds boneless pork sirloin as thin as possible. Freeze briefly if needed to make slicing easier.

8

Pound slices between plastic wrap until less than 1/4-inch thick.

9

Toss pork with the marinade until well coated.

Assemble the Loaf

10

Line a disposable aluminum loaf pan with 8 ounces sliced bacon .

11

Layer marinated pork slices, alternating bacon and pork until all meat is used.

12

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-36 hours .

Cook

13

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Remove plastic wrap from loaf pan and place on a foil-lined baking sheet .

14

Cook until completely tender, 4 hours .

15

Cool slightly, cover with foil, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Prepare Pineapple

16

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

17

Peel, core, and cut 1 small fresh pineapple into quarters lengthwise. Brush pineapple pieces with reserved fat from the meat.

18

Roast until tender, 25 minutes .

Finish and Serve

19

Slice the chilled meat as thinly as possible. Crisp meat in a skillet with some reserved fat. Add reserved juices and reduce to a glaze.

20

Chop the roasted pineapple.

21

Serve with 24-32 count corn tortillas (warmed), 1 medium white onion (finely diced), 0.5 cup fresh cilantro (chopped), lime wedges , and salsa of choice.

Related recipes

View Cooklang Source
recipe.cook 
---
title: Oven-Baked Tacos Al Pastor
description: "Traditional al pastor flavor using an oven-baked pork loaf method with pineapple juice marinade and dried chiles."
servings: 8
total time: 12 hours
prep time: 1 hour
cook time: 4 hours
tags: [mexican, pork, tacos, main, slow-cook]
cuisine: Mexican
difficulty: advanced
long_description: "The meat can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and crisped just before serving. Double-stack the tortillas for serving as the meat is very juicy. For best results, use fresh pineapple rather than canned."
rating: 4.5
---

== Prepare the Chiles ==

Toast the @ancho chiles{2%whole} and @guajillo chiles{2%whole} (seeds and stems removed) in a dry #saucepan{} over medium heat until pliable and aromatic, ~{5%minutes}.

Add @chicken stock{1/2%cup} and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let soak for ~{15%minutes}.

> Optionally add @chile de arbol{1%whole} for extra heat.

== Make the Marinade ==

Heat @vegetable oil{2%teaspoons} in the same pan. Add @ground cumin{1%teaspoon}, @dried Mexican oregano{1%teaspoon}, and @achiote powder{1%tablespoon}. Cook until fragrant, ~{30%seconds}.

Add @chipotle chile in adobo{1%whole} plus @adobo sauce{2%teaspoons} and cook another ~{30%seconds}.

Add @white vinegar{1/4%cup}, @pineapple juice{1/4%cup}, @kosher salt{2.5%teaspoons}, and @sugar{2%teaspoons}. Stir to combine.

Transfer all soaked chiles and their liquid along with the spiced vinegar mixture to a #blender{}. Add @garlic{5%cloves} and @onion{1/4%medium}. Blend until smooth.

== Prepare the Pork ==

Slice @boneless pork sirloin{2%pounds} as thin as possible. Freeze briefly if needed to make slicing easier.

Pound slices between plastic wrap until less than 1/4-inch thick.

Toss pork with the marinade until well coated.

== Assemble the Loaf ==

Line a disposable aluminum #loaf pan{} with @sliced bacon{8%ounces}.

Layer marinated pork slices, alternating bacon and pork until all meat is used.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate ~marinate{4-36%hours}.

== Cook ==

Preheat the #oven{} to 275°F. Remove plastic wrap from loaf pan and place on a foil-lined #baking sheet{}.

Cook until completely tender, ~{4%hours}.

Cool slightly, cover with foil, and refrigerate at least ~{2%hours} or overnight.

== Prepare Pineapple ==

Preheat the #oven{} to 350°F.

Peel, core, and cut @fresh pineapple{1%small} into quarters lengthwise. Brush pineapple pieces with reserved fat from the meat.

Roast until tender, ~{25%minutes}.

== Finish and Serve ==

Slice the chilled meat as thinly as possible. Crisp meat in a #skillet{} with some reserved fat. Add reserved juices and reduce to a glaze.

Chop the roasted pineapple.

Serve with @corn tortillas{24-32%count} (warmed), @white onion{1%medium} (finely diced), @fresh cilantro{1/2%cup} (chopped), @lime wedges{}, and @salsa{} of choice.