Oven-Baked Tacos Al Pastor
Traditional al pastor flavor using an oven-baked pork loaf method with pineapple juice marinade and dried chiles.
Ingredients
- 2 whole ancho chiles
- 2 whole guajillo chiles
- 0.50 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
- 2.50 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
- 0.50 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
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 .
Add 0.50 cup chicken stock and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let soak for 15 minutes .
Make the Marinade
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 .
Add 1 whole chipotle chile in adobo plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce and cook another 30 seconds .
Add 0.25 cup white vinegar , 0.25 cup pineapple juice , 2.50 teaspoons kosher salt , and 2 teaspoons sugar . Stir to combine.
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
Slice 2 pounds boneless pork sirloin 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 8 ounces sliced bacon .
Layer marinated pork slices, alternating bacon and pork until all meat is used.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 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 1 small fresh pineapple 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 24-32 count corn tortillas (warmed), 1 medium white onion (finely diced), 0.50 cup fresh cilantro (chopped), lime wedges , and salsa of choice.
View Cooklang Source
---
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."
---
== 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.