Best 5 Al Pastor Marinated Pork Recipes

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**Explore the Enchanting Flavors of Al Pastor: A Culinary Journey Through Traditional and Modern Recipes**

Embark on a tantalizing culinary adventure with our comprehensive guide to Al Pastor, a beloved Mexican dish that has captured the hearts of food enthusiasts worldwide. Discover the origins of this flavorful dish, rooted in the vibrant streets of Mexico, and delve into the secrets behind its unique marinade, an intricate blend of spices, herbs, and chiles that infuses pork with an explosion of taste.

This article presents a diverse collection of Al Pastor recipes, catering to various cooking preferences and skill levels. From the classic Al Pastor cooked on a vertical spit, a spectacle that adds flair to any gathering, to the convenience of oven-baked or skillet-cooked options, we have curated a selection that ensures everyone can savor this delectable dish.

Whether you're a seasoned grill master or a home cook seeking culinary inspiration, our recipes provide step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to guide you through the process, ensuring success every time. Explore the traditional Al Pastor recipe, a symphony of flavors achieved through slow roasting on a vertical spit, or opt for the oven-baked version, delivering a crispy exterior and juicy interior with minimal effort.

For those who prefer the convenience of a skillet, we offer a simplified recipe that captures the essence of Al Pastor in a single pan. And for those with a sweet tooth, our pineapple-infused Al Pastor recipe adds a delightful tropical twist to this classic dish.

Join us on this culinary expedition as we unveil the secrets of Al Pastor, a dish that embodies the vibrant spirit of Mexican cuisine. Let your taste buds embark on a journey of flavors, from the smoky and savory to the sweet and tangy, as you explore our collection of Al Pastor recipes. Prepare to be captivated by this iconic dish that promises to leave a lasting impression.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN AL PASTOR WITH AVOCADO CREMA



Grilled Pork Tenderloin al Pastor with Avocado Crema image

Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h15m

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 cup pineapple juice
One 1-ounce package achiote paste
4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 cloves garlic
Kosher salt
2 pork tenderloins, about 1 1/2 pounds each, trimmed of silver skin
Neutral oil, for oiling the grill grates and drizzling
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into 1-inch rounds
Freshly ground black pepper
Avocado Crema, recipe follows
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup Mexican cream or sour cream
1 avocado, chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Add the pineapple juice, achiote paste, chipotles, garlic and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to a food processor and puree until uniform. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the marinade for glazing. Put the remaining marinade and the pork in a resealable plastic bag and marinate for 2 hours in the fridge, rotating if necessary halfway through.
  • Heat a grill to high heat; clean and oil the grill grates.
  • Thread the onion rounds on the skewers, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the onions, developing a deep char on each side, about 10 minutes per side. Set aside to cool.
  • Lightly season the tenderloins once more, then grill on all 4 sides, frequently basting with the reserved marinade, until golden brown and the internal temperature registers 145 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes.
  • Mince the cooled onions and season again. Slice the pork and serve with a dollop of Avocado Crema and garnished with chopped cilantro and charred onions.
  • Put the cilantro, Mexican cream, avocado and lime zest and juice in a food processor and run until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap pressed on top until serving, to keep the avocado from browning.

OVEN SPIT PORK AL PASTOR



Oven Spit Pork al Pastor image

This show-stopper of a dish will have everyone impressed: from the giant stack of tender pork chops perched atop a pineapple platform, to the juicy strips of flavorful meat carved off the stack. Warm tortillas and a spicy-sweet pineapple salsa round out this epic meal.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h15m

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
Kosher salt
3 pounds thin-cut boneless pork chops
1 large pineapple
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 small red onion, diced
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 habanero pepper, seeded and finely diced
Warm tortillas, for serving

Steps:

  • Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the ancho chiles. Toast, turning halfway through, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the orange juice, honey, tomato paste, garlic, yellow onion, chipotle, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the peppers and onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Cool completely.
  • Combine the cooled marinade with the pork chops in a large resealable bag and massage to coat the meat. Marinate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Cut off the top of the pineapple and reserve. Cut the remaining pineapple in half crosswise. Peel both halves with a knife. Slice three 1/8-inch-thick rounds from the top half of the pineapple and set the rest aside. Place the bottom half of the pineapple in a medium cast-iron skillet and insert a long wooden skewer pointed tip up into the core of the pineapple. Thread one-quarter of the pork chops on the skewer, then slide on 1 cube of butter. Repeat with the remaining pork chops and butter, ending with the meat on top. Top with the 3 pineapple rounds and press the meat down firmly to compress the layers.
  • Carefully transfer to the oven and cook until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat stack registers 160 degrees F, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, core and dice the remaining pineapple. Combine with the cilantro, red onion, lime juice, habanero and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
  • Transfer the stack of pork and pineapple to a cutting board and thread the reserved pineapple top on the skewer. Holding the pineapple top to stabilize the stack, use a sharp carving knife or electric knife to shave off thin pieces of meat. Serve with the tortillas and pineapple salsa.

GRILLED PORK TACOS AL PASTOR



Grilled Pork Tacos al Pastor image

Al Pastor is a really popular way to prepare pork, famous in San Francisco's Mission District. It's a marinated roast pork. They make the most incredible tacos and burritos. This is inspired by those flavors.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 9h25m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 20

3 dried guajillo chilies, seeds discarded
2 dried pasilla chiles, seeds discarded
1 cup boiling water, or as needed to cover
2 pork tenderloins, membranes (silver skin) removed
¾ cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 pinch ground cumin, or to taste
1 pinch dried oregano, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or as needed
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
16 (6 inch) corn tortillas
16 slices Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cups shredded cabbage, divided
½ cup roasted tomato salsa, divided
1 large jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced - or to taste

Steps:

  • Place dried guajillo and pasilla chiles into a bowl and pour in boiling water to cover. Let chiles stand 30 minutes to soften.
  • Cut pork tenderloins in half crosswise and in half again lengthwise again to make 8 long strips.
  • Drain water from chiles and pour in pineapple juice and vinegar. Add garlic cloves, chipotle pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cumin, and oregano. Transfer chile mixture to a blender and blend to make a smooth marinade.
  • Place pork into a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over pork; knead bag several times to coat pork. Squeeze out excess air and seal the bag. Refrigerate overnight.
  • Preheat outdoor grill (preferably charcoal) for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
  • Remove pork from bag and drain and discard marinade; transfer pork to a platter. Drizzle meat with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and season with salt. Use tongs to gently stir pork pieces to coat lightly with oil.
  • Cook pork strips on preheated grill until meat shows good grill marks and is lightly pink in the center, 7 to 8 minutes per side. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the largest piece should read at least 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Transfer pork to a fresh platter.
  • Drizzle a nonstick skillet with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and place over medium heat. Lay a tortilla into the hot oil and place 1 slice of Monterey Jack cheese into center of the tortilla. Cook until tortilla is hot, lightly browned on the bottom, and cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining tortillas and cheese slices. Transfer each tortilla to a plate.
  • Slice pork strips across the grain into pieces about 1/4 inch thick. Divide shredded cabbage onto each tortilla and top each with about 6 slices of pork, 1 tablespoon roasted tomato salsa, and a few slices of jalapeno pepper. Fold taco over fillings to eat.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 256.2 calories, Carbohydrate 15.3 g, Cholesterol 56.8 mg, Fat 13.4 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 18.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.7 g, Sodium 309.8 mg, Sugar 2.1 g

MEXICAN-STYLE PORK TACOS (TACOS AL PASTOR) RECIPE BY TASTY



Mexican-style Pork Tacos (Tacos Al Pastor) Recipe by Tasty image

It's Taco Tuesday! Or maybe it's taco ANYday because let's face it: there's never NOT a good day to eat a taco. But you don't want something basic. You want the real deal, and we're here to make that dream come true. With our super flavorful tacos al pastor, you're going to feel like you're at a food truck on a beach, chowing down on some of the best eats around.

Provided by Alvin Zhou

Categories     Dinner

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

5 lb boneless pork shoulder
3 tablespoons achiote paste
2 tablespoons guajillo chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
¾ cup white vinegar
1 cup pineapple juice
1 pineapple, skinned and sliced into 1-inch (2 cm) rounds
10 small corn tortillas
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup salsa
1 avocado, diced
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 thick wooden skewer, trimmed to the height of your oven

Steps:

  • Slice the pork shoulder into about 1-centimeter (¼ in) slices, then transfer to a large dish or bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the achiote paste, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice, mashing and stirring until smooth with no lumps. Pour the marinade over the pork slices, then toss to make sure they are coated on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  • Place a slice or two of the pineapple on the baking sheet. Take a wooden skewer and push it directly in the middle of the pineapple. Remove the pork from the fridge and push the slices through the skewer, layering one after the other until there is a 1-inch (2 ½ cm) gap at the top. Push another pineapple slice on top.
  • Bake for about 1½ hours, until the pork is slightly charred on the outside and deep red. Rest the meat for about 10 minutes, then carve off thin slices of pork and roasted pineapple.
  • To assemble, place some pork on the tortillas, followed by a few pieces of pineapple, a sprinkling of onion, a pinch of cilantro, and a spoonful of salsa, and some diced avocado. Serve with lime wedges.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 597 calories, Carbohydrate 29 grams, Fat 32 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 48 grams, Sugar 10 grams

PORK AL PASTOR



Pork Al Pastor image

Provided by Food Network

Time P1DT30m

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 5

2 tablespoons salt
2/3 cup fresh pineapple chunks
3/4 cup achiote paste
1/4 cup granulated garlic
7 pounds boneless pork butt

Steps:

  • Puree the salt, pineapple, achiote and garlic in a blender until a thick paste forms, adding up to 1/4 cup water if necessary.
  • Trim and remove most of the fat from the pork butt. Slice and then dice the trimmed meat and mix with half the puree. Place in the fridge and let sit for 24 hours.
  • Before cooking the pork, rub the puree into the meat, adding more if necessary. Add to a skillet and cook over medium heat until the meat is cooked through and browned, 6 to 10 minutes.
  • Serve in tacos, over rice and beans or on potatoes.

Tips:

  • Use a flavorful cut of pork, such as pork shoulder or loin.
  • Marinate the pork for at least 24 hours, or up to 3 days, for best results.
  • Cook the pork over a medium-high heat to get a nice sear on the outside.
  • Baste the pork with the marinade while it cooks to keep it moist.
  • Serve the pork with your favorite sides, such as rice, beans, and tortillas.

Conclusion:

Al pastor marinated pork is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways. Whether you're making tacos, burritos, or simply slicing it up and serving it with rice and beans, this recipe is sure to please. So next time you're looking for a flavorful and easy-to-make pork dish, give al pastor a try. You won't be disappointed!

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