porkpineapplelime
Tacos al Pastor with Ground Pork
A faster version of tacos al pastor made with ground pork, traditional dried-chilli adobo and fresh pineapple.
From YouTube · Dec 20, 2023
A faster version of tacos al pastor made with ground pork, traditional dried-chilli adobo and fresh pineapple.
25 min
Prep time
35 min
Cook time
1 hr
Total time
12 tacos, plus extra adobo sauce
Yield
Ingredients
25 ingredients- 15 dried guajillo chillies, stemmed and deseeded
- 3 dried ancho chillies, stemmed and deseeded
- 3 dried árbol chillies
- 1/2 medium white onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 whole cloves
- 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 120ml (1/2 cup) chilli cooking water, plus more as needed
- 170ml (6 oz) pineapple juice
- 1 tbsp salt-pepper-garlic seasoning blend
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp achiote paste
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp lard or neutral cooking oil
- 450g (1 lb) minced pork
- 240ml (1 cup) prepared adobo sauce
- 165g (1 cup) diced fresh pineapple, divided
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, for warming the tortillas
- 1/2 white onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- Salt, to taste
Method
23 steps- Rinse the dried guajillo, ancho and árbol chillies and remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chillies.
- Place all the chillies in a saucepan with the half onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves and oregano.
- Cover with water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the chillies and onion are softened.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 5–6 minutes.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Transfer the softened chillies, onion, garlic, cinnamon and cloves to a blender.
- Add 120ml chilli cooking water, pineapple juice, seasoning blend, apple cider vinegar, achiote paste and chipotle peppers.
- Blend until completely smooth, adding a little more cooking water if necessary.
- Pass the adobo through a fine sieve into a saucepan.
- Simmer the strained sauce for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning. Measure 240ml adobo for the pork and refrigerate or freeze the remaining sauce for another batch.
- Heat the lard or neutral oil in a large frying pan or on a griddle over high heat.
- Add the minced pork and spread it into a thin layer.
- Cook until deeply browned, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the measured 240ml adobo sauce.
- Add half of the diced pineapple.
- Cover and simmer for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork has reached at least 71°C internally and the sauce coats the meat.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
- Lightly brush the corn tortillas with the neutral oil.
- Warm the tortillas in a dry or lightly oiled frying pan until hot, soft and lightly toasted.
- Divide the pork mixture among the 12 tortillas.
- Top with the remaining pineapple, diced onion and chopped coriander.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Recipe notes
Helpful tips
- Remove the bay leaf before blending the adobo.
- Strain the adobo for a smoother sauce.
- Use only about 1 cup of the prepared adobo for 1 pound of pork.
- Cook the ground pork to at least 71°C internally.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Blender
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Large frying pan or griddle
- Food thermometer
- Small frying pan for tortillas
Storage
Refrigerate the cooked pork filling in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Refrigerate extra adobo for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Store tortillas and garnishes separately.
Additional tips
- Ground pork should reach an internal temperature of at least 71°C. Árbol chillies are hot, so reduce or omit them for a milder adobo. Do not add the entire batch of adobo to one pound of pork; use approximately 1 cup and store the remainder.
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