TACOS AL PASTOR

TACOS AL PASTOR/
ACHIOTE-MARINATED PORK TACOS
“THIS TACO REALLY TASTES OF MEXICO CITY

INGREDIENTS

Makes 16 tacos
For the Adobo Rojo de Chiles sauce:
Makes about 760g
30g chile cascabel, destemmed
and seeded
12g chile ancho, destemmed and seeded
9g chile guajillo, destemmed and seeded
9g chile pasilla, destemmed and seeded
1g chile de árbol, destemmed and seeded
450g roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
70g white onion, roughly chopped
12g garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3g achiote paste
12g freshly squeezed orange juice
36g grapeseed oil
Pinch of cumin
Pinch of oregano
18g sea salt, plus more for seasoning
For the pork:
910g to 1.4kg pork tenderloin, cut into
bite-size pieces
240ml Adobo Rojo de Chiles
17g sea salt
10g grapeseed oil
For the pineapple:
1 large pineapple
35g unsalted butter
0.5g sea salt
To assemble:
8 corn tortillas
100g white onion, finely minced
10g cilantro leaves, minced
Lime wedges, for serving
250g Salsa Verde Cruda
(recipe on page 14)

Make the tortillas: Roll out golf ball–size masa balls, press, and
cook according to the directions in Chapter 3: Tortillas de Maíz/
Corn Tortillas (page 10).
Make the Adobo Rojo de Chiles sauce: If possible, turn on the
exhaust fan above your stove or open a window before toasting your
chiles. Heat a large nonstick pan or clay comal over medium-high
heat. Cook the chiles in the dry pan or on the dry comal, flipping
once, until lightly toasted and aromatic, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Put the toasted chiles in a blender. Add the tomatoes, onion, and
garlic. Place the achiote paste in a small bowl. Slice the orange in
half and squeeze one half into the achiote paste. Stir to combine.
Add the mixture to the blender, along with the juice from the other
half of the orange. Add the grapeseed oil, cumin, and oregano.
Blend on high until the sauce is thick but smooth, about 1 minute.
Add salt to taste.
Marinate the pork: Place pork in a large mixing bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the adobo sauce to the bowl and mix well to combine.
Cover the pork and allow it to marinate in the refrigerator for at
least 24 hours.
Place the remaining adobo sauce in an airtight container and
refrigerate for up to three weeks. (The extra adobo sauce can be
used to marinate other meats, fish, and/or vegetables.)
Cook the pineapple: With a very sharp knife, trim the top and
bottom off the pineapple so it can stand up straight. Peel the
pineapple by cutting the skin off in strips. Once all the skin has been
removed, slice the fruit in half lengthwise. Set half aside. Slice the
remaining half lengthwise once more, and set one quarter aside.
Cut the fibrous heart out of the pineapple and discard. Lay the pineapple flat across the cutting board and slice into wedges lengthwise,
then cut each wedge into bite-size chunks.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the pineapple, a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring often to avoid burning,
until pineapple is slightly softened and translucent and all butter is
absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Cook the pork: Season the pork with additional salt before cooking.
In a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high, heat the oil
until shimmering. Add the pork, decrease heat to medium, and
cook, stirring often, until meat is cooked through and most of the
marinade has cooked off, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Assemble: Heat a nonstick skillet or clay comal over medium heat.
Reheat the tortillas for a few seconds on each side. Fill each tortilla
with a few spoonfuls of warm pork and 3 pieces of warm pineapple.
Top with minced white onion and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges
and Salsa Verde Cruda.