Tacos al Pastor with Roasted Pineapple Salsa
The combination of the pineapple and the pork gives these tacos a bright taste with a succulent finish created by the added smokiness of the chipotle peppers. Comfort wrapped up in a tortilla.
Ingredients
Tacos al Pastor:
- 3 guajillo chiles, softened
- 3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 2 tablespoons of the canning sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- ½ red onion, roughly chopped
- 2 pineapple rounds, cored
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 pounds pork loin sirloin, thinly sliced
- Corn tortillas
Roasted Pineapple Salsa:
- 1/4 of a medium pineapple, sliced 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- 1 medium red onion, minced
- 1 to 2 jalapenos, minced (optional)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Tacos al Pastor:
- Remove stem and seeds from guajillo chile pods and place pods in hot water for about 15 minutes to soften.
- In a blender, combine the softened guajillo chile pods, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, oil, juice, onion, pineapple, garlic, salt, and spices. Blend until smooth. Place the pork chops in a large gallon re-sealable bag and pour the marinade over the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, but I would suggest overnight to lock in the flavors.
- On a hot grill lay pork chops in a single layer. When richly browned, usually just about 3 to 4 minutes, flip and brown the other side.
- As the meat is done, transfer it to a cutting board and chop it up (between 1/4 and 1/2-inch pieces). Scoop into a skillet and place on a warm grill keeping the meat warm.
Roasted Pineapple Salsa:
- Cut a pineapple into rings. Lightly brush both sides of the pineapple rings with vegetable oil. Grill turning once, until lightly charred, about 3 minutes per side.
- Chop it up and mix with red onion, jalapeno, lime juice, and salt and pepper.
- Add the salsa to the pork and toss everything together.
- Serve with tortillas and salsa for your guests to make soft tacos.
Notes
Make-ahead tips:
- You can marinate the meat a couple of days before your event. The morning of your fiesta, grill the pork, cut, and reserve.
- To save even more time, cook the meat the day before your fiesta and make your pineapple salsa the day of your party and then combine the meat and the salsa.
- Reheat it all in an iron skillet on your grill and let your amigos serve themselves.
Nutrition
Calories: 137kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 286mg, Potassium: 328mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 331IU, Vitamin C: 54mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg