Al Pastor

Growing up in Hawaii, Dad had friends at the pineapple cannery and who would share fresh pineapple with us. Unfortunately, I learned how acidic it can be to my mouth when eating too much pineapple and hesitated when I saw it as an ingredient.  Now I know better and how good it can be when paired with pork.

At the moment, pork is cheap ($1.99 lb.) and can go a long way from tacos, sliders, salads or my favorite with rice and eggs.

 

I found a metal skewer secured to a base works better than a wood skewer.  Learn from my mistake, still tastes good, just not pretty when it falls over in the oven.   

My first attempt of Al Pastor WITHOUT a metal skewer stand, learn from my mistake, couldn't make those wood skewers stand up!

 

 

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs. boneless pork shoulder  
  • Metal skewer
  • 3 T achiote paste  
  • 2 T guajillo chili powder (I have also used New Mexico Chile Powder, Anaheim Chile Powder or Ancho Chile Powder in the bulk seasoning) 
  • 1 T garlic powder
  • 1 T oregano
  • 1 T cumin
  • 1 T sea salt
  • 1 T black pepper
  • 3/4 C white vinegar
  • 12 oz frozen pineapple juice concentrate 
  • 1 pineapple, skinned and sliced to 1 " rounds
  • Corn tortillas
  • 1 white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cilantro bunch, finely chopped
  • Salsa - I like my smoked salsa Smoked Salsa / BBQ Smoke / Recipes | Cooking with Aloha, Texas Style (cooking-with-aloha-texas-style.com)

Directions

  1. Slice the pork shoulder into about 1/4" slices, then transfer to a large bowl.
  2. In a bowl, combine the achiote powder, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice, mashing and stirring until smooth with no lumps.
  3. Pour the marinade over the pork, then toss the pork slices to make sure that they are all coated on all sides. Cover bowl to marinate the pork for at least 2 hours, up to 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
  4. On a baking sheet lined with silpat, parchment paper or foil, place down a slice or two of the pineapple. Take a wooden skewer and push it directly in the middle of the pineapple, measure to the oven height.
  5. Remove the pork from refrigerator and push the slices through the skewer, layering one after the other until there is a 1-inch gap at the top. Push another pineapple slice on top.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F
  7. Bake for about an hour and a half, until slightly charred on the outside and deep red.
  8. Rest the meat for about 10 minutes, then carve off thin slices of the pork.
  9. Slice off thin pieces of the roasted pineapples as well.
  10. To assemble and serve, place some pork on the tortillas, followed by a few pieces of pineapple, a sprinkle of onions, a pinch of cilantro, then a small spoonful of the salsa.

Makes great leftovers for the week in salad, sandwich, breakfast with eggs, or just over rice too!