Friday, September 3, 2010

Tacos Al Pastor

No reason not to give it a whirl at home. . . . thanks Goya!
They seem to know what's up:
"Tacos al Pastor are a favorite in Mexico and Mexican restaurants throughout the world for good reason: The mixture of smoky, spicy chiles, sweet pineapples and fresh onions and cilantro is taco perfection. Traditionally, Tacos al Pastor are made by marinating pork in chile sauce, layering the meat on a vertical rotisserie, adorning with a pineapple and roasting slowly for hours--a process that's almost impossible to replicate at home. So we've taken the delicious, authentic flavors that make these tacos so special, and adapted the recipe for your home kitchen, so you can enjoy it whenever a craving strikes!"

Tacos Al Pastor
For the pork:
5 Goya Guajillo Chiles
5 Goya Pasilla Chiles or Goya Ancho Chiles
1 Goya Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce
1 medium white onion, halved
1 (20 ounce) can Goya Pineapple Chunks
1/4 cup Goya White Vinegar
2 tablespoons Goya Minced Garlic
1 teaspoon Goya Cumin
Goya Adobo with Pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons Goya Vegetable Oil
1 (2 1/2 pound) boneless, skinless pork butt, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For the garnish:
1 (10 ounce) package Goya Corn Tortillas, warmed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges 

Bring 2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add guajillo and pasilla chiles. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chiles soften, about 10 minutes; transfer to plate. Remove and discard stem and seeds. Meanwhile, coarsely chop one onion half; reserve remaining half. Strain pineapples; reserve juice and fruit separately. 

Transfer guajillo, pasilla and chipotle chiles, chopped onion half, reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic and cumin to bowl of food processor. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer chile mixture to saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring chile mixture to a boil; cook until paste loses raw onion taste, about 2 minutes. Season with Adobo; cool. In large container with lid, or in large ziptop bag, combine pork cubes, cooled chile marinade and reserved pineapple chunks; transfer to refrigerator. Marinate at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. 

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Strain pork and pineapples, discarding marinade. Add pork and pineapples to skillet. Cook in batches until dark golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 15 minutes; transfer to large serving plate. 

Meanwhile, finely slice remaining onion half. Transfer sliced onion to bowl with cilantro. Serve pork and pineapple mixture in warm tortillas. Garnish pork tacos with cilantro, onions and limes. 
Cooking tip from LA COCINA GOYA:
Warm, soft tortillas, every time! Achieving perfectly warm and pliable tortillas can be tricky business: We find the microwave results in gummy, chewy rounds while the oven dries them out. Our tried-and-true method: steaming. To do, fill a steamer with 1/2 inch water; bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. In the meantime, wrap the tortillas in a dish towel. Then, place the bundle in the steamer, cover with a tight-fitting lid and heat until warm, about 10 minutes

1 comment:

Quinn said...

As an internet ordained pastor, I insist that you make me Tacos Al Pastor, and if you feel the need to call me Al while I eat them, so be it.