The Global Kitchen: Mexico- Tacos al Pastor and Mexican Rice

 Today I made what is probably one of my favorite new dishes so far. Tacos al Pastor from Mexico with a side of Mexican Rice.

One of the reasons I think is because I used some new techniques and feel like my cooking skills are improving. Plus, I mean tacos, right!

First a little history about the dish. Also known as, tacos de trompo, is Spanish for 'shepherd style'. Authentically, this is grilled on a spit and pork is the meat used. It originated in the Central Mexican region of Puebla and Mexico City. It was originally brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants and is based on their lamb shawarmas. It features a flavor palate typical of traditional Mexican adobada (marinade). It is a popular street food that has spread to the US. Traditional ingredients are pork, onion, cilantro, and pineapple. It was brought to Mexico in the late 19th early 20th century. In the 1920's the lamb was replaced with pork and later they added marinating it in adobo and adding corn tortillas and thus the Taco Al Pastor was born. In it thought to have become popular during the 1960's. 

Pork is marinated in a combination of dried chilies, spices, pineapple, and anchiote paste. It is then typically slowly cooked on a spit. The meat is thinly sliced into a corn tortilla and served with chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, and diced pineapple. 

The marinade:

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 dried guajillo chiles, seeded, and stems removed and rehydrated for 5 minutes

1 TBSP honey or agave

1/4 C pineapple juice

1/4 C White vinegar

2 TBSP achiote paste

1/2 C water

Mix all together in a small pot and bring to simmer. Cook for 3 minutes then cool for 10 minutes. 

Pour the marinade into a blender and blend until smooth.

Place the pork in a large bowl and add the marinade. Toss to coat and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour up to 24 hours. You can slice pork before marinating or after. I used pork shoulder and sliced it thinly before adding the marinade. 

Tip: when slicing the pork make sure if is still slightly frozen, it slices easier. 

Recipe:

When ready to cook, preheat grill or pan to medium high heat.

Place the pork and pineapple in the pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side until pork just cooked through.

Chop the pork and pineapple if you have not yet (you can use canned pineapple that's diced)

Divide the pork and pineapple between the tortillas.

Top with onion and cilantro, add lime if desired. I also added some shredded monterey jack cheese. 

                                         

I added a couple things to my dish. I added a splash of lime juice and some black lime seasoning from Burlap and Barrel. I also omitted the onions, since I don't prefer them. 

I warmed my corn tortillas on the gas oven until some scorch marks appears. 

                                       

I was very excited when chopping the cilantro because I use some techniques I have learned on some cooking shows especially Selena+Chef, and it worked so well, and I still have all my fingers!

The finished product was surprising to me but very good. I was expecting with all the seasoning for it to still be pretty spicy with the chilies and achiote paste but it was more sweet than anything. The honey, pineapple, and lime juice would have contributed to this. If you prefer spicier food, you could omit the honey and lime juice, it will still have the sweet flavors from the pineapple. 

For the side, I made a prepackaged Mexican rice from Knorr brands. I like their rice mixes but always add my own things. In this case I made the rice with a mix of chicken broth and water, and when it finished cooking in my rice cooker I added a splash of lime juice, some chopped cilantro, and some black lime seasoning. 

To add a beverage to this dish you could make yourself a margarita or enjoy a nice glass of water with sliced lime. 

The hardest part of this recipe was making the marinade and it wasn't difficult just time consuming. I was actually surprised how easy it was to make. It would be elevated even more if I had a grill and could grill the meat and pineapple. 

This would be a great recipe to try out for Taco Tuesdays if you are looking to change up your normal taco routine. Or a great recipe to try out on Cinco De Mayo.