Tacos al Pastor – Game Day Grilling Series

Introducing our Tacos al Pastor from the Game Day Grilling Series – spicy, sweet, and delicious. Whether grilling in a stadium parking lot, on the street by the local football field or in your backyard, these tacos will surely be a hit at game day parties everywhere.

To make them, start with boneless pork shoulder that's been sliced into ¼" thick slices and marinated in a flavor-packed mix of spices, pineapple juice, white vinegar, achiote paste, and guajillo chiles. Then throw some ½" slices of fresh pineapple and red onion on the grill for a couple of minutes until they become charred and smoky for extra texture and sweetness and mesquite flavor to balance out the spiciness of the pork. Warm up tortillas for the finishing touch, then assemble tacos with all your grilled ingredients packed together in each bite.

These Tacos al Pastor might just be your go-to grilling recipe this football season! Spice up game day with a quick yet intensely flavorful meal that will leave everyone full of smiles before kickoff. We've got everything you need to help you make it happen – so don't miss out on all that tasty taco goodness!

Serves 4

Tacos al Pastor Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for brushing
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 4 guajillo chiles—stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons achiote paste
  • Sea salt
  • 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/2 medium pineapple, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 medium red onion, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
  • Warm corn tortillas, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges for serving

Tacos al Pastor Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat one tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the oregano, cumin, pepper, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chiles and cook, stirring, until blistered in spots, about 30 seconds. Add the pineapple juice, vinegar, and achiote paste and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
  2. Transfer the chile mixture to a blender and puree until smooth—season with salt. Scrape the marinade into a large, sturdy plastic bag. Add the pork and turn to coat. Set the bag in a small baking dish and refrigerate overnight.
  3. Light a grill. Brush the pineapple and onion with oil. Grill over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred and softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a carving board and tent with foil.
  4. Remove the pork from the marinade. Grill over high heat until lightly charred and just cooked through for about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.
  5. Cut the pineapple, onion, and pork into thin strips and transfer to a bowl. Season with salt. Serve with corn tortillas, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges.

Taken from foodandwine.com  http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/tacos-al-pastor