![]() ![]() Place the garlic in a small microwaveable dish, cover with water and microwave for 1 minute. Chopped cilantro for garnishing the tacos.1/4 of a medium ripe pineapple, cored, sliced ¼ inch thick.1 medium white or red onion, sliced into ¼-inch rounds OR a big handful of knob onions (these are almost always available at Mexican groceries). ![]() 1 pound (6 to 8) tomatillos, husked and cut in half.5 to 7 large (3/4 ounces) dried red chipotle chiles (often sold as moritas-you’ll want chiles that are about 2 inches long), stemmed.1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin OR 1 ½ pounds thin-sliced boneless pork shoulder or leg meat (a little thicker than ¼-inch is ideal-the kind Mexican butchers use for making their “pastor meat,” but without marinade).1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil, plus more to brush on the onions and pineapple.One half of a 3 1/2-ounce package achiote paste (I’ve had good luck with El Yucateco brand).3 tablespoons vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar).1/2 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon (canela).1/2 cup (2 ounces) powdered ancho chile.This recipe is very close to the one I did on Season 12 of Mexico: One Plate at a Time. If you’re using knob onions, I suggest you cut them up for your guests so they can enjoy some with every bite (I know: they never do that in taquerias). But feel free to eliminate the sauce part. ![]() While there are many variations on the pastor theme, I think the most evocative version gives every taco a splash of both sauce and salsa. This is my version of that recipe, one that's inspired by a version from a taqueria in Mexico City. Still, we can make delicious tacos with “al pastor flavors” that are close enough to the original to inspire heated debates across the table about who makes the best tacos al pastor and why. ![]() To do the real tacos al pastor, we’d all need shawarma-like vertical spits, 40 (or more!) pounds of pork and a crowd to consume it all. We just don’t have access to the right equipment. I don’t do this as I’m not a big fan of the fruit but if it sounds good to you, do it.I freely admit that attempting to recreate Mexico’s wildly popular, frenzy-inspiring tacos al pastor at home is as cavalier as, say, attempting pressure-fried Kentucky Fried Chicken in my kitchen. In Mexico, however, many street food stalls top the meat with grilled pineapple pieces. To be honest, I never knew that pineapple was such a popular ingredient in tacos al pastor as they didn’t use it at the taco trucks I went to. The pork version – tacos al pastor – was also marinated in a more Mexican style marinade like you will see in the recipe below. The Mexican used pork and for some reason unknown also added pineapple. The Lebanese used lamb for their shawarma as pork was a big no no. The Mexicans loved shawarmas and adapted the recipe. If you’ve ever tried a shawarma, that’s what they were making. The first introduction to this style of cooking was in the 1930s when Lebanese immigrants. The thing is, and this isn’t known by many, the famous tacos al pastor is actually has Lebanese influences. I was surprised when I moved to Europe and saw the same cooking technique being done at the takeaways here. As it cooked, the chef would shave off the crispy bits and scoop them generously into my tacos. The crispy pork meat filling was cooking on a huge vertical spit. One of the most famous tacos on the menu was tacos al pastor. They were parked all over town and I had a few favourites I used to frequent. Where I grew up, taco trucks were the place to get satisfy your taco craving. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |