Tacos Al Pastor: Break The Diet And Enjoy One of the Most Popular Mexican Neals

Eating healthy is very important for our health since our body needs a lot of vitamins and minerals for proper functioning.

However, it is always necessary to break the diet, even one day a week, to not be bitter and have our moments of happiness.

Today we bring you an exciting post about delicious food and the culinary symbol of Mexico: we are talking about tacos al pastor.

In this post, you will learn a little about what this dish so prevalent in this North American country is about, its origins, its role in Mexican history and culture, as well as its variants, and we will teach you how to make tacos al pastor with the recipe we have brought for you.

Stop counting calories for a day, and join this feast!

If you’re looking for an alternative way to make this meal, visit https://mahatmarice.com/recipes/rice-and-beans-tacos-dorados/ and discover new interesting recipes

Tacos al pastor: the favorite Mexican taco  

Tacos al pastor consists of marinated, grilled pork, beef, or both, served in thin slices on corn tortillas.

The pork or beef is seasoned with a traditional Mexican marinade called adobo made with achiote, spices, and ground red chilis. Also, tacos al pastor accompany various sauces, cilantro, onion, and pineapple.

What most characterizes this type of taco is that the meat is cooked in a spinning top style, including a vertical iron rod where the meat is stacked and exposed to fire.

Origins of tacos al pastor  

There is a version about the origin of this dish that points out that this type of taco arose from the shawarma, a traditional dish with lamb or mutton meat, vinegar, Arab bread, and several spices brought by the Lebanese during the 1960s.  

It is said that the oriental recipe had a significant transformation in this country since the ingredients were modified when the lamb meat was substituted by pork, the preparation of the marinade was changed and chili and achiote were added. Also, the use of tortilla, salsa, pineapple and lemon also added to these changes along with cilantro and onion.

Tacos al pastor

ingredients  

• 3 lbs. of pork loin.

For the marinade:  

• 2 oz. of achiote paste.
• 2 chipotle chilis.
• 3 garlic cloves.
• 2 tomatoes.
• 2 bay leaves.
• 1 onion.
• 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar.
• 1/2 cup of water.
• 1 tsp. of dried oregano.
• 1 tbsp. of salt.
• 1 tsp. of ground black pepper.
• 1 large fresh pineapple cut into cubes.

For the garnish 

• Fresh cilantro, limes, onion and tomato
• 16 corn tortillas.

Method   

For the marinade 

1. Place the achiote paste, chipotle chiles, white onion, garlic, bay leaves, tomatoes, 100 gr. of fresh pineapple, apple vinegar, water, oregano, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper in a blender. Blend until a uniform paste is obtained. Set aside.
2. Place the piece of loin in a hermetically sealable bag. Pour the marinade over the pork, close the bag and rub all the juice well so that the paste impregnates the meat. Reserve in the fridge for 24 hours to marinate.
3. Half an hour before putting the loin in the oven, take it out of the refrigerator so that it is tempered. Season again with salt and pepper.

For cooking the pork 

1. Preheat the oven to 190º C. Place the pork and the marinade in a deep container that you can cover and cook in the oven, logically without the bag. Remove the paste or sauce that remains in the bag and reserve it.
2. Cover with the lid, place the loin in the oven to 170º C, and bake for 2 hours.
3. After this time, uncover, and place the loin on a baking tray. Bake at 190º C for 1 hour. Spread the top with sauce, and after half an hour, turn it over and repeat the process again.
4. When it is ready, remove the pork from the oven and let it stand for 20 minutes before slicing it. Place the pork on a tray and pour the juices from the tray over the pork. Cover it.

For making the tacos 

1. Peel and chop the tomatoes and cut them into small cubes. Wash and cut the fresh cilantro in very small pieces. Peel the onion and cut it into fine julienne strips or cubes.
2. Mix these ingredients in a bowl. Salt and sprinkle with the juice of one lime. Heat the corn tortillas in a large grill. Then, cut the cooked meat to form the tacos. To prepare each taco, you have to take a warm tortilla. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of meat and top with onion, finely chopped cilantro, a little lime juice, pineapple chunks and salsa.
3. Enjoy.