Slow Cooker Al Pastor Style Tacos
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 16 to 24 tacos
- Total: 7 hr 30 min
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
7 ounces (two 100-gram blocks) or about 1 cup achiote paste
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks plus 1/4 to 1/3 cup pineapple juice (I use the juice from the pre-cut fresh stuff! No need to buy extra juice)
1/4 to 1/3 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons agave or honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cloves garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 pounds pork shoulder, just above the muscle, fat cap scored
16 corn tortillas or 24 street taco-size corn tortillas, oiled and lightly griddled
Apple and Brussels Sprouts Slaw, recipe follows
Charred Salsa Verde, recipe follows
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Apple and Brussels Sprout Slaw:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Granny Smith apple, julienned
2 cups shaved Brussels sprouts
1 red bell pepper, thinly julienned
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Charred Salsa Verde:
1 pound (about 4) large tomatillos, husks removed
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 dried ancho chile
1 poblano chile
1 small yellow onion, skin and root intact, quartered
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 teaspoon agave
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Special equipment:
a slow cooker- In a food processor, add the achiote paste, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 1/4 cup orange juice, agave or honey, cumin, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth. Add more of either juice to thin out if need be. (Achiote can be quite dense, so make sure the mixture is smooth.)
- Place the pork fat-side up into a slow cooker. Pour the achiote marinade over the pork and spread it all over. Sprinkle salt all over the pork after applying the marinade, to ensure even seasoning! Add the pineapple chunks around the pork. Cover and cook until completely fork-tender, about 6 hours on high heat or 8 hours on low heat.
- Arrange an oven rack in the top two-thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to broil on high.
- Place the pork, fat cap-side up on a sheet pan fitted with a wire rack. Broil until the fat and meat get bubbly and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t walk away! Keep your eye on that pork so it doesn't burn.
- Remove the pork from the sheet pan to a cutting board. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bone. Lift the fat cap off, coarsely chop, and set aside. Using 2 forks, shred the pork. Transfer the pork and fat to a platter and pour the braising liquid over it. (And the pineapple chunks, if desired.)
- Top each tortilla with pork, Slaw, Salsa and cilantro.
Apple and Brussels Sprout Slaw:
- Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, brown sugar, celery seeds, sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Add the apples, Brussels sprouts, red bell peppers and chives. Let sit for 1 hour. Adjust the seasonings. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Charred Salsa Verde:
- Heat a large grill pan to medium-high heat.
- Add the tomatillos, garlic, ancho chile, poblano chile and onion. Grill the ancho chile until just slightly colored, then transfer to a small bowl. Pour enough hot water to cover. Let it sit until the chile softens, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the stem and seeds and reserve the water to adjust the consistency of your salsa, if needed.
- Continue to char the tomatillos, garlic, poblano and onion on all sides until blackened in parts, removing them to a cutting board as done. (Depending on their size, each vegetable will char at a different rate.)
- Remove the stem and seeds from the poblano and the skins from the garlic and onions. Put the tomatillos, garlic, onions, all the chiles, lime juice, cilantro and agave into a food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.