Tacos al Pastor with Smoked Pineapple Recipe

Ingredients

Tacos

1.8 kg pork shoulder, sliced
1 whole pineapple
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons Tex-Mex seasoning
corn tortillas
minced white onions
¼ cup fresh cilantro
2 limes

Marinade

85 g achiote paste
5 guajillo peppers
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
2 garlic cloves
½ of a white onion
½ cup white vinegar
½ tablespoon salt

Salsa

6 tomatillos
4 jalapeño peppers, partially seeded
½ of a white onion
1 garlic clove
½ cup fresh coriander 1 avocado
½ teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Place the guajillo peppers in 950ml of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine all marinade ingredients, including the boiled guajillo peppers. Blend into a semi-liquid paste.
3. Pour the marinade onto the pork slices and refrigerate for 6 – 8 hours.
4. Preheat your smoker to 135°C.
5. Cut off the bottom section of the pineapple and peel the rest. Cut off another 2.5 cm slice and keep the slice and the bottom section for later. Brush the fruit with melted butter and season with Tex-Mex seasoning on all sides.
6. Place the seasoned pineapple in your smoker and toss a few wood chunks onto hot coals. Close the lid and smoke for 2 hours.
7. Push a wooden skewer down the bottom section of the pineapple so that the skewer stands vertically. Thread each marinated pork slice onto the skewer and place the remaining slice of pineapple on top of the skewer.
8. Preheat your grill for indirect cooking to 200°C. Once pre-heated, place the pork kebab in your grill. Close the lid and cook for 1 – 1½ hours.
9. Combine all salsa ingredients into a food processor and pulse 3 – 4 times until everything seems mixed well. Transfer to a serving bowl.
10. Remove the pork kebab from your grill and carve off thin strips of pork for the tacos. Remove the pineapple from your smoker and cut into 1.2 cm cubes.
11. Assemble the pork, pineapple, salsa and fresh cilantro into the tortillas. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the tacos and enjoy!