Grilled Pork Tacos al Pastor
Description
Lightly-fried tortillas topped with melted Jack cheese, shredded cabbage, and a little salsa make the perfect canvas to present pineapple-pepper marinated pork.
Ingredients
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3 dried guajillo chilies, seeds discarded
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2 dried pasilla chiles, seeds discarded
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1 cup boiling water, or as needed to cover
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2 pork tenderloins, membranes (silver skin) removed
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3/4 cup pineapple juice
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1 tablespoon white vinegar
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4 cloves garlic
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1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
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1 pinch ground cumin, or to taste
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1 pinch dried oregano, or to taste
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or as needed
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1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
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16 (6 inch) corn tortillas
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16 slices Monterey Jack cheese, divided
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1 teaspoon vegetable oil
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2 cups shredded cabbage, divided
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1/2 cup roasted tomato salsa, divided
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1 large jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced - or to taste
Directions
1
Place dried guajillo and pasilla chiles into a bowl and pour in boiling water to cover. Let chiles stand 30 minutes to soften.
2
Cut pork tenderloins in half crosswise and in half again lengthwise again to make 8 long strips.
3
Drain water from chiles and pour in pineapple juice and vinegar. Add garlic cloves, chipotle pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cumin, and oregano. Transfer chile mixture to a blender and blend to make a smooth marinade.
4
Place pork into a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over pork; knead bag several times to coat pork. Squeeze out excess air and seal the bag. Refrigerate overnight.
5
Preheat outdoor grill (preferably charcoal) for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
6
Remove pork from bag and drain and discard marinade; transfer pork to a platter. Drizzle meat with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and season with salt. Use tongs to gently stir pork pieces to coat lightly with oil.
7
Cook pork strips on preheated grill until meat shows good grill marks and is lightly pink in the center, 7 to 8 minutes per side. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the largest piece should read at least 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Transfer pork to a fresh platter.
8
Drizzle a nonstick skillet with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and place over medium heat. Lay a tortilla into the hot oil and place 1 slice of Monterey Jack cheese into center of the tortilla. Cook until tortilla is hot, lightly browned on the bottom, and cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining tortillas and cheese slices. Transfer each tortilla to a plate.
9
Slice pork strips across the grain into pieces about 1/4 inch thick. Divide shredded cabbage onto each tortilla and top each with about 6 slices of pork, 1 tablespoon roasted tomato salsa, and a few slices of jalapeno pepper. Fold taco over fillings to eat.