Instant Al pastor
Want to level up your Tuesday Taco night or make an incredible rice bowl? Look no further! THIS recipe is super easy and will have you questioning why this wasn’t in your life sooner. Traditional Al pastor is spit-grilled pork, thinly sliced and served in tacos. It is extremely delicious but also time consuming, not too mention: who has a grill pit going? Instant Al pastor allows you to enjoy the flavor explosion without the hassle. This flavor combination checks all the boxes; sweet (from a touch of honey and that caramelized pineapple), savory (the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic bring the sabor), smoky (smoked paprika doing its thang), oh and that umami zing the apple cider imparts! Your taste buds, friends, family and belly will thank you. Now let’s get down to business.
Gather Ingredients
Prepping before you start cooking will set you up for success. Follow these quick tips for stress-free cooking! Read the recipe through first, get out any necessary kitchen tools, gadgets, and ingredients (see below) you need, then soldier on. The recipe takes about 20 minutes start to inhalation!
Start with the protein
You can use any ground meat or meat alternative. You want to brown it first with the garlic and spices. If you are using a super lean meat or meat alternative, you should add a little oil to the pan first. My favorite pan to use for this recipe is a cast iron skillet, it allows the pineapple to caramelize as well as the protein. My favorite protein is ground pork as Al pastor is typically pork, but I’ve used chicken, turkey, beef, tempeh, and various ground meat alternatives with great success.
Sauce it up
Once the protein has browned and is mostly cooked through, add the liquid ingredients as well as the pineapple (quick cheat, use frozen pineapple, just chop and add it to the pan). You want to turn the heat up here and let the magic happen. As the liquid starts to evaporate, the aroma is going to make you do a happy dance in anticipation. Keep a close eye at this point, you want most of the liquid to evaporate and the pineapple to start caramelizing but nothing should be burning. Depending on your cook top and pan, caramelization can be faster or slower, so pay attention. Once the sauciness is to your liking, remove from heat and serve.
This makes great taco filling, burrito filling, rice bowls, or just eating out of the pan with a spoon. I typically serve mine with pickled red onions, chopped cilantro, and avocado!!
Instant Al pastor
Ingredient List
Dry
1# ground protein (pork, chicken, beef, turkey, tofu, tempeh, meat alternative)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons salt
Wet
2 teaspoons oil of choice (olive, grapeseed, coconut, etc.)
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup stock of choice (pork, chicken, beef, vegetable, etc.)
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup chopped pineapple (I love using frozen, its easy, cheaper, and at its ripest)
Instructions
Heat up the oil over medium heat in a cast iron or other skillet. Add the ground protein, garlic and spices. Cook until almost cooked through. Add in the wet ingredients and pineapple, turn the heat up to medium high/high. Watching closely and stirring as needed, allow the liquid to start to evaporate and the pineapple to caramelize. Once it Remove from heat and enjoy!