Spicy Pork Tacos (al Pastor)

Name: Spicy Pork Tacos (al Pastor)
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 10 large dried, guajillo chiles, wiped clean; 1 1/2 cups, water; 1 1/4 pounds, plum tomatoes, cored and quartered; 8 , garlic cloves, peeled; 4 , bay leaves; , Salt and pepper; 3/4 teaspoon, sugar; 1/2 teaspoon, ground cumin; 1/8 teaspoon, ground cloves; 3 pounds, boneless pork butt roast; 1 , lime, cut into 8 wedges; 1/2 , pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings; , Vegetable oil; 18 (6-inch), corn tortillas, warmed; 1 small, onion, chopped fine; 1/2 cup, coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

26 comments

Appears in Cook's Illustrated May/June 2012, America's Test Kitchen TV

These iconic tacos feature juicy, spit-roasted marinated pork that’s crispy at the edges and fork-tender within. Could we achieve that same trademark texture on the grill?

SERVES6 to 8

TIME3½ hours

has video

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

In Mexico, superthin slices of pork butt and pork fat are marinated in chiles and tomato, stacked and roasted on a spit, and shaved, hot and crispy, into a corn tortilla. To mimic this popular taco filling, which is often garnished with swe...

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