Al Pastor Pork

We tried this recipe for the first time about 3 years ago and it instantly became a family favorite. We affectionaly call it the "Meat Tower" and it is one of those dishes that will make your mouth water from the moment you whisk up the marinade until you are able to take that first bite!

These days we generally cook this outside on the Big Green Egg, but it can also be done in the oven. It takes a couple of hours to cook though, so if it were not for the Big Green Egg, we would only make this during the cooler months.

We like to serve this on tortillas, corn for Wonder Dad and myself, flour for the kiddo. We top it with fresh pico de gallo and/or salsa. My favorite was a pineapple relish/salsa we threw together with leftover fresh pineapple. YUM!

We made this one of the signature dishes we prepared for a family Christmas meal a few years ago and we still get requests to bring it to get-togethers. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we do!


Al Pastor Pork

Stuff You Need:

• 5 lb boneless pork shoulder
• 3 tablespoons achiote paste
• 2 tablespoons ancho or chipotle chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• ¾ cup white vinegar
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 pineapple, skinned and sliced into 1-inch rounds
• tortillas (corn, flour, etc.)

What To Do:

1. Slice the pork shoulder into about 1-centimeter (¼ in) slices, then transfer to a large dish or bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the achiote paste, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice, mashing and stirring until smooth with no lumps.
3. Pour the marinade over the pork slices, then toss to make sure they are coated on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
4. Place a slice or two of the pineapple on the meat skewer. I've been using this Brazillian Gaucho Skewer since it is free-standing. I like to place it in an aluminum pie plate or something like that to catch the drippings on the grill.
5. Remove the pork from the fridge and push the slices through the skewer, layering one after the other until there is a 1-inch (2 ½ cm) gap at the top. Push another pineapple slice on top.
6. Get your grill up to about 300F and place your meat tower in the center of the grill, indirect heat if at all possible. Cook for 2 to 2.5 hours. I like to baste with extra pineapple juice every 20-30 minutes.
7. If you are preparing indoors, heat oven to 350F, remove all be the lowest rack and bake for 2-3 hours. As with the grill, I like to baste with extra pineapple juice every 20-30 minutes.
8. Once the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 160F, rest the meat for about 10 minutes, then carve off thin slices of pork.
9. Serve on tortillas (corn or flour, your choice!), top with salsa, pico de gallo, or cilantro and diced onions as desired.

     

Crock Pot Carnitas

Living deep in the heart of Texas (clap!clap!clap!clap! - sorry, I couldn't resist), Mexican food is a staple. And that is something I sincerely didn't want to lose with our change in diet.

I gave up the rice and beans and even my beloved enchiladas, but there HAD to be some elements of Tex-Mex cooking that we could keep in our lives.

Enter the not-so-humble carnitas! Always one of my favorites, carnitas are great on their own, wrapped up in a large lettuce leaf, or even as the star of a fancy stir fry. A very versatile dish with lots of flavor! SCORE!

Preparing them in the crock pot means I can throw them in first thing in the morning and know that a super, savory dinner will be waiting for me after work. More often though, this is a weekend meal as it feels like such a treat.

Momma G's Crock Pot Carnitas

Stuff You Need:

• 4 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp chipotle chile powder
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups chicken broth
• black pepper and salt to taste
• 1 Tbs coconut oil (or other oil of your choice)

What To Do:

1. Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, chile powder, oregano, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Cut pork roast into 3" - 4" chunks, coat with the spice mixture, and place in the crock pot.
3. Pour the chicken broth around the sides, being careful not to rinse off any of the spice mixture with the broth.
4. Cook on low for 6 or 7 hours or until the pork can be easily shredded with a fork.
5. Before serving, melt coconut oil in a large skillet.
6. Remove shredded meat from the juice and place in the skillet with the coconut oil.
7. Stir until evenly browned and you can see a light crisp on your pork.

I have found this to be a true go-to meal (or meal starter). I make it about twice a month, on average, since there are just so many ways to serve it.

The most common way we eat this family favorite, is as "tacos." For Wonder Dad and I, that usually means lettuce wraps. For Wonder Boy, it's one of his favorite soft taco fillings. Carnitas taste great on salads. They stand up well as the main entree (served with a tomatillo salsa and fried plantains on the side). And Wonder Dad and I both really love carnitas as the starting point for a nice spicy stir fry.

Between being so easy to make and being so versatile, this dish is one of my top go-to meals!