Tacos al Pastor (Grilled Pineapple Pork Tacos)

I'm a taco, burrito, enchilada, quesadilla kinda girl. Whatever you want to call it- Mexican/Southwestern/Tex-mex- I love it! The only reason I could ever be tempted to leave the lush East Coast to live in the dry deserts of the Southwest would be the food. What you can find around here just doesn't compare. So I've learned to satisfy my cravings at home. And I'll let you in on a little secret- delicious (although questionably authentic) Mexican food is easy to make on your own!

Tacos al Pastor, a famous Mexican street dish, consist of grilled chile-marinated pork and pineapple, freshly diced onion and cilantro, and a piquant red salsa. So much flavor wrapped in a little tortilla. This recipe does require a few unique ingredients- specifically, guajillo chile powder (which I ordered here), whole guajillo chiles (also available here, but I found them for a reasonable price at Whole Foods), chipotles in adobo (available at most grocery stores), and Mexican oregano (use Greek oregano in a pinch). This was my first encounter with the guajillo chile. I was nervous to dump a whole quarter cup of chile powder into the marinade, fearing I'd set our mouths on fire. But I went with it and was pleasantly surprised. The guajillo chile is mild and it was just right. But do use caution when it comes to the chipotles. They pack a lot of heat. 

Tacos al Pastor (Grilled Pineapple Pork Tacos)

INGREDIENTS
Marinade:
1/2 large white onion, chopped (the other half reserved for the salsa or for serving)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup guajillo chile powder
3 cloves garlic, halved
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 large chipotle en adobo + 1 tsp. adobo sauce (or more if you like it hot)
2 1/2 - 3 lb. boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2-inch slices (I cut mine into 1-inch cubes and grilled them on skewers)

1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced
corn or whole wheat flour tortillas, warmed
white onion, diced for serving
fresh cilantro, chopped for serving
lime wedges, for serving
sour cream, for serving (optional)

Salsa:
8 large dried Guajillo or New Mexico chiles, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely torn
2 cups hot water
1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, halved
1 small chipotle in adobo + 1 tsp. adobo sauce (more if you like it hot)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
kosher salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. To make the marinade, place onion, orange juice and next 7 ingredients in blender or food processor; puree marinade until smooth. Place pork in large resealable plastic bag. Add marinade and seal bag, releasing excess air. Turn to coat. Chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

2. To prepare the salsa, place torn chiles in a bowl. Add 2 cups hot water; soak at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to dry skillet; cook until browned in spots, about 6 minutes for garlic and 10 minutes for onion. Place onion and garlic in blender or food processor. Add drained chiles, 1 cup soaking liquid, chipotle chile and adobo, cilantro, and lime juice; puree until smooth. Transfer to bowl. Season to taste with kosher salt.

3. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill pineapple until warm and slightly charred. Grill pork with some marinade still clinging until slightly charred and cooked through. Transfer pineapple and pork to work surface; chop pineapple and pork into bite-size pieces. Transfer to platter; toss to combine. Serve in warmed tortillas with onion, cilantro, salsa, lime wedges, and sour cream (optional).

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)