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Slow Cooker Tacos al Pastor

A slow cooker version of the Mexican classic, Tacos al Pastor is made with pork shoulder simmered in an aromatic mixture of pineapple, chiles, garlic and spices.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 262kcal
Author Liz Della Croce

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 pound boneless pork shoulder
  • 2 cups diced pineapple divided
  • 2 medium onions one quartered and one diced
  • 6 ounces dried chiles (such as guajillo,mulato, ancho, arbol, etc)
  • ¼ cup lime juice about 1 big lime
  • 2 ounces red achiote paste
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • corn tortillas cilantro, minced onion, diced pineapple, lime wedges - to serve
US Measurements - Convert to Metric

Instructions

  • Place pork shoulder in a slow cooker and top with 1 cup of the diced pineapple and the diced onion; set aside.
  • Remove seeds and stems from dried chilis and place in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water and let steep to soften, about 15 minutes.
  • Place softened chilis along with 1 cup of the reserved steeping liquid in a large food processor. Add the remaining 1 cup diced pineapple, quartered onion, lime juice, achiote paste, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Puree on high for 60 seconds.
  • Drain mixture over a fine mesh strainer placed directly on top of the pork shoulder in the slow cooker insert. Use a rubber spatula to press out all of the liquid and discard what's left in the strainer.
  • Cook pork on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
  • To serve, shred pork with two forks discarding any large pieces of fat. Serve in warmed corn tortillas with cilantro, minced onion, minced pineapple and any other toppings of choice.

Notes

We usually leave the seeds in the chilis as the kick of heat balances perfectly with the sweet pineapple but if you want to keep this mild, simply remove the seeds before steeping the chilis. Leftovers freeze great!!  

Nutrition

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.6g | Protein: 30.8g | Fat: 9.7g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6.5g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1292mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8.3g