These yummy al pastor tacos are full of amazing flavor and so easy because they are done in the slow cooker.
Last week I popped some pork into the slow cooker first thing in the morning when it was still cooler and when it was 5:00 pm and it was too hot to cook, I had dinner done! This is one of the things I love about my crock pot! Not heating up the kitchen! The crockpot gives off very little heat and a lot less than my oven so it is the perfect thing to use in hot weather too!
We are big fans of street tacos, the yummy little tacos you buy at the food trucks that are all over Portland. One of my favorite to get is the tacos al pastor. It is made with pork and pineapple and is a cross between Middle Eastern shawarma and the chili-rubbed grilled pork served by Mexican street vendors. It’s delicious.
To make true al pastor is a little bit labor intensive and it requires roasting the chilies and the pork. I wanted a simpler version but one that tastes good too and this slow cooker al pastor checked all the marks.
When I served it last week for dinner my husband’s comment was, “If you are going out of town soon, make me a pot full of this and I will be good.” So I know he liked it!
The pork cooks in the slow cooker for about 6 hours on high or 8 on low. It is covered in a mixture of adobe chilies, pineapple, chicken broth which I had on my pantry shelf. These are pretty much items I always have in my pantry which makes meal planning so much easier. You can control the “heat” of the dish by the number of peppers you put in. I used about 1/3 – 1/2 of the can and it was perfect for us. If you have young eaters though you might want to use less.
This al pastor meat works perfect for tacos al pastor, but would also be delicious in enchiladas, burritos, quesadilla, or just on its own.
To make tacos al pastor, you add in some additional pineapple, cotija cheese, sliced radishes and cilantro.
Taco Al Pastor Recipe
Slow Cooker Al Pastor Tacos
Ingredients
- 4-5 lbs pork carnitas or pork shoulder roast
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 12 oz. can chicken broth
- 2 8 oz. cans pineapple tidbits with juice
- 1 7 oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1/3 C chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- corn tortillas sliced radishes, cotjia cheese, pineapple, cilantro for garnish.
Instructions
- Sprinkle meat with 2 tsp salt and place into a slow cooker.
- Pour chicken broth and 1 can pineapple tidbits over roast.
- In a blender, blend chipotle peppers and remaining can of pineapple in blender or food processer until smooth.
- Pour over roast.
- Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
- Remove pork and shred.
- Add pork back into juice in slow cooker. Stir.
- Serve and garnish as desired.
Nutrition
Are the cilantro, lime juice, and extra teaspoon salt supposed to be garnishes? Or do they go in the slow cooker at some point. I can’t tell from the directions.