Braised Al Pastor Fajitas
A tender pork shoulder braised with peppers, onions and pineapple in a flavorful al pastor marinade.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of pork shoulder, cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1/2 pineapple, rind removed and thinly sliced
- 2 large sweet bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1/2 large white onion, thinly sliced
Al Pastor Marinade
- 6 dried guajillo chilies
- 2 dried chilies de árbol
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 of a large white onion
- 1/2 cup of pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup of vinegar (white or apple cider)
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 tablespoon of whole peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon of achiote powder
- 1 teaspoon of mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of all spice
Taco Assembly
- flour or corn tortillas
- pineapple, finely diced
- white onion, finely minced
- fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Remove the stems and seeds from 6 dried guajillo chiles and 2 dried chiles de árbol and place them into a wide glass bowl
- Cover the chilies with boiling water and let them sit for 20 minutes
- Combine all of the marinade ingredients (including the rehydrated chilies) into a large blender or food processor and pulse until smooth
- Cube a 3 pound pork shoulder, transfer into a large glass bowl and add the marinade ensuring that all of the pork is coated
- Cover the bowl tightly and chill for at least 90 minutes or overnight
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees
- Transfer the pork and marinade into a greased braising pan, Dutch oven or deep baking dish and cover the pot
- Braise the pork covered at 325 degrees on a center rack for 3 hours
- Before the pork is done braising, thinly slice 2 large sweet bell peppers, 1/2 of a white onion and 1/2 of a pineapple
- Carefully remove the pork (increase the oven temperature to 375°), shred the pork and add back into the sauce
- Add the thinly sliced peppers, onion and pineapple, mix and braise uncovered for 30 minutes at 375°
- Enjoy with tortillas, cilantro and additional diced pineapple and onions