Whether you call it Cinco de Mayo, Cinco de Drinko, or just plain Cinco it’s the perfect excuse to gather your family & friends around the grill and eat yummy tacos. The problem is that there is nearly as many taco possibilities as stars in the sky. That is why I humbly submit using the rotisserie tool for the Bull Grill to make authentic Tacos al Pastor. Now you might be thinking what are Tacos al Pastor and why does it resemble gyro meat?!
That’s a great question, and according to one of my favorite taco origin stories, gyros, shawarma, and tacos al pastor are gastronomical cousins.
A wave of mainly Christian Lebanese immigration to Mexico took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 1960s, Mexican-born progeny of Lebanese immigrants began opening their own restaurants and combining their heritage with Mexican cuisine.
-wikipedia
Grilling a vertical spit of stacked meat slices and cutting it off as it cooks was developed in the 19th century in Ottoman Turkey. This is döner kebab, which is the origin of tacos al pastor, Middle Eastern shawarma, and Greek gyros.”
Making Tacos al Pastor is the perfect use of the powerful 15,000 BTU Infrared Back Burner on the Bull Grill. Using the Infrared Back Burner in concert with the rotisserie tool gives you a wide surface area to create a mouthwatering Maillard reaction. Not only will these tacos make you the talk of the town but it’s an amazing & flavorful budget friendly meal that is great for meal planning.
Normally al pastor meat is marinated with crushed pineapple, pineapple juices, spices, assorted chilies, and achiote chili paste (which can give the meat a bright red color, although I didn’t use it in this recipe). Traditionally al pastor is served in taco form but when I feel the urge to cut calories and carbs I enjoy it on a salad or use butter lettuce in place of the tortillas.
Chef Anthony Pro Tip – Toppings for Tacos al Pastor are really the grill masters choice. I prefer to serve mine with grilled pineapple, onions, cilantro, lime, and salsa.
Chef Anthony Pro Tip – After resting and slicing the meat I like to put it on a hot Bull Slide-in Griddle for a few minutes. This lets you caramelize the pieces of meat that where closest to the spit and really bring out additional flavors.
Ingredients
- 5 lb boneless pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons guajillo chili powder
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon chipotle powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 pineapple diced or 2 cans of crushed pineapple
- 1 pineapple skinned and sliced into 1-inch rounds
Instructions
- Slice the pork shoulder into about ¼ inch slices, then transfer to a large dish or bowl.
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a food processor and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. Pour the marinade over the pork slices and using your hands to mix meat and marinate.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 12 hours (a maximum of 3 days).
- Prior to placing the pork on to the spit, we want to center, set and secure the right rotisserie fork with the rear infrared burner on the Bull BBQ. This assures the pork will be properly centered over the infrared burner when time to cook. Align the right end fork so that it sits in front of where the right rear back burner ends. Tighten to secure into place with pliers. Skewer the spit through the various pieces of pork, securing them in the preset fork. Now slide and secure the left rotisserie fork onto the last piece of pork and place onto the spit, tightening in place with pliers. You can layer the meat and pineapple for a more intense flavor or add the pineapple to the ends.
- Remove the center grill grates from Bull’s Angus Grill. Place an aluminum tray under to catch the drippings.
- Preheat the grill for 15 minutes with the lid closed, using indirect heat by turning two outside burners on medium heat and leaving the two center and rotisserie burners off.
- Turn the two outside burners off while loading the spit. Using the Bull Pit Mitts, place the rotisserie spit with positioned chicken thighs into the rotisserie brackets. Turn the rotisserie motor on. Turn the two outside burners to medium and the infrared back burner on medium heat, around 400 degrees F. Check that the pork rotates properly and close the lid.
- Cook until your pork has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees (approximately 90 minutes), use your Bull Instant Read Flip Tip Digital Thermometer. Remove from the grill and rest for the meat for 30 minutes. Thinly slice your meat and build your tacos with your favorite taco garnishes.
