Al Pastor Taco Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice

We love a good taco bowl!

I don’t know why, but it is almost easier to assemble a full taco bowl, than it is to set out the fillings and have everyone create their own tacos.  Plus just sitting with everything in the bowl the way you want, you can pick and choose which flavour your fork will capture next.  And of course, it definitely be less carb-centric, or more protein-based, as you see fit.

This dish is one of Jim’s faves.  He loves the flavour of the marinated and crispy pork, with the contrasting sweetness of the pineapple. I’m sure you will agree that it is even great just as is, tossed with leftover rice for day two.

Al Pastor

Let’s start with the star of the bowl: Al Pastor Pork.  Al Pastor basically means ‘shepherd-style’ in Spanish, in this case, it refers the the name given to Lebanese merchants who immigrated to Mexico City in the early 1900s, bringing the concept of shawarma with them. Cooking meat on the grill and cutting it off to place into tortillas etc is a take on Middle Eastern Shawarma meat cooked on a spit over a flame.  This method is best known in Mexico for the al pastor marinated pork.  

The flavour has that amazing combo of garlic, fresh herbs, a bit of kick, and the sweetness of citrus.  But what makes Al Pastor most unique along with pineapple, is the use of Achiote or Annatto Paste. 

Achiote Paste

Achiote is a popular colouring and flavouring in Central American, Mexican, and Caribbean cuisines and is made with annatto seeds, cumin, pepper, coriander, oregano, cloves, and garlic. It adds an earthy, somewhat sweet and spicy, slightly smokey flavour and can be used as a sauce, marinade, or rub for meat, chicken, and fish. You can use either a pre-made achiote paste or it can also be made homemade.  Of course, the homemade version will last only about a month in the fridge, which is fine if you know you will go through it in that time.

I tend to purchase the achiote paste from the grocery  or Spanish store (or online if you can’t find it)  Most homemade recipes omit the Annatto seeds which are crucial to get the bright red hue of the paste.  So unless you can source annatto seeds, I would stick with store bought.  If you can source the Annatto seeds, check out the recipe at The Spruce Eats for homemade Achiote Paste.

Which Cut of Pork to Use

You can use pork shoulder, or loin. Using tenderloin is overkill, it is just more expensive.  Using a less expensive cut of pork will get just as tender as the tenderloin, but at a fraction of the price.  These cuts can also maintain a good 24 hour or longer marinade. I have even prepped the marinade and the meat, and placed it all into freezer bags to freeze.  This way, as it thaws, it will continue marinating, with all the prep work being done well in advance.

Slice the pork into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds.  NO thicker. They will get covered in the marinade and can sit in it up to 48 hours.

And yes, you can easily use chicken thighs, I would just not let it marinate in the fridge for more than the 24 hours.

The Marinade

You will be combining orange juice, chopped onion and garlic, apple cider vinegar, achiote paste, brown sugar, chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, cumin, oregano, salt and olive oil.  Blend it up into a lovely hued thickish sauce.  Place your sliced pork shoulder or loin into a heavy freezer bag, pour the marinade over it all, and moosh it around to coat all the slices.  From here you can place the bag (squeeze out all excess air) into the freezer for future enjoyment.  If you will want to eat this in the next day or so, place the bag in the fridge, and turn occasionally to make sure the pork continues to be coated evenly in the marinade.

Three Method of Cooking!

Grill: While I won’t expect that  you have an upright spit as per Shawarma, you can easily cook the meat over the grill.  When getting ready to grill, remove any excess marinade from the slices of pork.  Lay them out on a greased heated through grill over medium high-high heat, and grill on both sides till crisped and cooked through. This should take no more than 5 minutes per side, depending on where your grill is set.  With this method you will also grill  large spears of pineapple which have been brushed with some of the marinade.  When cool to the touch, chop both the pork and the pineapple into bite-sized pieces for serving.

Stove Top:  If you don’t have an outdoor or indoor grill, a good cast iron pan or griddle will be your friend here.  Again, make sure that you have removed any excess marinade from the meat.  Cook over medium high heat on a greased griddle or pan, till you get a lovely browning on each side, perhaps 4-5 minutes per side, depending on your stove. With this method you will also grill pineapple spears which have been brushed with some of the marinade.  Once cooked and cool enough to handle, chop both the pork and the pineapple into bite-sized pieces for serving.

Oven: This method works great if you don’t want to stand over the stove turning meat for a while.  Spread everything out on one or two baking sheets lined with foil, and baking till cooked through.  Then you will remove the meat, and cube it into bite-sized pieces.  At the same time, carefully drain away any excess liquid and juices that have accumulated in the baking sheets. Return the cubed meat to the baking sheet. With this method you will cube the pineapple, toss it in a touch of the marinade and spread it around the pork for the initial baking.  It stays on the baking sheet to accompany the cubed meat.  The baking sheet is placed in the upper third of the oven and grilled under the broiler till beginning to char. Once you get those blackened bits, it’s ready to be served!

Al Pastor Taco Bowl Ingredients

Feel free to add your favourite Mexican ingredients to this delicious and substantial taco bowl.  We love it with a can of black beans which  have been drained and rinsed.  Cilantro Lime Rice is usually in the bowl as well.  Homemade Guacamole, fresh crispy radishes and cucumbers, cubed avocado, pickled red onions and fresh squeezed lime is usually what we add.  If you want to include fresh grated Queso Fresco, or grated Tex-Mex cheese, go for it.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Here’s my quick recipe for Cilantro Lime Rice, enough for six servings:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, or other long-grain white rice
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Finely grated zest of one lime
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 cup packed chopped cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté till just turning translucent. Add the raw rice and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice has started to brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add water, salt, and lime zest to the rice. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and lower the heat to low to maintain a very low simmer. Cook without stirring for 15 minutes (or based on  the package instructions for your rice)  Turn off the heat, lift the lid and cover the pot with a tea towel.  Immediately return the lid to the pot to seal in the towel.  Let it sit off the heat for 10 minutes, for any excess steam to be captured by the towel.

Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir through the lime juice, the chopped cilantro and pepper.  Serve.

Leftovers

Store any unused pork and pineapple in a sealed container in the fridge for up to four days.  Re-heat by sautéing it in a lightly greased skillet over medium heat till just browned and heated through.  I will make the whole recipe which feeds six, because the leftovers are just that good!  Sometimes just raiding the fridge for the pork, pineapple and rice and giving it all a quick stiry fry on the stove top is all that we crave.

If you want to change it up, use the Al Pastor filling for quesadillas, tacos, or even enchiladas.  Or how about over nachos!

For more Mexican inspired dishes, check out Chicken Taquitos with Poblano Guacamole, Sheet Pan Nachos with Chilli Topping, Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Cilantro Lime Crema,  Creamy Enchiladas with Chicken Tomatoes and Green Chilli

If you make this Al Pastor Taco Bowl, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.

Love Jen

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Al Pastor Taco Bowls

Sheet Pan Al Pastor Taco Bowls! The citrusy & sweet al pastor marinade for the pork has an earthy kick. Bake the pork on a sheet pan with pineapple until juicy & tender. Finish under the broiler for a crisp finish. Feel free to use this for taco bowls, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, even quesadillas or nachos! The blog post describes other methods for cooking the pork.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword al pastor pork, cilantro rice, guacamole, pickled red onions, taco bowl, tajín

Prep Time 15 minutes

Marinating 1 day

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 2-3 lb pork shoulder or loin roast

Marinade

• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp Achiote Paste, purchased or homemade (see blog for link)
• 1 tsp dark brown sugar, can use lighter brown sugar if this is all you have
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, grab some of the sauce when you use the peppers
• 1 tbsp dried cumin
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Taco Bowl

• 3 cups cubed pineapple
• Use your favourite components: Cilantro Lime Rice, drained and rinsed black beans, guacamole, pickled red onions, queso fresco, fresh sliced or julienned radishes and cucumbers, sour cream, etc, See Notes
• Tajín seasoning

Instructions

1. Cut the pork shoulder or loin into slices between 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Place these into a large heavy duty freezer bag.
2. Add all listed marinade ingredients to a blender. Blend until combined. Pour the al pastor marinade over the pork, and close the bag. Massage the bag to ensure that the marinade gets into all the nooks and crannies. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6-48 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 425F and have one rack set in the centre. You will also need one in the upper part of the oven for broiling the pork at the end. Line one or two rimmed baking sheets with foil for easy clean up, and set aside.

4. Transfer the marinated pork to the prepared baking sheet, scooping away any excess marinade. Add the diced pineapple to the baking sheets, using the excess marinade on the pork to coat the pineapple. If needed, you can use some of the excess sauce that is in the bag. Make sure everything is in one layer.

5. Bake on the centre rack for 15 minutes. The pork should be nearly cooked through.
6. Remove the pork from the oven to chop, and preheat the broiler.

7. Transfer the pork to a cutting board & carefully chop it into bite-sized pieces. Drain all excess liquid from the baking sheets carefully, keeping the pineapple on the sheets. Return the cubed pork back to the baking sheet keeping everything in one layer.

8. Place the baking sheet under the broiler. Broil 6-8 minutes, turning the pork and pineapple over half way through, until the al pastor pork is browned and crisp. Make sure that the rack is set close to the broiler or else it may take a while which will only dry out the meat. Keep an eye on it to prevent scorching.

9. Place the pork and pineapple into a serving bowl. It can now be used for taco bowls, tacos, even quesadillas or nachos, finishing with your toppings of choice: cilantro rice, black beans, quacamole, sour cream or Mexican crema, pickled red onions, cilantro, etc.
10. Finish your taco bowls with a sprinkling of Tajín for the best kick!

Recipe Notes

Sumac Pickled Onions, adapted from Jeanine's recipe from over at Love and Lemons:
1 small red onion
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp sumac
Thinly slice the onions (a sharp knife, but a mandoline is your friend) Place in a medium mason jar with a lid.
Heat the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir till the sugar is completely melted. Let it cool down and then pour it over the onions. Stir through the sumac and let it cool down, and then seal and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
See blog post for the recipe for the Cilantro Lime Rice, and link to my classic Poblano Pepper Guacamole.