Al Pastor On a Spit: Recipe and Temps
A recipe with temperature tips for an al pastor trompo from which to make tacos, burritos, or anything you want. Marinade recipe adapted from SeriousEats.com.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 whole ancho chilies seeds and stems removed
- 3 whole guajillo chilies seeds and stems removed
- 3/4 C chicken stock
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 Tbsp achiote powder or paste
- 3 –4 chipotle chilies packed in adobo sauce plus 2 tsp sauce from the can
- 3 oz distilled white vinegar
- 5 whole cloves garlic
- 4 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tsp sugar
- 3 lb boneless pork butt sliced thin, about ⅛” thick (if the slices are quite oblong, you can cut them in half to make rough squares/circles)
- 12 oz sliced bacon not thick-cut, slices cut in half
- 1 very thick slice fresh pineapple about 2"
- Special equipment: a vertical roasting spit. We used one from Trompo King.
For the tacos:
- Tortillas
- Cilantro
- Onions
- Salsa
- The rest of the pineapple
- Anything else you want for your tacos!
Instructions
Make the marinade
- Preheat your smoker to 350°F (177°C). Use your Square DOT to monitor pit temp or, if using Smoke X, attach it to your Billows BBQ control fan and set up the air probe. Set the fan temp for 350°F (177°C)
- Heat a dry heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the chilies in the skillet until they become pliable, fragrant, and mottled with dark spots.
- Add the stock to the skillet with the chilies. It will boil immediately. Pour the stock and the chilies into a bowl and allow to soak. Wipe out the pan.
- Ancho chilies are easier to de-stem after they are toasted.
- Add the oil to the pan and heat over medium-high. Add the cumin, oregano, and achiote. Cook them until they are aromatic but do not let them brown, about 30 seconds. Add the chipotle chilies and the adobo sauce and cook another 30 seconds.
- Add the vinegar, sugar, and salt and remove the pan from heat.
- Place the chilies, their soaking liquid, the chipotle/spice paste, and the garlic cloves in a blender. Blend until very smooth, adding a little more water or stock if necessary to loosen the mixture.
- Once blended, allow the mixture to cool.
- In a large bowl, mix the sliced pork with the marinade, tossing to coat each piece.
Make the trompo!
- Set up your vertical spit with a skewer that is long enough to handle all the meat and a slice of pineapple.
- Start layering on the pork. Skewer one slice of pork at a time onto the spit. Every 3–4 layers, skewer in a piece of bacon.
- Once all the meat is layered on, top the spit with a thick slice of fresh pineapple.
- Insert the meat probe from the Square DOT or Smoke X2 parallel to the skewer but about 1/2" away from it. Insert it until the tip of the probe is halfway through the stack. Set the high-temp alarm for 155°F (68°C).
Cook the al pastor
- Place the trompo in the smoker and cook it until the high-temp alarm sounds. This should take 2–3 hours. Meanwhile, prepare your salsas and toppings, and warm your tortillas.
- Verify the temperature with your Thermapen ONE.
- Slice the al pastor from the trompo and serve, mixing it with slices of the roasted pineapple from the top.
- Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!