Instant Pot Al Pastor Tacos
These easy Al Pastor tacos can be prepared in your Instant Pot or slow cooker. No matter which way you cook them, they are tender & delicious.
Equipment
- 1 6 quart Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
- 1 High-Speed Blender,
- 1 Large Disposable Foil Pan, optional, see notes below*
Ingredients
Marinade
- 3-3.5 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- 3-4 dried guajillo chilies, deseeded
- 2-3 dried ancho chilies, deseeded
- 1 cup fresh pineapple (ripe & sweet), cubed for the marinade
- 1/4 cup oil, (olive, avocado, or vegetable oil)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup orange juice, (fresh is best if you can)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 garlic cloves, you can sub 1 t. granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 whole cloves, you can sub 1/4 t. clove powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, you can sub about 10 peppercorns
- 2 whole chipotles in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon annatto seeds, see notes below*
- corn tortillas for serving
Toppings
- 1-2 cups fresh pineapple (ripe & sweet), cut into small bite sized pieces
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- avocado, diced (optional)
- red salsa, (see link above to my recipe)
- sea salt flakes, optional
Instructions
- Cut the pork into 4-6 large chunks and place in a gallon Ziploc bag or large glass dish.
- Cut the dried chilies open and remove & discard the seeds.
- Place the chilies in a medium bowl and fill just until covered with boiling water. Place a plate or lid on top to steam & soften. Set a timer for 10-20 minutes.
- When they are done steaming, remove them from the liquid and place in your blender with the rest of your marinade ingredients.
- Blend until smooth, about 1 minute depending on your blender.
- Pour the blended marinade into the bag or dish with the pork, seal well. Place in the fridge and marinade for 24-48 hours.
- When you are ready, place everything into your slow cooker and set to HIGH for 8-10 hours or pressure cook for 45-60 minutes (natural release for about 20-30 minutes). Slow cooking does produce a better flavor and is the method I recommend. (See notes below*)
- After it is done cooking. Remove the meat and place into a disposable foil pan* or a broiler safe dish. Shred the pork well and add about a cup of the cooking liquid. Broil for about 5 minutes to crisp the edges just a little bit.
- Remove from the broiler, stir, and serve the tacos with your garnishes. Enjoy!
Notes
Serving sizes/amounts and nutritional values are estimates only.
*Annatto seed can be substituted with 1 packet of Sazon Goya with Annatto & Coriander.
*Note: I have tried cooking this with the pressure cooker setting, but the flavors are best with slow cooking. It is possible to prepare with pressure, however if you do, the flavor will be slightly less intense. You will also need to cook for 45-60 minutes and natural release. If I am pressed for time, I will use this method and found it best to let it release then sit on warm for as long as possible. That allows more time for the flavors to meld together.
*Foil Baking Pan- To get that "charred" effect as you would in the traditional Al Pastor, I put the shredded meat under the broiler in my oven. Because of the intensity of the heat (even for a short time), I use a disposable pan to prevent damaging my cookware. If you have something else that is equipped to handle the heat, feel free to use it.
Nutrition
Calories: 122kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 13gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 326mgPotassium: 326mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 945IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!