Lamb Al Pastor
Originally Al Pastor which has been made famous by Taco Trucks almost everywhere and known as “The Taco” of Mexico City was made with Lamb and introduced to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th century. Before immigrating Lebanese families made Shwarma, once in Mexico the dish was adapted to the available local ingredients, later in the 1920s Al Pastor was modified from lamb to pork because of availability and the younger generations of the families no longer having the same religious and dietary needs of not eating pork.
The recipe I have come up with below is a throwback to the origins of the original recipe for Al Pastor. Hopefully paying homage in a sense to the creators and introducers of an entirely new style of cooking and new and unique flavor profiles that would further influence all of Mexican cooking on a whole! While I don’t have a vertical spit (and if you do I definitely encourage you to use one!) I used a rotisserie to try and emulate as closely as possible how this dish was originally cooked.
Ingredients:
Lamb al Pastor
– 3 lbs of sliced lamb leg, 1/4 inch thick, then pounded 1/8 thick with the spiky side of a meat hammer
– Neutral cooking oil (grapeseed oil)
– 1/2 white onion
– 4 cloves garlic
– 4 Guajillo Chiles, cut into pieces
– 2 Ancho Chile, cut into pieces
– 3 tablespoons of achiote paste
– 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
– 1 chipotle in adobo
– 1/2 cup of pineapple juice
– 1/2 cup of pineapple chunks
– 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
– 1/2 cup of chopped fresh mint leaves
– 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro leaves
– Juice of 2 Limes
– 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
– 1 to 2 Tablespoons of salt
– 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
Mint Pineapple Salsa
– 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
– 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
– 1/4 cup chopped red onion
– 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
– 2 tablespoons lime juice
– Salt and pepper to taste
– 2 cups diced fresh pineapple
For Serving
– Tortilla’s
– 1/4 cup of diced onion
– Mint Pineapple Salsa or a 1/4 cup of diced pineapple
– Pico De Gallo
– Other hot sauces you like
– Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions:
To make the Mint Pineapple Salsa combine all the ingredients, stir well, and set aside in the fridge covered to let the flavors come together.
To make the Lamb al Pastor start with a pan with a tight fitting lid (lid off for now) and toast the chilis over medium heat till fragrant stirring occasionally, add the onion, oregano, achiote paste, and garlic and a tablespoon oil, cook for 2 minutes stirring often. Add the pineapple juice and pineapple chunks, 1/2 cup water, and the vinegar then immedeatly cover with the lid and lower the heat to low for 10 minutes, shaking and swirling the pan occasionally.
In a blender, combine the mint, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, and everything from the pan. Blend until smooth. Add enough neutral oil to bring the total up to 3 cups while blending.
Place the lamb slices in batches in a large ziplock bag and pour the marinade over them, massage the marinade in and keep adding meat and marinade until all meat is added and massaged with marinade (you should have marinade left over, use on chicken or make salsa with it). Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours (if not cooking within 24 hours, freeze and thaw 12 hours before cooking).
If you don’t have a rotisserie, but do have a grill: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Remove the lamb from the marinade and shake off any excess. Grill the lamb for about 2-3 minutes per side or until charred and cooked through.
If you have a rotisserie and grill: Set your grill up with indirect heat (200-250 degrees), Load all the slices onto the rotisserie and cook for 1-3 hours, checking the internal temperature after 1 hour to be at 160 degrees.
If you don’t have either of those: Cook in a pan over high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or put in an oven and roast at 500 degrees tossing and turning after every 5 minutes until cooked through.
Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then slice it thinly across the grain.
To serve, divide the lamb among the tortillas and top with raw onion, cilantro, pineapple and lime juice. Enjoy!
