This recipe for smoked pork butt al pastor yields tender meat that is seasoned with a tasty, smokey blend of chiles and spices for the most unique flavor.
Smoked Pork al Pastor is inspired by the traditional Mexican al Pastor technique that uses a blend of spices to marinate the meat and a skewer to cook it.
Recipe highlights
The marinade in this recipe is a flavor powerhouse. It yields the juiciest pork that has a beautiful color, taste and texture.
This pork al pastor is the perfect recipe for a big get together as this feeds a crowd, especially when you are on a budget.
The pork marinates in a blend of chile peppers for about 6 hours and it is cooked in the smoker until the outside has small bits of crispy pieces and the internal temperature reaches the safe range.
Pork al pastor can be served in many different preparations. From street tacos al pastor to burritos, bowls and even salads.
Ingredients
- Pork butt: We are going to prepare it and slice it thinly in order to skewer it to put it in the smoker. We need a boneless pork butt.
- achiote paste: This condiment made with anatto seeds lends a beautiful color and adds depth of flavor to the marinade.
- Spice blend: The traditional al pastor marinade uses oregano, cumin and ancho chile powder.
- Fresh peppers: Added for a punch of fresh flavor in the marinade, I like to use fresh Pasilla peppers or Poblanos.
- Chipotle peppers: These smoked jalapeños come in a can in a sauce called adobo. They add heat, color and flavor to the marinade.
- Dried peppers: I use a medium-heat dried Ancho peppers.
- Aromatics: We use the classic onion/garlic duo to make the base of the marinade.
- Grilled pineapple: This is a must for serving the al pastor tacos.
- Onion and cilantro: Another must have garnish.
How to Smoke Pork Butt al pastor
Slice the pork butt
Start by freezing the pork butt for a couple of hours. This will make the process of thinly slicing it a lot easier.
Slice the pork butt into ½ inch pieces, removing any excess fat but leaving some to render during the cooking process.
Make the Al Pastor Marinade
This recipe has a long list of spices. I recommend measuring everything and chopping the onion, garlic and peppers before you begin so everything is quicker.
Clean up the dried ancho chiles by removing the stem and the seeds.
Dice the onion and add it to heavy bottomed pot with vegetable oil. Cook until the onion starts to caramelize then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add the chicken stock, vinegar, dried ancho chiles and the Pasilla peppers. Cook until the dried chiles have softened.
Add the can of chipotle peppers and all the spices (oregano, cumin, paprika, black pepper, salt and ancho powder).
Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool and blend in a high-power blender.
Marinate the pork
Once the marinade has cooled down completely, start adding it to the sliced pork.
Make sure all the pieces are fully coated. Use a zip-top bag to refrigerate it for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
Cook in the smoker
Preheat your smoker. For this recipe we really liked using this blend of hickory wood pellets.
Add the sliced pork to the skewer. Try to keep the skewer even with some larger pieces at the bottom and some smaller on top. You want to form a cone shape.
Cook until internal temperature reaches 165F. I baste it every 30 minutes with the pan drippings.
Slice the pork from the skewer by "shaving" the meat pieces with a knife. Toss the meat in the pan drippings and serve immediately.
Serving suggestions
Pork al pastor is typically served in tacos. Corn tortillas are a must and it is garnished with grilled or fresh pineapple, cilantro and white onion.
You can also serve this in a burrito-style bowl with rice, beans and salsa.
Substitutions
You can use the marinade to make this Chipotle Chicken al Pastor recipe.
Storage and freezing
I store leftovers in a zip-top bag in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze, I separate the meat into individual portions and store in zip-top bags for up to 2 months.
To defrost I store in the fridge overnight.
The best way to reheat this pork is on the stovetop. I add a little bit of water of chicken stock and cook for about 5 mins.
Smoked Pork al Pastor
Equipment
- 1 Pellet smoker
- 1 Vertical skewer
Ingredients
- 8-10 Lbs. Pork boneless pork butt
- 3 tablespoon Avocado oil Or neutral oil
- 1 cup diced white onion About ½ medium onion.
- 8 cloves Garlic 1 head
- 4 tablespoon achiote paste ½ block, 50 grams.
- 2 tablespoon oregano
- 2 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 3 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 cup vinegar
- 4 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 Pasilla peppers diced
- 1.5 cups Chicken stock
- 4 dried ancho chilies stems removed, deseeded.
- 1 Can Chipotle 7 oz, 199 grams.
- Cilantro for garnish
- Pineapple chunks for garnish
- Chopped onion for garnish
- Corn tortillas.
Instructions
- Freeze your pork butt for about 2 hours. This will help slice it easier. You can also ask your butcher to thinly slice it.
Make the marinade
- In a heavy-bottom pot add the avocado oil and chopped onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are caramelized, about 5-7 minutes. Stir constantly to avoid burning the onions.
- Once the onions are caramelized add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock, vinegar, Pasilla peppers and dried ancho chiles.
- Add the salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, achiote, cumin, ancho Chile powder and the chipotles in adobo sauce.
- Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool down before blending.
- Blend on high speed until the marinade is smooth.
- Cover the pork slices entirely with the marinade. I like to use a glass bowl and thongs to dip each slice and then store them in a zip-top bag overnight.
- Marinate the pork for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Set your pellet smoker at 275 Fahrenheit and cook until the internal temperature reads 165F. I like to use a meat thermometer to be exact. It usually takes 4-5 hours.
- Baste the meat every 30 minutes with the pan drippings until done.
- To serve, shave the meat thinly with a knife and toss in the pan drippings.
- Serve with tortillas, garnish with cilantro, onion and pineapple chunks.
Marilyn
I recently tried this smoked Al Pastor recipe, and it was absolutely phenomenal! The combination of smoky flavor with the traditional spices was an excellent mix. The meat was incredibly tender and juicy, with a perfect balance of sweetness from the pineapple and a hint of heat from the chilies. Every bite transported me straight to a Mexican street market. This dish has quickly become a favorite in our household, and I can't wait to make it again. Highly recommend for anyone looking to elevate their taco night!