If anyone asked me what Sam loves the most in life, I would definitely say that it’s a tie between Heidi and tacos. The boy loves any type of taco as long as it’s in a corn tortilla. Well, his love for tacos (and Mexican food in general) led to a weekend of meal prepping nothing but tacos for the entire week- ground beef, carne asada, chicken tinga, and al pastor. They were all amazing, but our favorite was definitely the al pastor tacos! I honestly can’t wait to make them again, but in the meantime, I thought I would share my recipe for you all, including the salsa and rice we ate alongside our tacos!

Tacos Al Pastor

You’ll need:
– 2 pounds of pork tenderloin
– 2 tablespoons of al pastor seasoning (I used Urban Accents)
– Pineapple juice
– Lime juice
– Crushed pineapple
– White onion
– Cilantro
– Water

Directions:

Slice pork tenderloin into 1-inch cubes and transfer into a large pot. Cover in two tablespoons of seasoning, 1 cup of pineapple juice, and 1 cup of lime juice. Mix until all meat is coated in seasoning and juices. Once done, place on the stove and fill with just enough water to cover the top of the meat. Heat over medium-high heat, and once boiling reduce the heat to low and simmer for an hour to an hour and a half. Make sure you don’t put a lid on or else the water will not evaporate.

Once all the water has evaporated and you mix the meat, you will notice it starts to fall apart. The directions on the seasoning packet say to brown until crispy but since the pork tenderloin is so tender, it will fall apart and will not brown. If you try to brown it you will end up drying the meat instead. The meat will look more like carnitas but tastes like al pastor!

Once your meat is done, heat up the tortillas of your choice (I recommend corn) on a comal, or skillet if you don’t have one, and fill with as much meat as you desire. Top with onions, cilantro, pineapple, and salsa. Voilà! Delicious tacos al pastor!

For the salsa:

– 10 jalapeno peppers
– 1-2 serrano peppers
– 1/2 cup vegetable oil
– A small bunch of cilantro leaves
– Salt to taste

Wash all produce thoroughly. Once washed, chop off stems. Place all peppers in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5-7 minutes. After all the peppers have boiled, transfer them to a blender and add vegetable oil, cilantro, and about a 1/2 teaspoon of salt (I always eyeball the salt so I can’t give a definite measurement). Blend until well combined. Store in refrigerator.

For the rice:

– 2 cups of Jasmine Rice
– Oil (I use olive oil but whichever you prefer)
– 3 cups of warm water
– 8 ounces of tomato sauce
– 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon
– 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
– 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
– 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

Drizzle oil in a saucepan. Dump in rice. Toast rice until it starts to turn a golden brown color, about 5-7 minutes. Once the rice is toasted, pour in WARM water and tomato sauce. Add crushed garlic, cumin, chicken bouillon, and onion powder. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. DO NOT LIFT LID UNTIL RICE IS DONE! Once done, top with fresh cilantro and enjoy.

I hope you guys enjoy my recipe for tacos, rice, and salsa! Although my tacos are not completely homemade because I use the al pastor seasoning, it is still so delicious. Definitely share your meals with me if you make them!