Adobo for al pastor, finally! I am working on some new blog post that get right to the point! I will focus on basic recipes that I use over and over and over again. This recipe for adobo for al pastor is one of them.
Do You Have A Recipe For…
That is usually a question I get daily in my inbox. My followers are looking for particular recipes like marinades, salsas, sauces and more. They want to learn techniques and what works better. What kind of cookware? Which are your favorite cuts of meat? Do you have a favorite store bought tortilla? These questions and more are what you all want to know.
More Al Pastor Recipes!
Including the photo above, these are all recipes on my blog that I used the adobo for al pastor. All the recipes were prepared in different ways. I still need to develop one using chicken. How did I miss that? Lol!
Dried Chiles
I store my dried chiles in a resealable plastic bag. Avoid setting them in direct sunlight and warms areas. If it is too warm, I store them in the refrigerator to avoid any unwanted critters, lol! Look for chiles that are soft when you purchase them. If it’s lack of space to store them, then you can grind them down to a powder. I have a coffee grinder I use specially for spices and chiles.
Achiote
Achiote comes from grinding annatto seeds with other spices, crushed chiles, vinegar and salt. It’s much easier to purchase a brick of achiote than preparing it from scratch. The annatto seeds are very hard to grind. That has been my experience in the past. Achiote is popular in recipes from the region of Yucatan, like cochinita pibil and more! It has an earthy flavor, not spicy, in my opinion.
Chipotles In Adobo
This is one of the few canned food ingredients that is a staple in my pantry. I love chipotles in adobo! Canned chipotles are smoked jalapeños in a tangy tomato base. One day real soon I am going to challenge myself and prepare a batch from scratch. Why not? I am not stuck on one particular brand, but they do vary slightly depending on the brand. Perfect for quick salsa, dressing, sauces and more!
Why Saute or Fry?
Do you prefer the flavor of a fried onion or a boiled onion? If you don’t like onions, than skip to the next question, lol! Fried ingredients add so much more flavor to your recipes.
Bring Out The Flavors!
Take the extra time and toast or fry the dried chiles before using them in your recipes. I confess that I don’t always do that, but it’s worth it. Toasting or frying will bring out the natural oils in the chiles. Just be careful not to burn them or they will become too bitter.
Opt For Fresh Water Or Broth When Possible.
Just to be on the safe side, I avoid using the water I used to soften my dried chiles. Not always though. If I feel like the chiles are fairly new and not old, I will use the cooking water in my recipes. Old chiles can be very bitter when used and no amount of anything can take it away. I have been there, trust me.
What Kitchen Tools Are The Most Valuable?
Right off the top of my head, my blender, knives, cutting board, prep bowls, wooden spoons and much more! I have a variety of pots and pans. Nothing fancy, just basic pots and pans that work for me. I use the Mexican blue enamelware pots, pans and spoons. They are not nonstick, but they are lightweight and easy to wash. I reserve my nonstick skillet for cooking eggs mostly.
That’s The Adobo For Al Pastor Recipe!
Now You Are Ready To Cook With It!
You can use any of the Al Pastor links I left above to start cooking. Below is the start of yet another recipe. I start with 1 1/2 pounds pork butt chopped small.
Pour in about 1/2 cup of adobo.
Mix in 1 cup onion sliced thin.
Mix Well!
Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours!
To Be Continued! Lol!
I will add taco photos once I cook them later today!
Here We Go! Tacos! Finally!
I start with a very hot extra large skillet at medium/high heat with no oil. Let the pork cook until most of the liquid evaporates. Drizzle in some oil(high heat oil) and continue stir frying for 6-8 minutes or until you have some caramelization on the meat. Ready!
Adobo For Al Pastor
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion sliced
- 3-4 cloves of garlic smashed
- 1 tsp oil
- 4 dried chile guajillo stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried chile ancho stems and seeds removed
- 4 cups water 2 cups to soften chiles, 2 cups to blend adobo
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 2 oz achiote paste
- 3-4 chipotles in adobo
- 2 tbsp adobo from chipotles
- 1/4 c apple cider or white distilled vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To a medium skillet, add the onion, garlic and 1 tsp. of oil. Heat to medium.
- Saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes and then add in the torn pieces of the dried chiles. Saute for another 3 minutes, stirring now and then.
- To the skillet, pour in 2 cups of water. Continue cooking for 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let everything soak and soften for 10 minutes.
- Drain the water from the chiles in skillet and transfer everything to the blender.
- Also the blender, 2 cups of reserved water, bouillon, achiote, chipotles in adobo, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Blend on high until very smooth. Taste for salt. It should be on the salty side in order for it to season the meat well.
- Pour adobo into glass jars and store refrigerated for a few weeks or in the freezer for a few months.
Notes
Can hardly wait to see the recipe for the finished product. AMAZING…..
Hi Richard! I just added the final pictures to the post so you can check them out. I loved the tacos, of course, but might consider adding a little more heat to the adobo next time. I love spicy food! Lol!
Hi! Oooks like an amazing recipe. Your ingredients call for 4 cups of water, but use only 2 cups in description for soaking. Are we to add another 2 cups to the blender? Thank you…
Guadalupe, I use four cups to soften the peppers, but then use 2 cups of fresh water to blend the adobo. I prefer using fresh water most times, just in case the cooking water is bitter.
Hi Guadalupe, I revised the text on the recipe so it’s easier to understand. Sorry about that. I drain the cooking water and then add 2 cups of fresh water to blend the adobo.