There's nothing like a juicy pork al pastor sandwich, especially because it is inspired by a famous taco. Maybe it's the brine, or that I'm just easily satisfied, but it's been my experience that if you simply season aggressively and cook the meat over smoky coals up to a certain temp, you'll be rewarded with tender, moist, and very flavorful meat. Slather it with the grilled pineapple salsa for the full 'al pastor' experience.
Ingredients
- bone-in pork shoulder roast: 9 pound
- kosher salt: 1 cup
- quart pineapple juice: 1 piece
- quarts cold water: 3 piece
- kosher salt: 2 Tbsp
- ancho Chili powder: 0.25 cup
- ground chipotle pepper: 1 Tbsp
- garlic powder: 1 Tbsp
- ground cumin: 1 Tbsp (optional)
- ground cinnamon: 2 tsp
- Mexican oregano: 1 Tbsp (dried)
- pineapple, cut into rings: 0.5 piece (to taste)
- Serrano pepper: 1 piece (chopped)
- roasted red peppers: 2 Tbsp (diced)
- cilantro: 0.25 cup (chopped)
- rice vinegar: 0.25 cup
- salt: (to taste)
- hamburger buns: 12 piece (split)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Place pork in a large brining vessel. Cut a few slashes into fat side of pork.
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Whisk salt, pineapple juice, and water together in a large bowl. Pour brine over pork. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
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Combine salt, ancho powder, chipotle powder, garlic powder, cumin, cinnamon, and oregano together for the rub.
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Remove pork from brine and place on a deep baking pan lined with foil. Season generously with spice rub. Reserve remaining spice rub for another use.
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Preheat a charcoal grill between 300 to 325 degrees F (150 to 175 degrees C). Place 2 bricks on the grate, if you like, and place the baking pan on top.
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Grill, occasionally spooning rendered juices over meat, until very tender, about 7 hours. Make sure to maintain the same 25-degree range in temperature by adjusting the vents under, and on top of the grill, or smoker. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of pork should read 195 degrees F (91 degrees C).
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Remove pan from the grill, wrap top in foil, and let rest for 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook pineapple over the last of the coals until nicely charred, 7 to 10 minutes.
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Dice grilled pineapple to get about 2 cups. Combine in a bowl with serrano pepper, red peppers, cilantro, and rice vinegar. Season with salt and a pinch of leftover spice rub.
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Remove pork bone and pull meat apart. Add to a bowl with some of the rendered fat; pull apart with 2 forks. Place some pork over each bottom bun, top with pineapple salsa, and cover with other half bun. Chef John
