Tacos al Pastor with Homemade Corn Tortillas

There's something about authentic street-style tacos that's so delicious, and one of our favorite variations is tacos al pastor—pork marinated in a red chile sauce with grilled pineapple. In taquerias the meat is usually cooked on one of those vertical spits like the ones used to cook shawarma or gyros, but we make a simplified version that we cook on the grill and I think it's a great approximation of the real deal. The enzymes in the pineapple help tenderize the pork, and the sweetness plays off the flavor of the red chile and spices.

It's also fun—and surprisingly easy—to make your own corn tortillas, and there's nothing quite like a freshly made tortilla hot out of the pan. It helps to have a cast iron tortilla press, but you can use a rolling pin in a pinch. The kids love to make their own tortillas, although we leave the cooking to a grownup, since they're baked in a hot cast iron pan. Actually, quite a few of the tortillas never make it to the taco part of the meal, since they're so good on their own.

If you've never had a fresh, handmade tortilla, you're in for a treat. They're quite unlike the packaged kind you get at the store, and they're really delicious. One more tip: rinse your chopped white onion in cold water and let drain before you use it to top your tacos. This really takes away a lot of the strong raw onion flavor.

Ingredients

for the tacos

• 2-ounce package whole guajillo chiles
• 1–2 chipotle chiles from a can of chipotle chiles in adobe (optional)
• 1 cup pineapple, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, toasted
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, roasted until soft
• 1/2 white onion, roasted until soft and coarsley chopped
• Water
• 2 pounds pork should (butt), cut into thin slices
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 cups pineapple spears or rings
• Chopped white onion and cilantro, to serve

for the tortillas

• Maseca or other brand of masa harina
• Water
• Salt

In a heavy skillet over medium high heat, toast the chiles one or two at a time for a few seconds. Be careful not to burn them! Put toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water and set aside.

In a heavy skillet (cast iron works great), pan roast unpeeled garlic and onion until soft and brown in spots.

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo chiles and tear into pieces. The chipotle chilis give the marinade a great smokey flavor, but can be pretty spicy, so they're optional. Put all marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add a little water if the mixture is too thick. Put pork and marinade in a bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour or, better yet, overnight.

While the pork marinates, make your tortillas. Mix the dough according to the instructions on the bag of masa. Be careful with the amount of water—you don't want your tortillas too dry or too wet. They have to be just right. Make about a dozen balls of dough, each about the size of a golf ball. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.

Line your tortilla press with sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. Put a dough ball in the center of the press, cover with the top plate, and push down gently with the handle. Presto—you have a tortilla! It may take a little practice to get the process right, but you'll get the hang of it.

Carefully peel the tortilla off the waxed paper or plastic, and flip it onto the hot pan. Press down gently with a spatula. (You'll smell that great roasted corn smell.) Flip over the tortilla and cook until the other side is brown in spots and toasty. Remove from the pan and cover with a clean kitchen towel or cloth napkin to keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.

Remove pork from marinade and season generously with kosher salt. Grill pork and pineapple on the grill until pork is charred and crispy on the edges and pineapple has nice brown grill marks. Chop pork and pineapple coarsely.

Make your tacos by piling meat on a fresh hot tortilla and topping with chopped pineapple, white onion, and cilantro. Serve with your favorite salsa.