Ella Walter
Al pastor is a Mexican dish traditionally made with pork, but chicken is also a popular alternative. The meat is marinated in a blend of spices, then cooked in an air fryer with pineapple rings on top. The pineapple's juices drip into the meat as it cooks, adding extra flavour. The meat is then chopped into small pieces and served in tortillas with toppings such as diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.
Characteristics and Values Table for Cooking Al Pastor in an Air Fryer:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Meat | Pork, chicken, or beef |
| Marinade | Chipotle in adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey or brown sugar, garlic, oregano, ground cumin, cilantro, salt, olive oil, pineapple juice, and pineapple chunks |
| Temperature | 360°F or 180°C for 12-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for pork and 165°F for chicken |
| Preheat | 360°F or 180°C for 5 minutes, or according to the air fryer's preheat setting |
| Garnish | Cilantro, lime wedges, avocado cream, or guacamole |
| Sides | Warm tortillas (preferably grain-free or low-carb), pico de gallo, refried beans, Mexican rice, or salad |
| Tools | Air fryer, blender, meat thermometer, baking sheet, cast iron or skillet |
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What You'll Learn
Marinating the meat
For pork, it is recommended to use pork shoulder, but pork butt, pork roast, or pork tenderloin are also good options. The meat should be sliced thinly, and frozen for at least 20 minutes, or until partially frozen. This makes it easier to slice. You can then place the meat in a medium bowl and add your chosen spices and flavourings.
A blend of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and paprika is a great base for your marinade. You can also add pineapple juice or minced pineapple, brown sugar or honey, and salt to taste. Mix well, cover, and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours, but preferably overnight for a deeper flavour.
If using chicken, you can follow a similar process, but with a few adjustments. Chicken breasts or thighs can be used, and should be boneless and skinless. You will also need to add apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and cilantro to your marinade. Again, mix well and leave to marinate for a minimum of two hours, or overnight.
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Preparing the pineapple
Step 1: Choosing the Pineapple
Start by selecting a ripe, fresh pineapple. Look for one that is fragrant and has bright green leaves. Avoid pineapples with bruised or soft spots, as they may be overripe or spoiled.
Step 2: Cutting the Pineapple
Using a sharp knife, cut the pineapple into rings or chunks, depending on your preference. If you're using rings, you can leave the core intact, but if you're cutting it into chunks, be sure to remove the tough core. You can also use canned pineapple slices or rings in juice if fresh pineapple is unavailable.
Step 3: Marinating the Pineapple (Optional)
While the pineapple can be used as-is, marinating it can add extra flavour to your Al Pastor. Create a marinade by blending chipotle chiles with adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey or brown sugar, garlic, oregano, ground cumin, cilantro, salt, and olive oil. Toss the pineapple chunks or rings in this marinade and let them sit for at least 30 minutes to absorb the flavours.
Step 4: Cooking the Pineapple
Place the marinated pineapple in the air fryer basket along with the meat. If using pineapple rings, place them on top of the meat to allow the juices to drip onto the meat as it cooks, infusing it with flavour. If using chunks, you can toss them with the meat before air frying. Cook according to your recipe's instructions, typically around 360°F or 180°C for about 12-15 minutes for chicken, or 400°F for about 15 minutes for pork.
Step 5: Serving the Pineapple
The pineapple can be served alongside the Al Pastor or incorporated into the dish. If serving on the side, consider sprinkling the cooked pineapple with dark brown sugar for a sweet treat. If including it in the tacos, chop the pineapple into smaller pieces and add them to the tortillas with the meat and other toppings, such as cilantro, lime wedges, and avocado cream or guacamole.
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Preheating the air fryer
Preheating your air fryer is a crucial step in the cooking process. It ensures your Al Pastor reaches the desired internal temperature and cooks evenly. Here is a detailed guide on preheating your air fryer for Al Pastor:
Firstly, ensure your air fryer is clean and dry. Some air fryers have specific preheating functions, so refer to your model's instructions. If yours does not have a preheat setting, simply set it to the desired cooking temperature. For Al Pastor, you will typically preheat at 360°F or 180°C, or 400°F for 5 minutes. This temperature range is suitable for both chicken and pork Al Pastor.
Next, lightly grease the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking oil or spray. This step is essential to prevent your Al Pastor from sticking to the basket and making it difficult to clean. Use a cooking spray or brush the basket with oil. Ensure you cover all surfaces that will come into contact with your food.
Finally, place the basket back into the air fryer and allow it to preheat for 5 minutes or according to your model's instructions. Once preheated, you can proceed to cook your marinated Al Pastor, following your chosen recipe's instructions. Remember to handle the air fryer with care as it will now be hot.
Preheating your air fryer ensures your Al Pastor starts cooking at the right temperature, leading to even cooking and browning. It is a simple but vital step in achieving the best results for your meal.
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Cooking the meat
To cook al pastor in an air fryer, you can use chicken, beef, or pork. For chicken, cut up some chicken breasts or thighs into bite-sized pieces. For beef, cut up flap steak, flap meat, or skirt steak into thin slices. For pork, you can use pork shoulder, pork butt, pork roast, or pork tenderloin. If you're using pork, freeze the meat for at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours before slicing it thinly.
To make the marinade, add chipotle chiles with adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey or brown sugar, garlic, oregano, ground cumin, cilantro, salt, and olive oil to a blender. Blend until you get a thick marinade. If you're using pork, you can also add pineapple juice or minced pineapple to the marinade. Add the meat to the marinade and let it sit for at least 2 hours or overnight.
When you're ready to cook, preheat your air fryer to between 360°F and 400°F for 5 minutes. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or brush it with oil. Place the marinated meat in a single layer in the air fryer and cover with pineapple rings or chunks. If using pineapple rings, sprinkle them with brown sugar.
Cook the meat for 8 to 15 minutes, or until it's cooked through and nicely browned. The internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat should be above 145°F for pork and 165°F for chicken. Remove the meat from the air fryer and let it rest for a couple of minutes before slicing or chopping it into small pieces.
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Serving suggestions
Al pastor cooked in an air fryer can be served in a variety of ways. The most popular option is to serve it in a taco with warm tortillas, preferably grain-free or low-carb, with pico de gallo, lime wedges, and avocado cream or guacamole. You can also add pineapple to the taco or serve it on the side.
If you are using chicken for your al pastor, you can serve it with a salad, nachos, or in tacos with your dip of choice.
For a more authentic Mexican experience, replicate the tacos sold on the streets of Mexico by using flap meat or flap steak, also known as bottom sirloin butt, or skirt steak. The meat is sliced thin and cooked quickly underneath fresh pineapple slices so that the pineapple juice drips into the meat. The meat is then sliced and served in corn tortillas with pico de gallo and a slice of lime.
For a sweet treat, you can also sprinkle extra pineapple with dark brown sugar and air fry before serving with a scoop of ice cream.
Some other side dish options include refried beans, Mexican rice, or churros.
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Frequently asked questions
For pork, you can use pork shoulder, pork butt, pork roast, or pork tenderloin. For chicken, use chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
Marinate the meat for a minimum of 2 hours. Marinating it overnight will give it deeper flavours.
Preheat your air fryer to 360F or 180C. Then, cook at this temperature for 12-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165F.
Al Pastor is often served in tortillas with roasted pineapple chunks, cilantro, and lime wedges. You can also serve it with a salad, nachos, or tacos.
