During our stay in Austin this past month, Kathryne and I lived for a month with our version of a very “minimalist” kitchen.
The house that we rented definitely had some of the basic pots and pans. But in order to do our jobs and cook for a month, we got all Google-spreadsheet-y beforehand and coordinated a few “essential” items to bring along, like my favorite Le Creuset Dutch oven (which we both loved so much we had to schedule times to use it), her favorite food processor (that she can’t live without), and a good-quality lime juicer (for regular margarita nights at home, a must). We kept culling back our list to keep things as simple as possible, nixing things like our stand mixers and extra baking dishes that would take up space we didn’t have. And at the last second, I decided to also leave my beloved slow cooker back at home in KC.
Never again.
Over the course of the month, I decided unequivocally that having a slow cooker is not an option in my kitchen. It’s a must!! I kept having idea after idea while we were down there for various slow cooker recipes that I wanted to make, and with us buzzing all over town during the days in evenings, there was no way I was going to babysit some recipes while they slow cooked on the stove. Patience is not a virtue of mine. So instead, I fired up my crock pot the second I got home and have been slow cooking my way through a delicious list of recipes ever since.
First up? Slow cooker tacos al pastor.
I realized — around the time I ate my 500th taco in Austin — that I had actually never tried making tacos al pastor homemade before. Which is something I immediately needed to address, because I’m a mega fan. I mean, tender pork marinated with fresh pineapple and chiles and lime juice? What’s not to love??
Well, let’s just say that this classic combination is even more lovable when the slow cooker does all the work for you. No need to babysit a pot on the stove all day. Just puree up the marinade, toss it in the slow cooker with your pork, and let the slow cooker work its magic.
Then a big pot of tender, juicy, flavorful, perfect pork will be yours to enjoy.
I served mine up street-taco-style, with fresh chopped cilantro, onions, and a few lime wedges. And since I had some pineapple leftover, I also tossed in a few tidbits. (Fresh, mind you. Resist any temptation to use canned pineapple in this recipe. Resist!)
If you want, you can also add some crumbly Mexican cheese on top, like cotija or queso fresco. But otherwise, the slow cooked pork is the rockstar of the recipe, so there’s not much else you need.
Ah, feels so good to write those words again. Slow cooker, I missed you. :)
Slow Cooker Tacos Al Pastor
Ingredients
- 1 (5-pound) boneless pork shoulder roast (Boston butt), extra fat trimmed off
- 1 (12-oz.) bottle of beer (I used Modelo Negra, or use chicken stock if making this gluten-free)
- 2 chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1 fresh pineapple, peeled and cored, then roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 3 tablespoons chili powder (not cayenne)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- corn tortillas, for serving
- optional toppings: crumbled goat cheese, (extra) diced fresh pineapple, chopped fresh cilantro leaves, chopped red onions, diced avocado, thinly-sliced radishes
Instructions
- Cut the pork shoulder into 2-inch cubes. Add the pork to the bowl of the slow cooker.
- Add the chipotles in adobo, pineapple, red onion, chili powder, lime juice, white vinegar, salt, cumin and black pepper to a blender or food processor. Puree until the mixture is completely smooth, about 30-60 seconds. Stir in the beer until it is evenly combined. Then pour the mixture on top of the pork, and toss until the pork is evenly coated.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours, until the pork is completely tender and shreds easily with a fork. Use two forks to shred the pork, then toss it in the remaining juices.
- Serve warm on tortillas, garnished with optional toppings.
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Is there a substitute for the chipotle in adobo? I can’t have tomatoes or onion! Would a jalapeño work?
Hi Ruth, yes, you could use jalapeño! We hope you enjoy!
Hi there
Making this tomorrow but 2 of us aren’t fond of real spicy and my other 3 are lol. Are the Chipotle in adobe sauce spicy? Can I only had half the can? What would you suggest?
Hey Melissa! The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce pack some pretty good heat, but since this recipe only calls for two (out of several in a can), and the recipe makes about 6-8 servings, we think it would be fine. We don’t find it that spicy, however, if you’re still concerned, you could always just use one pepper. We hope this helps and that you and your family enjoy!
I have boneless pork loin roast, would this work in place of the pork shoulder?
Hi Mary, we wouldn’t advise using a pork loin roast instead of pork shoulder here. Pork loin roast is a much leaner and nicer cut of meat, and it won’t take to the slow cooker as well as pork shoulder will. Because it’s fattier, the pork shoulder meat will fall apart and shred so much easier in a slow cooker, yielding better results (slow cooking is one of the best ways to cook pork shoulder). As a rule of thumb, fattier (and usually less expensive) cuts of meat just work better in slow cookers than leaner cuts. We hope this helps, and that you enjoy the recipe!
This looks amazing but I live in Ireland and would be hard pressed to find chipotles in adobo sauce (have to admit I don’t even know what adobo is!)… Any suggestions for substitutions? Could I use a jar of jalapeños instead or does it need to be a smokey chili?
Hi Ruth! Jalapeños would probably work, but chipotles in adobo are definitely smokey, and you want some smokey goodness in this recipe. :) So, if you can find chipotle powder or smoked paprika, those would be the closest substitutes (add small amounts at a time, to taste). You’ll want to mix either of those spices with some cayenne powder (for this combo, use equal amounts) – this will help you achieve that smokey heat without the actual chipotles in adobo. We also found a recipe you could try, on this website: We hope this helps!
Note: SPICY DISH. I really enjoyed the dish, but it was too spicy for my toddler to eat. I reduced how spicy it was by adding a bit of milk, and a tbs of sugar. I wish I would have read the comments before making, and I would have left some of the spicy stuff out. Very good, nonetheless. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing, we’re glad you enjoyed it! You can definitely adjust the spice depending on your heat tolerance and preference. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
my gradma recipe in mexico
is 10pasilla chiles also known as ancho chiles and 10guajillo chiles and two dried chipotle chiles and teaspoon of oregano and five garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
and 1/2 cup of vinegar and half cup of orange juice and half cup of pineapple juice and a package of achiote paste
Wow, thank you for sharing with us Felipe, we’ll have to try her recipe sometime, it sounds wonderful! :)
What can I use instead of beer, I’m allergic to alcohol and this recipe makes my mouth water!
Sure, you can just substitute in chicken or vegetable broth. Enjoy!
I have this in the slow cooker right now! A bit concerned with how saucey it already is – does the pork absorb some of the liquid once shredded or should I ladle some out before shredding? Any ideas what to do with the extra sauce? So excited! Thanks for the beautiful recipe! It already smells delicious!
Yep, the pork should definitely absorb lots of the leftover liquid once it is shredded. (And it will absorb even more if you refrigerate the leftovers.) Otherwise, you could reduce the leftover sauce in a saucepan to make a thicker sauce to pour over the pork afterwards if you’d like. Enjoy!
Just made these tonight. Knock your socks off spicy, and so unbelievably delicious!
Thanks Heather, we’re happy you liked them! :)
Hi there.
I’m having 6-7 girls over this week and I want to make this reciepe for us! I’m thinking everyone will each 2 tacos each — should I double the reciepe? Thanks!
Kera, how fun! We’d say go ahead and double it to be on the safe side, that way you’ll definitely have enough in case you have 7 people show up and they all want two each, or if someone wants an extra one. We hope this helps and that you girls have a great time!