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!
SO, I accidentally used a whole can of chipotle in adobo :( Is it ruined??? I’m scared we won’t be able to eat it!
Oh no! We’re so sorry Erin! That is going to be super strong and spicy. It’s going to be a pain, but what you can do to try and salvage this is make another batch without the chipotle and try and combine the two? Otherwise, we’re not sure how else you could mellow it out and make this batch still edible. We hope this helps!
Made this last night and loved it! Was super easy but packed with flavor! Left off the pineapple and added a mix of bell pepper, red onion, chick pea, and garlic that I quickly grilled on the cast iron. It was a good alternative in case pineapple isn’t a crowd pleaser. Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re welcome Kristi — we’re so glad you enjoyed everything, and your additions sound wonderful! :)
Sorry! One other quick question. Can I make the puree the night before, refrigerate, then put everything into the slow cooker the next morning before work? Or would the puree not taste as well?
Hi Casidy! You can definitely make the puree the night before — we hope you enjoy! :)
Hi there.
if we were to double the recipe, will this affect the cook time?
Hey Casidy! The time should be about the same, just make sure your slow cooker is big enough to double this, otherwise it won’t cook properly/evenly.
Do you think this will work if I put a pork shoulder with the bone in directly into the slow cooker, then shred it later? My grocery store only had the bone-in variety, and de-boning it seems pretty challenging . . .
Hey Rebecca! We haven’t tried using a bone-in pork shoulder for this, but we think you should be able to. The only thing is, the cooking time will probably take a little longer (we’re not sure how much longer though). Just make sure you keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overcook and get dried out — we hope you enjoy!
Hi! I want to make this with boneless chicken breast in the slow cooker, should i adjust anything and is the cooking time the same?
Hi Lisa! We haven’t tried this with chicken, but we think it would probably be the same cooking time, and you shouldn’t have to adjust anything. We hope you enjoy!
Hey there! Made this last week and it became a huge hit. My pot came out soupy. I drained off the extra liquid and it left behind a beautiful paste that I tossed back in with my shredded pork. I love that this recipe didn’t require an extra sauce made up to keep the meat moist on the taco. It was so easy! Will make again in the future. Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks for sharing Sarah — we’re happy you enjoyed these! :)
Hello. This sounds super yummy and am planning on making it this week. I was just wondering, in your opinion, could you canned pineapple tidbits rather than the fresh that the recipe calls for? And if not fresh what about frozen? Thanks in advance for your help.
Robin! We’ve only tried this with fresh (which we think would work best), but you can certainly use the canned pineapple tidbits instead, or the frozen (just thaw them first). We hope you enjoy this!
LOVED em!! Great recipe, thanks for sharing!
Thanks Samantha — we’re so glad to hear that! :)
Hi , I’m having a Mexican party this weekend and I have a baby in my arms all day. I literally only have his nap time to prepare meals so I have no choice but to prepare this recipe today (Thursday) to serve Saturday. I’m hoping this is one of those recipes that once cooked it gets better when reheated a day or two after? Will it still be good?
Yes, completely — we think the flavor develops even more after a day or two. :) We hope you enjoy! :)