Tacos al Pastor

Fill a kettle or small saucepan with 3 cups of water and bring it to a boil. At the same time, place a large non - stick pan over medium heat. Add the cascabel, ancho, and pasilla chiles to the pan and toast them for about 2 minutes on each side until they become aromatic and slightly softened.

Carefully pour the boiled water over the chiles right in the pan. Place a large plate on top to ensure the chiles are completely submerged. Let the chiles soak for 20 minutes, until they turn soft.

Run the outside of the pineapple under running water to wash it. Place the pineapple on a large cutting board.

Use a sharp chef's knife to slice off the crown and root - end of the pineapple and discard them. Stand the pineapple upright on its flat base so it doesn't roll around.

Starting from the top, slice off the skin of the pineapple and discard it. With the pineapple still upright, cut off the edible part, working around the core. Discard the core.

Cut about one - third of the pineapple into large chunks. You'll add these to the marinade. Cut the remaining pineapple into about 2 x 1/2 - inch pieces.

Place the 2 x 1/2 - inch pineapple pieces in a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate them until ready to use. When you're ready to serve the tacos, you'll roast these.

Transfer the rehydrated chiles to a blender and discard the soaking water. Then add the pineapple chunks, garlic, achiote paste, oregano, cumin, black peppercorns, vinegar, olive oil, orange juice, and salt to the blender. Blend the mixture until it is very smooth.

Add the pork shoulder steaks to a large bowl. Pour the adobada marinade on top of the steaks. Use your hands to fully coat the meat with the marinade. Wash your hands after handling the raw meat.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the meat marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204.44°C).

Set a large pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. You will sear the pork in batches. Once the pan is hot, place 3 steaks in the pan, making sure they don't overlap. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over each steak.

Sear the steaks for 2 minutes per side until they are golden brown and lightly charred. Transfer the seared meat onto a large baking dish. Repeat the searing process with the remaining pork.

Pour the adobada marinade used to marinate the pork on top of the seared pork. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake it in the preheated 400°F (204.44°C) oven for 20 minutes, until the pork is cooked through. Set the cooked pork aside to rest while you roast the pineapple.

Transfer the reserved pineapple onto a baking sheet and spread them out into an even layer. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the pineapple and sprinkle it with ground ancho chiles and salt. Roast the pineapple in the 400°F (204.44°C) oven for 15 minutes until the edges are lightly charred.

Warm up your corn tortillas over a hot comal or in a pan in batches. Keep the warm tortillas in a tortillero or wrap them in a clean tea towel to maintain their warmth.

Use a very sharp knife to slice the pork thinly. Place the sliced pork on a serving platter. Scrape the marinade on top of the sliced pork.

Bring the sliced pork, roasted pineapples, warm tortillas, chopped onions, cilantro, and lime wedges to the table so that everyone can build their own tacos. For the perfect al pastor taco, add a spoonful of pork into a tortilla, top it with a slice or two of pineapple, garnish with onions and cilantro, and then give it a generous squeeze of lime. Enjoy!

If you have leftover pork, refrigerate it tightly covered for up to 3 days. To reheat, transfer the pork into a baking dish, cover it with foil, and reheat it in a 400°F (204.44°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes.