Pastor Recipe » Carne Asada Tacos or Al Pastor Tacos

I have had great success preparing tacos this way. I bought this recipe from a taqueria owner (taco restaurant) in Mexico City. I am translating the directions. It can be used for beef, pork, or just about any other type of meat. The spice mix on this recipe gives meat a really excellent flavor.

Ingredients

• ½ onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon anise seed
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 whole cloves
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1 orange, juiced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 pounds flank steak
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ (7 ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or to taste
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon water, or as needed
• 24 (5 inch) corn tortillas
• ½ onion, chopped
• ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 bunch radishes, halved

Cooking Directions

1. Place 1/2 chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic, parsley, oregano, paprika, anise seed, black pepper, cumin, sage, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice, and lime juice in a blender; pulse until a very well-blended paste is achieved, scraping down sides as needed, 3 to 5 minutes. Spread paste on both sides of the flank steak. Wrap steak in plastic and refrigerate at least 6 hours to overnight.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove excess marinade from flank steak.
3. Grill steak until it begins to firm and is hot and slightly pink in the center, about 8 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Chop steak into small pieces and transfer to a platter; cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
4. Place 1 chopped onion, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and 3 cloves garlic in a blend; pulse until desired consistency. Add water if the salsa becomes too thick. Transfer salsa to a bowl.
5. Heat tortillas in a microwave safe plate until warm, about 1 minute.
6. Serve beef over stacks of two corn tortillas with salsa and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 chopped onion, radishes, and cilantro.

Nutrition Facts

• calories399.7
• carbohydrateContent53.9 g
• cholesterolContent36.4 mg
• fatContent8.8 g
• fiberContent8.8 g
• proteinContent26.7 g
• saturatedFatContent2.8 g
• sodiumContent1336.6 mg
• sugarContent4.5 g