These pork chops al pastor are inspired by my favorite taco. Smoky, spicy, tender, and juicy, the chili marinade also serves as a sauce, with a cold, bracing fresh pineapple salsa on the side. They are double-thick, so each one will make 2 servings.
Pork Chops Al Pastor
These pork chops al pastor are inspired by my favorite taco. Smoky, spicy, tender, and juicy, the chili marinade also serves as a sauce, with a cold, bracing fresh pineapple salsa on the side. They are double-thick, so each one will make 2 servings.
Ingredients
Pork and Marinade
- 12 to 14 ounce bone-in double-cut pork chops
- 14 ounce can pineapple chunks with juice
- 2 tablespoons ground guajillo or ancho chili pepper or any dried ground chile pepper
- 1 tablespoon New Mexico or regular chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of meat
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 green onions cut into 2-inch pieces
Onion Mixture
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more as needed
- 1 yellow onion halved and sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1/3 cup water or chicken broth
Pineapple Salsa (optional)
- 1/2 cup finely diced white or yellow onion
- 1/2 cup finely diced fresh or canned pineapple
- 1 tablespoon finely sliced fresh oregano leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 lime juiced, or to taste
- cayenne for garnish
Instructions
- Place chops in a resealable plastic bag set in a bowl. Add pineapple, guajillo, New Mexico chili powder, chipotle, cinnamon, salt, white vinegar, garlic, and onions to the jar of a blender, and blend until marinade is smooth; pour marinade into bag. Massage pork to coat evenly. Press out air, seal the bag, and refrigerate overnight, or up to 48 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Heat olive oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Remove chops from marinade, scraping off as much excess as possible; reserve all marinade for the sauce. Sear chops in the hot pan on both sides until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate; set aside.
- Add yellow onion, cumin, and dried oregano to the pan, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. If pan seems dry, add another drizzle of oil.
- Turn off heat, and pour in water. Stir, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Place chops on top of onion mixture.
- Roast in the preheated oven until pork is cooked to taste, 20 to 30 minutes, basting or brushing chops with pan juices occasionally. An internal temperature of 140 to 145 degrees F (60 to 63 degrees C) will ensure juicy, tender meat. Roasting time will vary greatly depending on size of chops, so check temperature with an instant-read thermometer early and often.
- Meanwhile, pour marinade into a saucepan, and add about 1/2 cup of water, or as needed to achieve desired thickness. Bring to a simmer on medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Taste sauce for seasoning; keep warm until needed.
- To make salsa, combine white onion, diced pineapple, fresh oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt, and lime juice in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Remove pork from the oven; tent with foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. While resting, tops of chops can be garnished with sauce and a spoon of salsa.
Notes
Chef’s Note:
If using thinner, regular pork chops, the roasting steps may not be necessary. Simply pan-fry until desired doneness is reached, and remove to a plate. While resting, make onion mixture, but cook longer over medium heat, until onions are soft and sweet.
