Al Pastor Taco & KBBQ Rib Taco

Taco Al Pastor Ingredient

2 lbs Pork Shoulder sliced into ½ inch slices

Pineapple slices

1 cup Pineapple Juice*

3 Tsp Achiote Paste*

2 Tsp Guagillo chili powder*

1 Tsp Garlic Powder*

1 Tsp Dried Oregano*

1 Tsp Cumin Powder*

1 Tsp Salt and Pepper*

¾ cup White Vinegar*

Some bamboo or metal skewers

Preheat oven to 350°F

Corn Tortilla

Taco Al Pastor Instruction

1. In a large bowl, add the spices (the ones marked with *) and use a whisk to mix everything together till smooth.
   

2. Soak pork shoulder slices in the marinade for at least 3 hours. I had it in the fridge overnight, but just a couple of hours is fine.
   

3. When you are ready, soak a couple bamboo skewers in clean water for 10 minutes. Metal skewers are fine, in that case, they do not need to be soaked in water.
   

4. Line a sheet of parchment paper or tin foil on top of a baking sheet. Place a couple pineapple slices over it as the base of al pastor, then stack pork shoulder slices on top of it. When there is enough pork slices, take a skewer poke through the meat slices from top till it reaches the bottom where pineapple slices are. Repeat 3 to 4 times till the meat stack is secure. Make sure meat slices are pressed down. Continue with the rest of the pork shoulder slices that you have till done. Finally, put 2 or 3 slices of pineapple on top. The meat stack should be able to fit in your oven standing vertically, rather than laying down on the baking sheet. Keep the leftover marinade and cook till reduce in half over stove for later as dressing.
   

5. Place the meat stack in the over and cook for 1 ½ hours or till done.

Korean BBQ Short Ribs Taco Ingredient

3 lbs of Flakes Style Beef Short Rib

[Let me explain: So what is Flakes Style Beef Short Rib? Why does it sound so complicated? It's not. It's basically the same beef short rib in US supermarket, but cut differently. As in, different direction. Short ribs we see in US supermarkets are cut parallel to the bone, in a result of 1 bone per short rib. However, in Asian supermarkets, short ribs are cut across the the bones. Therefore, we see 3 short bones per piece. Each piece is thinner and longer in comparison. ]

1 cup Soy Sauce*

½ cup Brown Sugar*

⅓ cup Mirin*

¼ cup Sesame Oil*

6 cloves of Garlic, grated*

3 Scallions, cut in 2-inch sections*

2 tsp peeled Ginger, grated*

Instruction

1. In a large bowl, add the ones marked with * mark and use a whisk to mix everything together till smooth. Add short ribs to the mixture and cover ribs with marinade. Make sure all ribs get a little bit of the delicious marinade!
   

2. Leave the bowl in the fridge at least 3 hours or overnight.
   

3. When ready, you can either grill the meat over grill, in the oven, or in a frying pan. Once coked, remove bones and chopped the meat. Keep the leftover marinade and cook till reduce in half over stove for later as dressing.

Slaw for Short Rib Taco

3 cups Napa Cabbage or Green Cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup Daikon, diced into match stick sizes

1 cup Carrot, diced into match stick sizes

3 Scallions, diced

¼ bunch of Cilantro, chopped

1 Lime Juice

2 Tsp Soy Sauce

1 Tsp Mirin

1 Tsp Chili Pepper Sauce

1 Tsp Sesame Oil

Instruction

1. In a sauce pan, mix lime juice, soy sauce, mirin, chili pepper sauce, and sesame oil with a whisk till all combined.
   

2. In a bowl, mix all vegetable together, as well as the dressing we made just now, and set aside in the fridge till tacos are ready.

Assemble Short Rib Taco

It is really simple to assemble: Add some short rib meat over corn/flour tortilla, and then add the slaw on top. Drizzle some marinade reduction on top if needed. Enjoy!