L4 — Pork Tenderloin Al Pastor Bowl
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Pork & Marinade
- Pork tenderloin fillet, sliced into thin rounds ~5mm900 g
- Dry jasmine rice300 g
- Achiote paste (or annatto powder + paprika)3 tbsp
- Chipotle peppers in adobo + adobo sauce2 peppers + 2 tbsp
- Pineapple juice (from can below)½ cup
- Garlic, minced3 cloves
- Ground cumin + dried oregano1 tsp each
- Smoked paprika1 tsp
- Lime juice1 lime
- Olive oil2 tbsp
To Serve
- Fresh or canned pineapple chunks1 cup
- Green onions, sliced4
- Fresh cilantrolarge handful
- Limes, cut into wedges2
Nutrition / serving
Calories
480 kcal
Protein
40 g
Carbs
50 g
Fat
12 g
Fiber
3 g
Cost Estimate
Total Ingredients
~$18.00
CAD
Per Serving
~$3.00 / serving
Achiote paste at Latin grocery stores or Amazon. Annatto powder is a good substitute.
Instructions
Marinate pork
Whisk all marinade ingredients together. Add pork slices, toss to coat. Marinate minimum 30 min (overnight improves flavour significantly).
Cook jasmine rice
Rinse, combine 300 g rice + 480 ml water. Boil, reduce, cover, cook 15 min. Rest 5 min. Fluff.
Sear the pork
Heat a large skillet or grill pan over HIGH heat. Add marinated pork in a single layer (work in batches). Sear 2 min undisturbed, then toss. Cook 2 min more until caramelised and just cooked through. The marinade should char slightly at the edges — this is the hallmark of al pastor.
Warm pineapple
In the same pan off heat, add pineapple chunks. Toss quickly with residual heat to warm and slightly caramelise.
Serve & portion
Serve pork over jasmine rice, topped with pineapple, green onions, cilantro, and a generous squeeze of lime. Divide into 6. Freeze 2.
Freeze & Reheat
Freeze pork only — not the rice or pineapple. Portion 2 servings into airtight containers. Freeze up to 2 months. Reheat at 70% microwave power 3 min. Make fresh rice and top with fresh pineapple when serving.
Chef's Cool Facts
Lebanese Roots in Mexico
Al pastor evolved from Lebanese shawarma — Lebanese immigrants introduced the vertical spit to Mexico in the early 20th century. The Mexican adaptation swapped lamb for pork and added achiote and chili.
Natural Red-Orange Colour
Achiote (annatto) gives al pastor its vivid red-orange colour. The pigment (bixin) is natural, from the seeds of the Bixa orellana shrub, used as a natural food dye in Mesoamerica for thousands of years.
Bromelain Tenderiser
Pineapple contains bromelain, a protease enzyme that partially breaks down surface proteins in meat, contributing to tenderness in the marinade.