1 pineapple (half juiced/blended for the marinade, half charred for serving)
100 g achiote paste
1 shallot
3 garlic cloves
1 cup pineapple juice
zest and juice of 2 oranges
zest and juice of 3 limes
Seasoning
1/4 cup chipotle in adobo
oregano
cumin
salt
black pepper
To Serve
Oaxaca cheese
white onion, diced
cilantro
mayo
sourdough rolls
charred pineapple
Directions
Blend the achiote paste, shallot, garlic, chipotle in adobo, pineapple juice, orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper into a smooth marinade.
Coat the chuck roast in the marinade and let it sit at least a few hours, ideally overnight.
Braise (or smoke) the beef low and slow, covered, until fork-tender and it shreds easily, a few hours. Shred the beef and toss it with the pan juices.
Char thick slices of pineapple in a hot pan or grill until caramelized, then chop.
Build each sandwich: spread mayo on a sourdough roll, pile on the pulled al pastor beef, melt Oaxaca cheese over the top, then finish with charred pineapple, diced white onion and cilantro.
Al Pastor Pulled Beef Sandwiches by Bayley Thielmann (@mainlysandwiches). Full recipe is on her paid Substack; method here reconstructed from her ingredient list and the classic al pastor technique.
