You should try this recipe as shown and then in the future do what you will to please yourself. My bet is you will stick with this perfection. If you want you can control the heat level by means of the selection of the chili powder, the heat level of the salsa and through the use or omission of hot sauces at serving time. This recipe is mild ... a perfect beginning.
Ingredients: (10 to 15 small to medium size tacos)
5 lb. boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt roast)
3 tbsp. of achiote paste
2 tbsp. of guajillo (or other) chili powder
1 tbsp. of garlic powder
1 tbsp. of dried oregano
1 tbsp. of cumin
1 tbsp. of salt
1 tbsp. of black pepper
¾ cup of white vinegar
1 cup of pineapple juice
1 pineapple, skinned and sliced into 1/2" thick rounds (at roasting time) (Retain/do not remove the hard center core of each slice)
For Serving:
10 to 15 small to medium size corn or flour tortillas, warmed together in a 150 degrees F oven or microwaved individually for 15 seconds immediately before being used.
1/2 medium size white onion, finely chopped
1 cup of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup (or more) of green or red salsa (you decide the level of mild to hot)
1 ripe avocado, diced (I actually used diced banana and it was superb!)
1 cup of sour cream
2 limes, cut into wedges
Special Equipment:
One 1/8" to 1/4" diameter, wooden or steel skewer with a sharp end and, if steel, a looped end, trimmed in length if wood, if necessary to fit the height of your oven. Do this by adjusting (lowering) your lower oven shelf to the bottom position and by raising your top shelf all the way to the top position, to allow an object about 15" tall to fit. If you cannot get that height clearance then modify the directions later to have two stacks of meat/pineapple on skewers only 7 1/2" long (tall). Now the recommended step is to also have the upper oven shelf very close to the top of the skewer so you can use cord or a fine wire to tie the top of the skewer to a rung of the oven shelf. That will keep the stack of pork and pineapple slices from falling over during roasting.
Directions:
Slice the raw pork shoulder into about 3/8" thick slices, across the grain, then stack the slices on a large plate. Then pound each slice to be 1/4" thick on a wooden cutting board, using a kitchen mallet with a knurled side.
Use a one quart bowl and combine the achiote paste, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice, whisking/stirring until the marinade is smooth and free of lumps.
Pour the marinade into a one gallon Ziploc® freezer bag, then put in the slices of pork individually, making sure each becomes coated with the marinade.
Close the freezer bag expelling as much air as you can before sealing it. Flatten the bag as best you can.
Put the bag into the refrigerator for at least four hours or for up to two days, turning the bag over a few times during the marinating.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a 12" x 17" baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Process the pineapple: Cut off and discard the top of the pineapple and slice the skin off all the way around. Do not cut off or discard the bottom of the pineapple. Cut the pineapple into 1/2" thick slices. Do not remove the hard core at the center of each slice.
Place the bottom of the pineapple on the baking sheet. Take the sharp end of the wooden skewer and push it directly and vertically into the middle of the hard center of the pineapple bottom. Remove the skewer and reinsert it into the hole in the pineapple bottom, using the dull or flat end of the skewer instead of the sharp end.
Push slices of the pork and the pineapple through the sharp top of the skewer, centered, layering one after the other, pineapple then pork, until there is a 1" length of skewer left at the top or until all the pork and pineapple have been used. Push a final pineapple slice onto the top.
Now is the time to tie the top of the skewer to a rung on the upper oven shelf using butchers cord or any medium strength cord. Alternatively, you might use a metal clip or thin wire of some sort to accomplish the same purpose. That will keep the stack of marinated pork and pineapple from falling over during roasting as the contents soften.
Roast the stack of pork and pineapple slices for 3 hours, until the pork is slightly crisp on the outside and deep red.
Remove the baking tray from the oven to a heat proof counter top or onto a wooden cutting board. Cut off thin strips of the pork and roasted pineapple, cutting vertically from top to bottom and along the outside edge of the pork and pineapple stack with a sharp butcher knife. Turn the stack 1/4 turn after each vertical cut (or simply move the starting location of the knife for the next slicing).
To assemble a taco, place some pork on a small, warmed white corn or flour tortilla, followed by a few pieces of pineapple, a sprinkling of onion, a pinch of cilantro, a tablespoon or two of salsa, some diced avocado (or banana) and optionally some sour cream. Serve the pork tacos with lime wedges and cold beer.
These tacos are flat out fabulous! Enjoy!