Grilled Pork Tenderloin al Pastor with Avocado Crema

By margiekyle

Ingredients

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• One 1-ounce package achiote paste
• 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• Kosher salt
• 2 pork tenderloins, about 1 1/2 pounds each, trimmed of silver skin
• Neutral oil, for oiling the grill grates and drizzling
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into 1-inch rounds
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Avocado Crema, recipe follows
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup Mexican cream or sour cream
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Details

Servings 12
Preparation time 155mins
Cooking time 195mins
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Preparation

Step 1

Add the pineapple juice, achiote paste, chipotles, garlic and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to a food processor and puree until uniform. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the marinade for glazing. Put the remaining marinade and the pork in a resealable plastic bag and marinate for 2 hours in the fridge, rotating if necessary halfway through.

Heat a grill to high heat; clean and oil the grill grates.

Thread the onion rounds on the skewers, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the onions, developing a deep char on each side, about 10 minutes per side. Set aside to cool.

Lightly season the tenderloins once more, then grill on all 4 sides, frequently basting with the reserved marinade, until golden brown and the internal temperature registers 145 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes.

Mince the cooled onions and season again. Slice the pork and serve with a dollop of Avocado Crema and garnished with chopped cilantro and charred onions.

Avocado Crema:

For the avocado crema: Put the cilantro, Mexican cream, avocado and lime zest and juice in a food processor and run until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap pressed on top until serving, to keep the avocado from browning.