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adobada tacos with cheese, diced onions, pineapple, and avocados
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4.98 from 46 votes

Tacos de Adobada (Pork Adobada Tacos)

Delicious pork meat, marinated in a thick chile sauce, and a complimentary blend of spices, then seared in a skillet and served in corn tortillas.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time2 hours 40 minutes
Course: dinner, entree, lunch
Cuisine: Mexican, Middle Eastern
Servings: 16 tacos
Calories: 169kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Cast-iron Skillet

Ingredients

Chile Sauce Ingredients: This recipe makes more than twice the amount of sauce needed to marinate the pork. I like to serve some on the side. If you need to, you can half the recipe.

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 4 dried California chiles
  • 3 dried New Mexico chiles
  • 2 dried Guajilla chiles
  • 2 dried hatch chiles
  • 1 dried Chipotle
  • 5 dried Arbols
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon coriander

Other Ingredients

  • 3 lbs pork butt or shoulder (diced)
  • 1 tablespoon shawarma seasoning (recipe)
  • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 16 corn tortillas

Instructions

Adobada Marinade

  • Add sesame oil to a cast-iron skillet and allow the pan to get hot over medium-high heat. Toast chiles in the pan with unpeeled garlic cloves and chopped onions. Stir until charred but not burned.
  • Remove stems from the chiles, then add them to a blender. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the chiles and soak them for 15 minutes. Once cool, add the peeled garlic, onions, red wine vinegar, salt, cumin, and coriander. Blend until smooth. 

Marinating The Pork

  • Dice pork into small pieces, remove and discard excess fat. Leave some of the fat on for added flavor. Add diced meat into a large bowl.
  • Pour 1 cup of chile sauce over the meat. Leave the rest to serve on the side with tortilla chips. Add Shawarma seasoning, salt, dried oregano, and ¼ cup pineapple juice (optional). Mix until the meat is covered with the marinade then transfer the mixture into a large ziplock bag. Refrigerate for at least a few hours.

How To Cook Adobada

  • Heat a cast-iron skillet for a few minutes until very hot. Sear marinated pork, working in batches; do not overcrowd. Sauté for a few minutes or until the meat has a nice crispy exterior and is cooked through.

Adobada Serving Suggestions

  • Char corn tortillas over a gas flame or in a hot cast-iron skillet or comal. Fill with Adobada, cheese, diced onions, sliced avocados, diced cilantro or Italian parsley, and chopped pineapple.

Video

Notes

  • Nutrition info is based on 1 corn tortilla with Adobada meat only.
  • Dicing meat is easier to do if the meat is semi-frozen.
  • Orange juice can be substituted for pineapple juice.
  • Try the tacos with pita bread instead of tortillas and see which way you prefer.
  • Cheese options include feta cheese, queso fresco, and shredded cheddar cheese.
  • Dice the pineapple, avocado, onion, and parsley to make a fruit salsa that can be served on the side. Make sure to add crushed garlic, lime juice, and season it with a pinch of salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1taco | Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 395mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g