Pork Enchiladas Al Pastor Inspired

5 from 2 votes

Pork Enchiladas Al Pastor Inspired

Inspired by our favourite tacos, these Al Pastor style Pork Enchiladas consists of a spicy and bright pork filling, with pineapple, red onion, and cheese, then smothered in a green enchilada sauce, more cheese and then baked in the oven to perfection.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Course: food and drink, Main

Cuisine: Canadian, Mexican, north american

Keyword: enchilada recipe, Mexican recipe ideas, pork enchiladas

Servings: servings

Calories: 442kcal

Author: Philip Lago and Mystique Mattai

Ingredients

Green Enchilada Sauce

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion diced
2 jalapeno peppers seeds removed and diced
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups canned green chilis
1 lime juiced
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Enchiladas

1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ lbs pork tenderloin ¼ inch cubed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
⅓ cup pineapple juice* see notes
¼ cup white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
6-8 flour tortillas
1 cup pineapple diced
½ red onion sliced
300 g mild cheddar cheese grated

Garnish

½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
½ cup diced pineapple
⅓ cup diced red onion
⅓ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375° F.
Make the green enchilada sauce: Place a skillet on medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and jalapeño peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Transfer to a blender and add chicken stock, green chilis, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. In a small bowl, mix chili powder and cumin with ¼ cup of water to form a thin paste. Once the oil in the pan begins to smoke, carefully pour in the spice paste and cook, stirring continuously for 1 minute, until thickened and dark. Add the pork, a little bit at a time, and cook until browned and caramelized on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle on the oregano, then pour in the pineapple juice and vinegar to deglaze the pan. Cook until the liquid has evaporated, then season with salt and pepper.
With a tortilla on a flat surface, spoon on a couple tablespoons of green enchilada sauce and spread evenly. Next, add a couple spoonfuls of the pork and lay across a single line slightly off-centre. Top with some sliced red onion, and a couple spoons of pineapple. Finally, sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and roll the tortilla fairly tight. The enchilada should be a little more than 1 inch in diameter. Transfer to a 9 x 13, or similar sized casserole dish.
Once all the enchiladas are assembled. Pour remaining green enchilada sauce on top and spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese then place in the preheated oven to bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and the edges begin to brown.
Top with a sprinkling of cotija cheese, some diced red onion, pineapple, and cilantro, if you like it.

Notes

There is no need to buy pineapple juice. If using fresh pineapple, simply dice the pineapple and transfer it to a sieve placed over a bowl. This should leave you with more than enough juice for the recipe. If using canned pineapples, then use the juice from the can. - For a more authentic flavor, use corn tortillas if you can find them. They are harder to work with and will result in a less beautiful dish, but will provide a nice flavor to the dish.

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