Let it be known I love Mexican food. This love started back in the 1970’s, when we used to visit my Uncle in San Diego where he lived until his passing a few years back. All to often we drove into Tijuana and this is where I first experienced authentic Mexican food. In fact my Uncle once had me believing while eating Tacos I was actually eating donkey meat. Yes it’s true. I was young and gullible back then and he liked to play tricks on me. Mexican food in both San Diego and Tijuana was always something we looked forward to.
Fast forward 30 years and it’s hard to find good, authentic Mexican food in Calgary. I’ll never forget those memories of eating tacos in Tijuana while watching a pick up truck with a flatbed of raw meat driving by. Those were the days outside of my small town bubble where I learned about life. In Calgary, you can find decent Mexican food, if you look hard enough. But never the authentic stuff I had back in the day.
When I lived in Vancouver I used to return home, to that small town, every year for Christmas. One year I put on a Mexican feast for my besties at the time (long gone and forgotten friends) which included a kick ass Chile Relleno. I haven’t made it in a long time but that Chile Relleno and Mexican food in general resonates and is on my hit list for the next little while as I jump on the Mexican food bandwagon.
This dish is a simplified version of Tacos al Pastor made with ground pork, grilled pineapple and some fresh red chile. Simply delicious and almost better the next day. I served it with both corn and whole wheat tortillas to satisfy the entire family.
Truth be known, sometimes when photographing a picture there is just not enough time to set up a shot. The family wants to eat, food gets cold and I just have to say screw it. This photo was taken with my phone and while not the best, it shows a delicious bite that I could hardly wait to eat. The family devoured this dish (minus the chile). Always a good sign.
Next time it will be a better photo.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground pork
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp Mexican oregano or regular
- 1 tbsp fresh pineapple diced small
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 4 slices fresh pineapple
- Fixins: red chile sliced thin chopped cilantro, guacamole, chipotle mayo, salsa, diced red onion, grilled pineapple
- corn tortillas
- whole wheat tortillas
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together pork, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp fresh diced pineapple. Shape into 4-6 long burger style patties.
- Place patties on preheated grill, over medium heat and grill for about 15 minutes or until cooked through. Turn patties at least once during cooking time.
- Grill pineapple slices 2-3 minutes per side to get some nice char marks.
- Remove patties and pineapple from heat and set aside. After a few minutes dice pineapple and place in a bowl. Cut patties into long strips.
- Get your tortillas ready and your favourite fixins.
- Place patty strips onto your tortilla of choice. Top with your favourite fixins and squeeze on some fresh lime juice.
- We loved it with a little spicy chipotle mayo dolloped on top.
Notes
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