Pavo al Pastor (Sweet and Smoky Shredded Turkey)

Name: Pavo al Pastor (Sweet and Smoky Shredded Turkey)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 3/4 cup cranberry sauce; 3/4 cup chopped fresh or canned pineapple; 1/4 medium white onion, finely chopped; 1 habanero chile, stemmed, seeded and minced; 1 garlic clove, finely grated; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems; 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; Salt; 1½ ounces/42 grams guajillo chiles (5 to 7 large), stems and seeds removed (see Tip); 5 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, plus 3 tablespoons adobo sauce (for a milder sauce, use 2 chiles); 3 garlic cloves, peeled; 1 cup turkey stock, pan drippings or chicken stock; 1/3 cup fresh orange juice; 3 tablespoons achiote (annatto) paste; 2 whole cloves; 1 tablespoon dark agave syrup or honey; Salt; 4 to 6 cups shredded roasted turkey or chicken, warmed; Warm corn or flour tortillas and lime wedges (for serving)

By Rick A. Martínez

Updated Nov. 26, 2024

Pavo al Pastor (Sweet and Smoky Shredded Turkey) — David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 50 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 5(41)
Comments: Read comments

The iconic tacos al pastor (shepherd’s style tacos) — made and eaten across Mexico and in the US — are normally made with adobo-marinated pork steaks, flame-kissed on a vertical spit called a trompo and served with grilled pineapple and onion on corn tortillas. In this recipe, which takes advantage of leftover turkey, canned chipotles in adobo evoke the flavor of al pastor’s spicy adobo sauce, while the chipotles’ smokiness mimics the spit-roasted pork. Extra al pastor sauce can be used like a barbecue sauce to flavor cooked shredded meats like chicken or pork, or as a marinade for meat before cooking. For plant-based tacos, toss the sauce with roasted vegetables or brush over raw cauliflower, winter or summer squash, eggplant or mushrooms and roast or grill until charred and tender.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

For the Cranberry-pineapple Salsa

¾cup cranberry sauce
¾cup chopped fresh or canned pineapple
¼medium white onion, finely chopped
1habanero chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
1garlic clove, finely grated
¼cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems
1 to 2tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt

For the Al Pastor Sauce

1½ ounces/42 grams guajillo chiles (5 to 7 large), stems and seeds removed (see Tip)
5canned chipotle chiles in adobo, plus 3 tablespoons adobo sauce (for a milder sauce, use 2 chiles)
3garlic cloves, peeled
1cup turkey stock, pan drippings or chicken stock
⅓cup fresh orange juice
3tablespoons achiote (annatto) paste
2whole cloves
1tablespoon dark agave syrup or honey
Salt
4 to 6cups shredded roasted turkey or chicken, warmed
Warm corn or flour tortillas and lime wedges (for serving)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Make the cranberry-pineapple salsa: In a medium bowl, gently stir together the cranberry sauce, pineapple, onion, habanero, garlic, cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 teaspoon salt until completely combined. Taste and season with more salt and lime juice if desired. Let sit, uncovered, for about 10 minutes so the flavors can meld. The cranberry-pineapple salsa can be made up to 1 day ahead (the extra time will mellow its heat). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Step 2
Prepare the al pastor sauce for the turkey: In a medium saucepan, combine the guajillos, chipotles, garlic, turkey stock, orange juice, achiote paste, cloves, agave and 1½ teaspoons salt and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes until the chiles are very soft.
Step 3
Transfer the mixture to a blender and purée until completely smooth. Taste and season with more salt if desired. The al pastor sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Step 4
Add turkey to a large bowl, pour the al pastor sauce over top and toss until the meat is completely coated. Taste and season with more salt if desired.
Step 5
Top each tortilla with a few pieces of turkey and some cranberry pineapple salsa, drained slightly if necessary. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Tip

The weight of the guajillo chiles is more important than the number of chiles. The chiles in this sauce thicken it, similar to flour in a gravy. So, if you use 5 small chiles, your sauce will be watery, if you use 5 extra large chiles, your sauce will be a chile paste. But if you use 42 grams of chiles, your sauce will be just right.

Ratings

5 out of 5

41 user ratings

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Comments

Robert Craton6 months ago

Guajillo chilis are always dried. The same way an Ancho chili is a dried poblano, a Guajillo is a dried Mirasol.

Julie6 months ago

Delicious. Very spicy for me but I managed to eat 3 tacos! Followed recipe but needed avocado in my taco to cut the heat a bit. Next time I’ll cut back the chilis. Salsa was fine but I may decrease the cranberry sauce to pineapple ratio. Salsa was too cranberry forward- rest of the ingredients were lost. Fantastic way to use thanksgiving leftovers!

Kathryn McCullough6 months ago

My new favorite leftover turkey recipe!! So good, even using the slightly dried out bits. I let the turkey stew for a bit- 15-20 min. Served with sour cream and shredded cabbage.

Molly3 weeks ago

This was a hit! I dialed back on the chiles and would continue to do so in the next iteration. Or as others suggested, cut the heat with an avocado and maybe some rice. For me, took closer to an hour and a half than the 55 minute mark.

Maya M6 months ago

Wow, delicious recipe! Flavors were popping. We used ground turkey, and it really soaked in the sauces. We added guacamole and some cheese to cut the spice.

Kevmo6 months ago

I love this recipe it was relatively easy to make and very flavorful. I used some of the sauce on some veggies as a side dish. The salsa was surprisingly good. This is my new go to recipe for turkey leftovers!

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