Tacos al Ignorantes

I cam across a cool idea for making Tacos al Pastor a while back, and even though I wasn't feeling the pineapple tonight (though I do enjoy it sometimes), I really wanted to try the technique.

So, start with a dried Ancho and Pasilla pepper, toasted.  Notice how it puffs up when heated.

Hit the hot pan with chicken stock, and dump everything in a bowl to soak.

In the same pan, add some oil, ground annatto seed, cumin, and oregano.  Let it get nice an murky, and throw in a chipotle chili in adobo, and some of the sauce.  Cook for about a minute.

Throw that muck in a blender, along with the softened and seeded dry chilis, the soaking liquid, salt, and garlic.  Blend into a thick paste.

Thinly slice a pork roast against the grain, then pound it out to get even thinner.

Throw it in a bowl, and toss with the chili gunk.

OK, now it's time to put this together.  We'll need some bacon, because, you know, bacon.

In a loaf pan, line the bottom with bacon.  Then layer on the thin slabs of pork.  Then, more bacon.  Repeat as necessary.

Once built, wrap it up tightly, and let it chill in the fridge overnight.  The salt will begin to do awesome things to the meat.

The next day, put it into a 275 oven for 4 hours.  There will be lots of fat.  This is good.

That is a thing of glory.  Ok, let it cool, then stash in the fridge for a few more hours.  Hey, no one said this was going to be quick.  

Time passes.

Let's eat.  Remove the meatcake from the fat, and slice crosswise, in 1/4" sections.  Thinner, if possible.

Spoon some fat into a pan, and give the meat one last sear.

Prepare your condiments, and assemble. We've got lime, onion, radish, cilantro, pico de gallo, some doctored up sour cream, cojita cheese, and avocados.

Try not to act like a starving hyena while eating this; fail.