Cabrito al Pastor
The crowning jewel of Nuevo León cuisine: tender pieces of milk-fed baby goat marinated in a thick, intensely fragrant adobo paste made of dried Mexican chilies and warm spices, ready for slow-roasting.
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120 min
Mexicana (Norteña)
6 servings
The story behind
You seriously have absolutely no idea what an incredible flavor explosion this rustic northern masterpiece is! If there is one dish that represents the bold spirit of Northern Mexico, it is a proper cabrito. The first time I experienced an authentic cabrito al pastor was during a trip to Monterrey; I was taken to a rustic spot where whole goats were skewered on steel rods, rotating slowly over a pit of glowing mesquite embers. The aroma of the spiced adobo toasting alongside the rendering meat fat was out of this world. The grill master proudly explained to me that the ultimate secret to keeping the meat meltingly tender is using a very young, milk-fed goat (cabrito) and letting it rest overnight in a thick paste of guajillo and ancho chilies with a touch of vinegar to soften the fibers. Personally, I love prepping this for a big weekend backyard barbecue feast with close friends. It tastes phenomenal when served with warm flour tortillas, smoky refried beans, and a fiery roasted molcajete salsa. To drink, an ice-cold light beer is practically mandatory to beat the northern heat. You are going to love it completely.
Instructions
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1Rinse and pat the cabrito pieces bone-dry with paper towels; season heavily with coarse sea salt on all sides and set aside.
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2For the adobo paste, soften the cleaned guajillo and ancho chilies in a small pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes until completely pliable.
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3Blend the rehydrated chilies thoroughly with the garlic cloves, vinegar, dried oregano, ground cumin, a teaspoon of salt, and a small splash of the chili-soaking water until a thick, perfectly smooth red paste forms.
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4Melt the pork lard in a small skillet over medium heat and fry the adobo paste for 5 minutes, stirring continuously until it darkens slightly and thickens nicely; let it cool down completely.
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5Slather the cooled chili paste generously over every inch of the meat pieces, massaging it well into the folds, perfectly mirroring the heavily coated look seen in Cabrito al pastor.jpg.
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6Cover tightly and allow the meat to marinate inside the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (leaving it overnight infuses a spectacular depth of flavor).
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7To roast at home, arrange the marinated pieces in a deep roasting pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake at 160°C for 1 hour and 15 minutes until tender; then discard the foil, crank the oven up to 200°C, and let the outer skin crisp up for another 15 minutes (or ideally, slow-cook it over indirect mesquite charcoal on a grill).
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