Beckley

Octopus al Pastor

Name: Octopus al Pastor
Prep time: 40 s
Cook time: 300 s
Total time: 340 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Octopus; Salt; AL PASTOR SAUCE; Morita chiles; Pasilla chiles; Guajillo chiles; Garlic cloves; Fresno chiles (chopped); Onion (chopped); Tomato (diced); Pineapple chunks (charred); Orange juice; Agave syrup; Red wine vinegar; Cumin seeds; Coriander seeds; Dried oregano; Paprika; SMOKED AVOCADO PUREE; Large avocados; Spinach leaves (blanched and shocked in ice water); Yuzu koshō; Basil oil (or olive oil); Crème fraîche; Shallots (minced); Salt to taste; Lime juice (for drizzling); Pineapple oil (for drizzling)

20 Jan 2025

RJ Yoakum

Chef

Difficulty

Challenging

Total Time

5H 40MIN

Cuisine

American

Ingredients

Octopus: 1.5-2 kg

Salt: 50 g

AL PASTOR SAUCE

Morita chiles: 10 g

Pasilla chiles: 10 g

Guajillo chiles: 10 g

Garlic cloves: 50 g

Fresno chiles (chopped): 50 g

Onion (chopped): 100 g

Tomato (diced): 100 g

Pineapple chunks (charred): 150 g

Orange juice: 100 g

Agave syrup: 50 g

Red wine vinegar: 50 g

Cumin seeds: 5 g

Coriander seeds: 5 g

Dried oregano: 5 g

Paprika: 5 g

SMOKED AVOCADO PUREE

Large avocados: 2

Spinach leaves (blanched and shocked in ice water): 50 g

Yuzu koshō: 10 g

Basil oil (or olive oil): 30 g

Crème fraîche: 50 g

Shallots (minced): 20 g

Salt to taste

GARNISH

Lime juice (for drizzling)

Pineapple oil (for drizzling)

This Octopus al Pastor by chef RJ Yoakum of Georgie pairs tender octopus with bold al pastor sauce, smoked avocado purée, and citrus accents for a vibrant, smoky dish.

How to make Octopus al Pastor

01.

Blanch the Octopus

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add salt.
Blanch the octopus by submerging it in the boiling water for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.

02.

Sous Vide in Al Pastor Sauce

Toast the chiles (morita, pasilla, and guajillo) until aromatic. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds.
Sauté garlic, onion, Fresno chili, and tomato until softened. Add charred pineapple chunks.
Combine all ingredients in a pot, stew for 10 minutes, and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Transfer the sauce to a sous vide bag with the octopus. Seal the bag and cook sous vide at 195°F (90.5°C) for 5 hours.

03.

Grill the Octopus

Remove the octopus from the sous vide bag and portion it into manageable pieces.
Heat a plancha or grill until very hot. Sear the octopus pieces until lightly charred, ensuring they do not burn.
Drizzle with lime juice and pineapple oil before plating.

04.

Make the Smoked Avocado Purée

Combine the avocados, blanched spinach, yuzu kosho, basil oil, crème fraîche, and shallots in a blender.
Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt to taste.
Transfer the purée to a piping bag fitted with an 804 piping tip.

05.

Plate the Dish

Use the piping bag to place “cherry kiss” dots of smoked avocado purée on the plate.
Arrange the grilled octopus artfully around the purée dots.
Drizzle with additional pineapple oil and lime juice for brightness.
Garnish with microgreens, pickled red onions, or fresh herbs to complete the presentation.

20 Jan 2025

The Chef

RJ Yoakum grew up in Orange County, California, where he first developed a love for food through his aunt. “She was the matriarch of our family, a very good cook, and she brought everybody together with food,” Yoakum recalls. Initially planning to play collegiate basketball, he made a sudden shift to the culinary world, becoming a dishwasher at 19.

Within months, Yoakum’s talent and determination stood out, earning him a recommendation to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York. “I had never been to New York, but I knew it was the epicenter of culinary,” he says. “I just had to throw myself in there and see how far I could go.”

Yoakum’s hunger to learn took him from staging in Michelin-starred restaurants like The Clove Club in London to immersing himself in global culinary traditions. “I wanted to either go to Europe or Asia,” he explains, and his studies brought him to Italy, France, and Japan. He fondly recalls traveling through Champagne and Southern Italy, saying, “I just wanted to immerse myself in something I didn’t really know a lot about, like wine.”

After graduating in 2018, Yoakum joined Angler in San Francisco, where he refined his craft under Joshua Skenes, and then The French Laundry in Napa Valley, where he honed his creativity and discipline. “The French Laundry was incredibly competitive,” he says. “You weren’t there to make friends, but to get the job done.”

In 2023, Yoakum took the helm at Georgie in Dallas. Despite challenges, he transformed the restaurant into a New American gem, working closely with local farmers and ranchers to highlight Texas ingredients in innovative ways. “I’ve had to manipulate and play with food a lot more here because it’s not California,” he explains. “But I think that’s one of my strengths—it’s working so far.”

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