Why is It Called al Pastor?
Tacos al pastor means “shepherd-style tacos.” The influence comes from Lebanese immigrants to Mexico, who brought the shawarma, thinly sliced meat stacked and roasted on a slowly turning vertical spit roast. Shawarma is traditionally prepared with lamb, hence the shepherd reference. Tacos al pastor are prepared with foundational Mexican ingredients, such as chiles, achiote paste, and pork.
The Traditional Tacos al Pastor
The meat for tacos al pastor is thinly pounded pork steaks tightly stacked in a vertical spit roast with a whole peeled pineapple placed at the top. The spit rotates as the pork and pineapple slowly cook until deliciously charred around the edges. Skillful taqueros are in charge of slicing the meat and pineapple with a very sharp knife, landing them on top of warm corn tortillas. In one order you typically get four or five small tacos with a bit of finely chopped cilantro and white onion. It’s so perfect that my mouth waters just thinking about it.
Easy Homemade Tacos al Pastor
Now when it comes to preparing these tasty tacos at home, there may be some fiddly ways, like skewering pork and pineapple and grilling them over charcoal for hours, or if you have your own spit roast at home, that can take a long time too. I recommend this quick and easy version—a fast stovetop sear followed by 20 minutes in the oven. I promise it has all the flavors with a lot less effort. You won’t even need any special equipment.
The Best Cut of Pork for Tacos al Pastor
Deboned pork shoulder is the best cut for tacos al pastor and if you get your butcher to cut it into thin steaks half the work done is done. My local grocery store carries pork shoulder steaks. Otherwise, slice the pork into 1/2-inch steaks before you marinade it.
The Adobada Marinade
The pork steaks are marinated in an adobada. This marinade is what gives the meat the distinctive red color and classic al pastor flavor. It’s prepared with a mix of Mexican dried chiles, such as guajillo, ancho, pasilla, mulato, or cascabel. The chiles are first toasted to release their aroma and then soaked in hot water to make then easy to blend into a paste. The rehydrated chiles are blended with aromatics, spices, pineapple, and achiote paste. The result is a bright brick-red marinade that is fruity, earthy, and with deep flavors of the chiles.
Always Corn Tortillas
Tacos al pastor are always served over warm corn tortillas. When the al pastor pork is served in flour tortillas with cheese, the tacos are called gringas.
My Tips for Making Tacos al Pastor
Concentrate your energy on the marinade. Want the characteristic flavors of a classic al pastor? Use authentic ingredients, like the Mexican dried chiles and achiote paste, a red paste used to add color and flavor in Central American cuisines. It’s made with annato seeds, garlic, spices, and vinegar. Mexican or Latin American grocery stores carry them.Marinate the pork in the fridge overnight. The flavors and color will permeate into the pork, and the pineapple in the marinade will help tenderize the meat. Don’t have the time? At least 3 hours is ideal.Sear the marinated pork until golden brown, lightly charred, and cooked through. You want those charred edges around the pork, so cook them in batches without overlapping.Allow the pork to rest for a few minutes before slicing it.
Classic Toppings
Roasted pineapple, finely chopped white onion and cilantro, and a good squeeze of lime are the perfect garnishes for tacos al pastor. My roasted pineapples are cut into small triangles and seasoned with ground ancho or guajillo chiles for extra flavor.
Make Tonight Taco Night
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3 cups water 4 dried cascabel or guajillo chiles, stemmed and deseeded 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and deseeded 1 dried pasilla chile, stemmed and deseeded 1 large ripe pineapple 3 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon achiote paste 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons orange juice 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for cooking the pork
For the tacos
3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) pork shoulder steaks 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon ground ancho or guajillo chiles 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 medium white onion, finely diced 1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped 3 limes, cut into wedges 4 tortilla corn tortillas
Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the cascabel, ancho, and pasilla chiles, and toast for about 2 minutes on each side until aromatic and slightly softened. Carefully pour the boiled water over the chiles right in the pan and place a large plate on top to make sure the chiles are completely submerged. Let them soak for 20 minutes, until they turn soft. With the pineapple still upright, cut off the edible part, working around the core. Discard the core. Cut about one third of the pineapple into large chunks. You’ll add these to the marinade. Cut the remaining pineapple into about 2 x 1/2-inch pieces. Place these in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. When you’re ready to serve the tacos, you’ll roast these. Sear for 2 minutes per side until golden brown and lightly charred. Transfer the meat onto a large baking dish. Sear the remaining pork. Leftover pork can refrigerate tightly covered for up to 3 days. To reheat, I simply transfer it into a baking dish, cover with foil, and reheat in a 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
