Tacos al Pastor is Mexico City street food in its purest, most iconic form. The vertical spit — the trompo — loaded with marinated pork, shaved to order onto a corn tortilla with a sliver of charred pineapple cut from the pineapple mounted at the top of the spit, is one of the most recognisable images in world street food culture. The marinade — achiote paste, dried chillies, pineapple, vinegar, and a complex spice blend — is deeply coloured, intensely flavoured, and produces pork with a mahogany crust and a sweet-sour-spicy character that is completely unique.

The origins of al pastor reveal a fascinating culinary fusion. Lebanese immigrants to Mexico in the early twentieth century brought shawarma — meat cooked on a vertical rotating spit — which Mexican cooks adapted using local ingredients: chillies instead of Mediterranean spices, corn tortillas instead of flatbread, pineapple instead of pickled vegetables. The result is a dish that is entirely Mexican despite its Middle Eastern origins.

At home, without a trompo, the pork is thinly sliced and cooked in a hot cast iron pan until the edges char and caramelise. The pineapple is grilled separately and added to each taco. The result is not identical to the original but captures most of what makes al pastor extraordinary.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 kcal   |   Protein: 30g   |   Carbs: 38g   |   Fat: 18g   |   Fiber: 3g

Tacos al Pastor

Recipe by By butter u0026 berriesCourse: Mexican, Tacos

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

420

kcal

Ingredients

• •t800g pork shoulder, very thinly sliced (ask your butcher)

• •tFor achiote marinade: 3 tbsp achiote paste

• •tFor achiote marinade: 3 dried guajillo chillies, soaked

• •tFor achiote marinade: 2 dried ancho chillies, soaked

• •tFor achiote marinade: 4 garlic cloves

• •tFor achiote marinade: 1/4 white onion

• •tFor achiote marinade: 100ml pineapple juice

• •tFor achiote marinade: 3 tbsp white vinegar

• •tFor achiote marinade: 1 tsp cumin

• •tFor achiote marinade: 1 tsp Mexican oregano

• •tFor achiote marinade: salt and pepper

• •t200g fresh pineapple, cut into thick slices

• •tSmall corn tortillas, warmed

• •tFor serving: diced white onion, fresh coriander, salsa verde, lime wedges

Directions

• Make the marinade: blend achiote paste, soaked and drained chillies, garlic, onion, pineapple juice, vinegar, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper until completely smooth.
• Coat the thinly sliced pork thoroughly in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
• Grill pineapple slices on a hot griddle for 2 minutes per side until caramelised and slightly charred. Dice into small pieces and set aside.
• Heat a cast iron pan over the highest possible heat until smoking. Cook the marinated pork in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until the edges are deeply charred and caramelised. Chop roughly with a knife on a board.
• Warm corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry pan.
• Build the tacos: a spoonful of al pastor pork on each tortilla, a piece of grilled pineapple, diced onion, fresh coriander, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with salsa verde on the side.

Notes

• Slicing the pork very thin is essential — the marinade penetrates better and the thin slices char at the edges in the pan which is crucial for flavour.
  The marinade must coat every surface of every slice. Marinate overnight if possible — the difference in flavour depth is dramatic.
  Cook the pork in small batches on the highest possible heat. A crowded pan steams rather than chars — the charring is everything in al pastor.
  Achiote paste is available at Mexican and Latin grocery stores. It is made from annatto seeds and gives al pastor its distinctive orange-red colour.
  Use small corn tortillas — two layers if they are very thin — for the most authentic taco experience.

Storage

Marinated uncooked pork keeps in the fridge for up to 48 hours and gets better with time. Cooked al pastor keeps for 3 days and is excellent reheated in a hot pan. Freeze marinated raw pork in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before cooking.

Serving Tips

Serve immediately as small tacos with all condiments at the table. Cold Modelo Especial, a michelada (beer with lime and chilli), or agua fresca de tamarindo are the canonical street food pairings. Each person builds their own taco at the table — corn tortilla, pork, pineapple, onion, coriander, salsa verde, and lime, in that order.

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