Mexico City's most beloved street taco, al pastor is a marriage of Lebanese shawarma traditions and Mexican chile flavors brought by Lebanese immigrants in the early 20th century. Pork is marinated in a vibrant achiote-chile paste, stacked on a vertical spit, and carved onto small corn tortillas with pineapple, onion, and cilantro.

Directions

STEP #1

Toast guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet 15–20 seconds per side. Soak in boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and blend with achiote paste, vinegar, pineapple juice, garlic, half the onion, oregano, cumin, and salt until completely smooth.

STEP #2

Thinly slice pork shoulder and place in a large bowl or zip-lock bag. Pour marinade over pork, toss to coat thoroughly, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

STEP #3

Heat a large cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat with a little oil. Cook pork slices in batches without crowding, 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply caramelized and slightly charred at the edges. Don't stir too often — you want color and char.

STEP #4

Transfer cooked pork to a cutting board and chop into small, rough pieces. In the same hot skillet, quickly sear the diced pineapple for 1–2 minutes until caramelized.

STEP #5

Pile pork onto warm double-stacked small corn tortillas. Top with seared pineapple, diced white onion, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with salsa roja on the side.

Tips

The key to al pastor flavor is the char — cook the pork in a very hot, dry pan and resist the urge to move it constantly. Let it sit and develop color.
Double up the tortillas (two small ones per taco) — this is the authentic street taco way and prevents blowouts from the juicy filling.
Leftover al pastor is phenomenal in quesadillas the next day.

Tacos al Pastor

Ingredients

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