Tacos al Pastor features juicy and flavorful pork marinated in pineapple and a flavorful chile and achiote sauce. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, savory, citrus, and spice! The ideal recipe to get the taste of the taqueria at home!
Tacos al Pastor are a beloved Mexican staple that’s quickly become one of my favorite tacos! It’s made of thinly sliced pork shoulder slowly marinated in a rich sauce made of pineapple, achiote, dried chiles, and other authentic Mexican ingredients. Its unique flavor combination makes it hard to eat just one!
What are Tacos al Pastor?
Tacos al pastor, or “shepherd style” tacos, are Mexican tacos made from thinly sliced marinated pork that’s traditionally cooked on a trompo, “spinning top,” or stacked on a spit, then sliced very thinly, similar to the technique used for gyros or shawarma.
This beloved and iconic dish is served in taquerias and by street vendors all over Mexico, served in warm corn tortillas with roasted pineapple, diced white onions, and chopped cilantro.
Since most people don’t have a trompo at home, I decided to thinly slice the pork, marinate it, and then grill the slices individually to try to achieve the same results.
Tacos al Pastor Ingredients
- Pork shoulder: I recommend using pork shoulder for its high-fat content and flavor. If you want a leaner cut of meat, you could try pork loin.
- Dried chiles: I used a combination of guajillo and ancho chiles. You can find dried chiles in most Mexican grocery stores, but if that’s not an option, you can find them easily online.
- Pineapple: A staple ingredient for tacos al pastor. You’ll use pineapple in the marinade and as a garnish.
- Achiote paste: This gives the marinade its signature bright red-orange color. Achiote paste is made of annatto seeds, vinegar, garlic, and peppery spices. You can find achiote in most Mexican grocery stores, but if that’s not an option, you can easily find it online.
- Chipotle pepper in adobo: One chipotle pepper is all you need to add a slightly smoky flavor and some spice.
- Onions and garlic: Signature aromatics that add more depth of flavor.
- Seasonings: I used a mix of kosher salt, Mexican oregano, and ground cumin.
- Vinegar: This helps tenderize the pork so it’s soft and juicy.
- Vegetable oil: I recommend using any neutral-tasting oil. Canola or avocado oil are great options.
How to Make Tacos al Pastor
Make the marinade by blending softened guajillo and ancho chiles, pineapple, achiote paste, onion, garlic, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, salt, Mexican oregano, cumin, and white vinegar.
Blend until completely smooth, which may take about 5 minutes, depending on the power of your blender.
Marinate the pork in the blended mixture in a glass or stainless steel bowl, or a large plastic bag. I used gloves for this step since the marinade can stain your hands! Cover the pork and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Grill the marinated pork over high heat on a grill or grill pan for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
Set the pork aside to rest, and grill the pineapple slices until grill marks appear.
Assemble the tacos by slicing the grilled pork and pineapple into small bite-sized pieces, making sure to go against the grain. Serve the meat inside a warm corn tortilla and top with grilled pineapple, diced white onion, cilantro, and your favorite salsa verde.
Tips
- Most grocery stores sell thinly sliced pork shoulder or boneless pork shoulder. However, you can also buy bone-in pork shoulder and slice it yourself if you can’t find either of those options. Make sure to remove the layer of pork skin.
- Use gloves when mixing the pork and marinade together. The achiote paste in the marinade can stain your hands.
Recommended Tools
- Grill pan. If you can’t use a traditional grill for this recipe, you can use a grill pan instead. This one is my favorite.
- Instant read thermometer. One of my favorite kitchen tools! Helps me make sure that meat is cooked to the proper temperature.
Serving Suggestions
Tacos al pastor makes a great dinner any night of the week! Pair them with my favorite sides:
Storing and Reheating
Tacos al pastor meat can be stored airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The grilled pineapple can be stored separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat the pork, place it in a medium skillet over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until fully heated through.
More Mexican Recipes
Ingredients
- 3 guajillo chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
- 2 ancho chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
- 1 pineapple, 1 cup diced and the rest sliced into rounds
- 3.5 ounces achiote paste
- 1 medium white onion, halved
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup distilled white vinegar
- 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder, sliced into thin slices
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For serving
- warm corn tortillas
- diced onions
- chopped cilantro
- lime wedges
- salsa verde
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, and enough water to completely cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the pot from the heat, cover it, and let the chiles soak for 10 minutes to soften.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles to a blender. Add 1 cup of the chile-soaked water, 1 cup of diced pineapple, the achiote paste, onion, garlic, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, salt, Mexican oregano, cumin, and white vinegar. Blend for 3 to 5 minutes until completely smooth.
- Combine the pork shoulder with the marinade in a large glass or stainless steel bowl. Toss together until all the meat is fully coated, then cover and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
- Preheat a grill for direct heat grilling at high heat (450-500°F) or a grill pan over high heat. Remove the pork shoulder from the marinade and shake off any excess marinade. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
- While the meat is resting, brush oil on all sides of the remaining pineapple slices. Grill over high heat until heated through and grill marks appear. Transfer to a cutting board and dice.
- Chop the grilled meat into small bite-sized pieces and serve in warm corn tortillas topped with the diced grilled pineapple, diced white onion, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and salsa verde. Slice thinly against the grain and serve.
Isabel’s Tips:
- Cooking indoors: You can make this recipe on your stovetop in a large, heavy skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. The flavor won’t be exactly the same, but it will still be delicious!
Nutrition Information
Hi and Happy New Year!
I don’t have a grill, can this be done in the slow cooker?
Thanks
Hi Tammy! Thank you! Yes, this recipe can be made in a slow cooker.
Thank you Isabel, for taking your time to send us these wonderful recipes. I hope you and your family are well and I believe I’ll put you in my prayers. Once again thank you for your time and for your caring heart. Sincerely, Denny
These look great! Would I be able to substitute chicken instead?
Hi Shri! Yes, you can! That sounds delicious, let us know how it turns out.
Como preparar frijoles negros con carne de cerdo
Hola Elizabeth! Por el momento no tenemos esa receta en nuestro sitio web. Si tenemos una receta para chile colorado o chile verde que lleva carne de cerdo si gusta verlo.
Hi. I’m so excited to make this. But question…you say slice into long thin slices then. At the end you say cut into think slices. Can you clarify? I don’t want to screw this up. Ha! Thank you.
Hi! Sorry for the confusion. At the end of the recipe, you’ll cut the long slices into smaller slices for the tacos Hope you enjoy!
Can you make this recipe in the slow cooker?
The best summer tacos sounds about right! These look amazing – beautiful as always, and al pastor is just so so so tasty. I must try these!
Aw, thank you so much Haley!