Tacos al Pastor (Spit-Roasted Pork Tacos)

About This Recipe

Tacos al pastor are the undisputed king of Mexico City street food. Thin-sliced pork shoulder is marinated in a paste of dried guajillo and ancho chillies, achiote (annatto), garlic, cumin, oregano and vinegar, then traditionally stacked on a vertical spit (trompo) with a whole pineapple on top and roasted slowly. The thin outer layer of meat is shaved off as it crisps and served on small doubled corn tortillas with diced raw onion, fresh coriander (cilantro), a sliver of pineapple and various salsas. The dish has Lebanese roots — Lebanese immigrants to Mexico in the early 20th century brought the spit-roasting technique (shawarma), which Mexican cooks adapted with local chillies and pineapple. The home version, using a frying pan or grill, is simpler but still delivers that signature flavour.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgpork shoulder, sliced thin (5 mm)
• 4dried guajillo chillies, seeds removed
• 2dried ancho chillies, seeds removed
• 2 tbspachiote paste
• 1white onion, quartered
• 4garlic cloves
• 3 tbspwhite vinegar
• 60 mlorange juice
• 1 tspcumin seeds
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 2 tspsalt
• 200 gfresh pineapple, sliced
• 24small corn tortillas
• 1white onion, finely diced, to serve
• large bunchfresh coriander, chopped, to serve
• lime wedges to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the marinade

   Toast dried chillies in a dry pan for 30 seconds per side. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes. Blend soaked chillies with achiote paste, quartered onion, garlic, vinegar, orange juice, cumin, oregano and salt into a smooth paste.

2. 2

   Marinate the pork

   Coat pork slices thoroughly in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. 3

   Cook pork

   Cook pork slices in batches in a very hot dry or lightly oiled frying pan or grill pan for 2–3 minutes per side until charred at the edges and cooked through. Let rest briefly, then chop into small pieces.

4. 4

   Caramelise pineapple

   Grill or pan-fry pineapple slices until caramelised and golden on both sides. Dice into small pieces.

5. 5

   Warm tortillas

   Warm corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry pan for 30 seconds per side.

6. 6

   Assemble tacos

   Double-stack two small tortillas. Top with chopped pork, diced pineapple, raw onion, coriander and a squeeze of lime. Add salsa of choice.

Variations

• •

  Serve with salsa verde (tomatillo) or salsa roja (dried chilli) — or both.

• •

  Add a few drops of habanero sauce for heat.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Marinated raw pork keeps in the fridge for 2 days. Cooked pork keeps for 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions