Tacos al Pastor Recipe

Mexican · Main course · 50 min total

Tacos al Pastor are a beloved Mexican street food featuring marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit, but this home-friendly version uses a skillet to achieve caramelized, smoky-sweet meat with pineapple. Serve on warm corn tortillas with fresh salsa.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs pork shoulder, thinly sliced or cubed
• 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 small white onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon achiote paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
• 12 small corn tortillas
• Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• Diced white onion, for garnish
• Salsa verde or pico de gallo, for serving
• Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Place in a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 15 minutes until softened.
2. Drain the chiles and transfer to a blender. Add pineapple juice, garlic, onion, vinegar, achiote paste, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth to make the marinade.
3. Place the pork in a bowl, pour the marinade over, and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat. Add the marinated pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Add the pineapple chunks and cook for 2 more minutes until caramelized.
5. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame until pliable.
6. Assemble tacos: fill each tortilla with the pork-pineapple mixture, top with cilantro, diced onion, and salsa. Serve with lime wedges.

Tips

• For extra flavor, use a grill or broiler to char the pineapple before adding to the skillet.
• Leftover pork can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in a skillet.
• If achiote paste is unavailable, substitute with 1 tablespoon paprika and 1 teaspoon annatto powder.

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