Mexican
Gluten free
SpicyTacos al pastor
Spit-style marinated pork tacos
Tacos al pastor: achiote and guajillo-marinated pork with charred pineapple on small corn tortillas
Tacos al pastor are Mexico City's late-night taco, carved from a spinning vertical spit (trompo) at taquerías from the Centro to Condesa, a dish born from the shawarma brought by Lebanese immigrants in the 1900s. This recipe is made with pork shoulder, marinated in guajillo chilli, achiote, pineapple juice and spices, sliced thin, then roasted and seared at home, and served on small corn tortillas with pineapple, onion, coriander and salsa. Marinate the pork in the fridge, never on the counter. The usual mistake is cutting the meat thick: thick pieces stew instead of caramelising. Slice it about 5 mm thin. The pork is done when the edges are charred and crisp and the thickest pieces reach 71 °C. Chef's tip: freeze the pork for 40 minutes before slicing; firm meat cuts into even, thin sheets with no effort.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 560 kcal
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 4 dried guajillo chilliesstems and seeds removed
- 1 ¾ oz achiote paste
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 ½ tsp salt
For the tacos
- 2 lb boneless pork shouldersliced 5 mm thin
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- ¼ fresh pineapplepeeled, cored and sliced
- 1 white onionfinely chopped
- 1 bunch fresh corianderchopped
- 2 limescut into wedges
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak 4 dried guajillo chillies in boiling water for 15 minutes until soft. Drain and blend with 1 ¾ oz achiote paste, ½ cup pineapple juice, 3 tbsp white vinegar, 3 garlic cloves, ¼ white onion, 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano, ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 pinch ground cloves and 1 ½ tsp salt until smooth.
15 minStep 2: Toss 2 lb boneless pork shoulder in the marinade until coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan). Spread the pork in overlapping layers in an oiled roasting tin, drizzle with half the 2 tbsp sunflower oil, and roast for 20 minutes, until cooked through and starting to char at the edges.
20 minStep 4: Meanwhile sear ¼ fresh pineapple in a dry hot pan for 2 minutes per side until charred. Chop into small pieces.
4 minStep 5: Chop the roasted pork into small pieces. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and fry it in two batches for 3–4 minutes, until crisp and caramelised and the thickest pieces reach 160°F.
8 minStep 6: Warm 20 small corn tortillas on a dry hot pan and stack two per taco. Fill with pork and pineapple and top with 1 white onion, 1 bunch fresh coriander and ¾ cup salsa verde or taquería red salsa. Serve with 2 limes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tacos al pastor take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of white vinegar?
- Cider vinegar or rice vinegar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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