Tacos Al Pastor

Name: Tacos Al Pastor
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 4 portions
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 kg · 2 lb pork shoulder, thinly sliced; 18 g · 3 chiles guajillo chiles, seeded; 20 g · 2 chiles ancho chiles, seeded; 30 g · 2 tbsp achiote paste; 16 g · 4 cloves garlic; 120 ml · ½ cup pineapple juice; 45 ml · 3 tbsp white vinegar; 2 g · 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 g · 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 g · ½ tsp black pepper; 12 g · 2 tsp salt; 360 g · 12 tortillas small corn tortillas; 300 g · 2 cups fresh pineapple, sliced; 100 g · 1 small white onion, finely chopped; 15 g · ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 130 g · 2 limes lime, wedges

🍽 Serves 4⏱ Prep 30 min🔥 Cook 25 min⏳ Rest 240 min🌍 Mexican

Pork marinated in chiles, achiote and pineapple, charred on a hot pan and served on small corn tortillas.

📍 Puebla · Mexico

The story of the dish

Tacos al pastor grew from the shawarma brought to Puebla and Mexico City by Lebanese immigrants in the early 20th century; pork replaced lamb and dried chiles and achiote replaced the Middle Eastern spices.

The name: Al pastor means 'shepherd style' in Spanish, a nod to the lamb of the original Lebanese spit.

Ingredients

Ingredient	EUg · ml	UScups · spoons
pork shoulder thinly sliced	1 kg	2 lb
guajillo chiles seeded	18 g	3 chiles
ancho chiles seeded	20 g	2 chiles
achiote paste	30 g	2 tbsp
garlic	16 g	4 cloves
pineapple juice	120 ml	½ cup
white vinegar	45 ml	3 tbsp
ground cumin	2 g	1 tsp
dried oregano	1 g	1 tsp
black pepper	1 g	½ tsp
salt	12 g	2 tsp
small corn tortillas	360 g	12 tortillas
fresh pineapple sliced	≈ 300 g	≈ 2 cups
white onion finely chopped	≈ 100 g	≈ 1 small
fresh cilantro chopped	≈ 15 g	≈ ½ cup
lime wedges	≈ 130 g	≈ 2 limes

≈ amount suggested from similar recipes

Tools & equipment

Item	UAEamazon.ae	USamazon.com
Camera	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Kitchen Scale	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Cast Iron Pan	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy

Also used: blender · mixing bowl · tongs

Method

Toast the dried chiles briefly, then soak them in hot water for 15 minutes.
Blend the chiles with the achiote, garlic, pineapple juice, vinegar and spices until smooth.
Coat the pork with the marinade and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
Cook the pork in batches on a hot griddle or cast-iron pan until charred.
Grill the pineapple until caramelised, then chop it.
Warm the tortillas, add pork and pineapple, and finish with onion, cilantro and lime.

👨‍🍳 Chef’s tips

Cook in small batches so the pork chars instead of steaming.

📱 Scan to watch me cook ityoutu.be/ewgFwxsDDNQEvery step on video, and new recipes every week: subscribe on YouTube.

Nutrition per portion estimate · 1 of 4

720kcal

52 gprotein

58 gcarbs

30 gfat

Allergens

Sulphites

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▶ Watch me cook it: youtu.be/ewgFwxsDDNQ

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