Mexican recipe

Tacos al Pastor

Name: Tacos al Pastor
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mexican cuisine
Ingredients: 900 g pork shoulder, cut into thin steaks; 35 g dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 30 g achiote paste; 60 ml pineapple juice; 60 ml white vinegar; 3 garlic cloves; 2 g Mexican oregano; 2 g ground cumin; 8 g fine salt; 300 g fresh pineapple, sliced; 18 small corn tortillas; 120 g white onion, finely chopped; 30 g cilantro leaves, chopped; 3 limes, cut into wedges

Thin pork slices marinated with guajillo, achiote and pineapple, seared until caramelised and tucked into warm corn tortillas with onion, cilantro and charred pineapple.

Mexico City

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Servings: 6

Tacos al pastor with charred pork, pineapple, onion and cilantro — **Real finished-dish photograph**Photograph by KoffermejiaSource page · Original file · CC BY-SA 4.0Cropped, resized, and compressed by Recipe Nest Vault.

Ingredients

900 g
pork shoulder, cut into thin steaks
35 g
dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
30 g
achiote paste
60 ml
pineapple juice
60 ml
white vinegar
3
garlic cloves
2 g
Mexican oregano
2 g
ground cumin
8 g
fine salt
300 g
fresh pineapple, sliced
18
small corn tortillas
120 g
white onion, finely chopped
30 g
cilantro leaves, chopped
3
limes, cut into wedges

Method

01
Soften the guajillos
Cover the guajillos with hot water and soak for 15 minutes until pliable, then drain well.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
02
Blend the adobo
Blend the softened chiles with achiote, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin and salt until very smooth.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
03
Coat and marinate the pork
Coat every pork slice with the adobo, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
04
Char the pineapple
Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and sear the pineapple for 3 minutes per side until marked and juicy; set aside.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
05
Sear the pork in batches
Shake off excess marinade and sear the pork in a single layer for 2–3 minutes per side, working in batches so the pan stays hot.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
06
Rest and chop the pork
Rest the cooked pork for 5 minutes, then chop it across the grain into small taco-size pieces.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
07
Chop the charred pineapple
Remove any tough core and cut the charred pineapple into small pieces that will sit neatly on each taco.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
08
Warm the tortillas
Warm the tortillas on a dry comal or skillet for about 30 seconds per side until soft and fragrant, then keep covered.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
09
Assemble and serve
Fill each warm tortilla with pork, charred pineapple, onion and cilantro; serve immediately with lime wedges.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph

Practical notes

Tips

Preheat the cooking surface fully before the food goes down; a properly hot skillet or griddle creates browning before moisture can steam the surface.
Have tortillas, salsa and fresh garnishes ready before the last hot component finishes so everything can be served while the tortilla is supple and the filling is hot.

Common mistakes

Crowding the cooking surface lowers the temperature and produces grey, steamed meat instead of a browned crust.
Pressing or stirring continuously after browning starts prevents a stable crust from forming.

Substitutions

A heavy cast-iron skillet can replace a flat-top griddle; cook in batches so the pan stays hot.
Fresh corn tortillas give the most characteristic flavour; small flour tortillas can substitute when needed, although the finished texture will be softer and less corn-forward.

Storage

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 0–4°C for up to 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed until piping hot throughout.

Cultural context

Al pastor developed in central Mexico from spit-roasting traditions brought by Lebanese migrants, then became distinctly Mexican through chile adobo, pork, corn tortillas and taquería service.

Sources and photo credit

This standardized method was independently rewritten after cross-checking the references below. Recipe Nest Vault does not claim that the credited photographer cooked from this exact version.

Recipe references

Tacos al pastor con piña — Photograph by Koffermejia; CC BY-SA 4.0.

Step illustrations: Original illustrations created by Recipe Nest Vault with OpenAI image_gen.

Back to Mexican recipes

Tacos al Pastor

Ingredients

Method

Soften the guajillos

Blend the adobo

Coat and marinate the pork

Char the pineapple

Sear the pork in batches

Rest and chop the pork

Chop the charred pineapple

Warm the tortillas

Assemble and serve

Sources and photo credit

Recipe references

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