Tacos al Pastor

Marinated pork tacos with pineapple and cilantro

Juicy, adobo-marinated pork shoulder is grilled until caramelized, then tucked into warm corn tortillas with charred pineapple, onion, cilantro, and bright lime. A true Mexico-City street-taco classic.

5 h
4
Intermediate

Ingredients

Marinade

2 lbs pork shoulder, thinly sliced

3 tbsp achiote paste

2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed & seeded, re-hydrated

1 chipotle pepper in adobo

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup fresh orange juice

¼ cup fresh pineapple juice

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Tacos

12 small corn tortillas

1 cup fresh pineapple, diced

½ cup white onion, thinly sliced

Garnish

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Lime wedges, for serving

Sauces

Salsa verde — tangy tomatillo salsa

Mexican crema — cool, slightly tangy cream

Preparation

Marinating the Pork

Blend marinade

In a blender, purée achiote paste, guajillo chiles, chipotle, garlic, orange & pineapple juices, vinegar, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper until smooth.

Coat pork

Place pork slices in a bowl or zip bag; pour marinade over and massage to coat every piece.

Chill

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 h (up to overnight) for deepest flavor.

Overnight marination yields the most tender, intensely flavored meat.

Preparing Pineapple & Aromatics

Dice pineapple

Cut fresh pineapple into ½-inch cubes.

Slice onion

Thinly slice white onion and toss with a pinch of salt.

Warm tortillas

Heat tortillas on a dry skillet until pliable; keep wrapped in a towel.

Cooking Process

Grill pork

Cook marinated pork over medium-high heat 10-12 min, flipping, until edges are crispy and internal temp hits 145 °F / 63 °C.

Caramelize pineapple

In the same pan, sear diced pineapple 2-3 min until golden.

Rest & slice

Let pork rest 5 min, then slice into bite-sized strips.

Plating & Serving

Tacos al Pastor

FaTaco

Assemble tacos

Fill warm tortillas with pork and pineapple; top with onion and cilantro.

Sauce Pairings

Salsa verde

Bright, tangy tomatillo-cilantro salsa that cuts the pork’s richness.

Mexican crema

Cool, lightly tangy drizzle for balance.

Garnishes & Accompaniments

Fresh cilantroLime wedges

Perfect Sides

Mexican rice

Refried beans