Tacos al pastor

4.72 from 67 votes

Tacos al pastor are marinated pork tacos served in corn tortillas with pineapple, Oaxaca cheese, cilantro, onion, salsa, and lime.

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 2

Total Time: 2 30

Toast both sides of the guajillo and ancho chilis on a comal or cast iron skillet over medium heat until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Rinse, then cover completely with hot water and soak until soft and pliable.
Toast the cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, cumin, and allspice until fragrant. Transfer them to a blender cup. Add the hydrated peppers (discarding the soaking liquid), garlic, achiote paste, oregano, ground onion, pineapple juice, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, avocado oil, and salt. Blend until smooth. Transfer the paste to a bowl and set aside until needed.

Prepare the pineapple by cutting off the bottom, about 1.5 inches thick. Remove the leaves and discard. Peel the remaining pineapple, then cut off the top portion, about 2 inches thick, trim for a rounder shape, and set aside. Quarter the remaining pineapple, remove the core, and slice.

Trim excess fat from the pork, then slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces.
Coat each pork slice in the marinade, then place in a non-reactive container. Repeat the process until all meat is thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight to marinate.

Position the al pastor stainless steel skewer over the Weber cast iron griddle, ensuring it's centered. Insert the unpeeled pineapple bottom through the skewer and pull it down until it reaches the bottom.
Insert the marinated meat, one piece at a time, keeping it centered and layered upward, leaving space at the top. Top with the 2-inch peeled pineapple piece and secure. Trim excess meat for an even surface. Reserve the scraps and cook on a pan.

Fire up the grill and roast the salsa ingredients - tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, onion, and serranos - over the grates until charred and cooked through. Then, remove them from the heat and set aside.
Wait for the grill to reach a temperature of 400°F to 350°F and maintain it within this range. Note that a lower temperature will result in less browning. Position the griddle in the center of the grill, following the Weber instructions. Cover and cook for one hour.

Blend the roasted ingredients with salt to taste. Before blending, remove the peel from the garlic, stem from the onion, and stem from the serranos. Pulse the mixture for a chunky consistency, then pour into a container. Adjust the salt if needed. Set aside.

After one hour, check the meat to ensure it's not browning too quickly. It should have a glossy brown color. If it's browning too fast, adjust the temperature to slow it down.
Close the grill and continue cooking. After 30 minutes, trim off any charred bits if necessary to allow a second crispy layer to develop. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. The total cooking time should be around 2 hours.
When the meat is almost done, place the pineapple slices on the surrounding grates and grill until they're tender and caramelized.

Once the meat is cooked, thinly slice the meat and pineapple on top of the trompo. Heat the tortillas over the grill, sprinkle cheese over them, and cook until the cheese starts to melt. Add the hot al pastor meat and pineapple slices.
Remove the tacos from the grill and garnish with diced onion, chopped cilantro, a spoonful of salsa, and a squeeze of lime juice. Continue carving the meat and assembling tacos until all the meat is gone.

Course: Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Mexican Food, Tacos, Tacos al pastor