Recipe

Tacos al Pastor

Name: Tacos Al Pastor
Ingredients: 3 dried guajillo chiles (stemmed and seeded); 2 dried ancho chiles (stemmed and seeded); 1/2 cup pineapple juice; 1/4 cup white vinegar; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon achiote paste (annatto seed paste); 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 pounds pork shoulder (cut into 1/4 inch thin slices); 1/2 fresh pineapple (peeled and sliced into rounds); 1 small white onion (finely diced); 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped); 12 small corn tortillas

Mexico

6 servings (about 12–15 tacos), 4 hours total

Sources: Cross-checked against Rick Martínez, Serious Eats and Bon Appétit

Watch it made

How to make Tacos al Pastor

6 servings

You’ll need

13 items · tap to check off

For the marinade

For the meat and assembly

Make it step by step

8 steps · 135 min of timed cooking

Toast the **dried chiles** in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant.⏱ 1 min
Place toasted chiles in boiling water for 10 minutes to **soften**, then drain.⏱ 10 min
Blend the softened chiles with **pineapple juice**, **vinegar**, **garlic**, **achiote paste**, **oregano**, and **salt** until perfectly smooth.
Pour the marinade over the **pork slices** in a large bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.⏱ 120 min
Sear the marinated pork in a hot **cast-iron skillet** or on a **griddle** for 3–4 minutes per side until charred.⏱ 4 min
Grill the **pineapple rounds** in the same pan until caramelized, then chop them into small bite-sized pieces.
Warm the **corn tortillas** on the griddle until soft and pliable.
Assemble tacos by layering the **crispy pork**, grilled pineapple, **diced onion**, and fresh cilantro.

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Chef’s tip · If your grocery store doesn't have thin pork slices, freeze the **pork shoulder** for 30 minutes to make it easier to slice thinly with a sharp knife.

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