Tacos al Pastor (Home-Style Version)
Tacos al Pastor are Mexico City’s signature street food — smoky, citrusy pork marinated in achiote and pineapple, cooked to perfection, and served on warm tortillas with pineapple, onion, and cilantro. No trompo required.
Ingredients
- For the pork:
- 2 lbs boneless pork shoulder or loin sliced thin
- ¼ cup achiote paste found in Mexican or Latin markets
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo optional, for extra heat
- For serving:
- Small corn tortillas
- Fresh pineapple diced
- White onion finely chopped
- Cilantro chopped
- Lime wedges
- Salsa of choice
Instructions
- Marinate the pork: In a large bowl, whisk together achiote, pineapple juice, orange juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, pepper, salt, and chipotle. Add pork, toss to coat. Cover and marinate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Cook the pork: Grill, broil, or pan-sear the pork in batches until slightly charred and cooked through. Rest briefly, then slice thin.
- Assemble the tacos: Warm tortillas. Top with pork, pineapple, onion, and cilantro. Squeeze lime over the top. Serve with salsa.