🍍 Authentic Al Pastor 🌶️ Tacos🌮

This recipe is hands down the best al pastor I have ever had. The next best is from a taco stand in Calexico, Mexico. Al pastor is traditionally made on a trompo a vertical rotisserie normally fired by gas. Slices of marinated pork are stacked on a rod and slowly cooked to create a char on the outside. Then, the meat is sliced off of the trompo, allowing the underlying layers to be charred as well.

This cooking style is similar to how shawarma is made, a Middle Eastern dish of beef and lamb. In the early 1900s, Lebanese immigrants migrated to Mexico, and this cooking style was adapted to Mexican cuisine, and Al Pastor was born. Al pastor translates to “Shepard style,” reflecting its origins from Shepard’s in the Middle East.

Most of us don’t have a trompo, so you must get creative. I made custom roasting rods using an extra oven rack. I cut off a rod from the rack and shaped a stand at one end, and the other was sharpened to make it easier to thread on the meat. You can use metal or wooden skewers if you don’t have the will to make your own roasting rods. If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water so they don’t burn. To use the skewer method, use two skewers and separate them to help the stack stand up on one end, then follow the directions in the recipe.

When adding the final char to the meat, you could also use a broiler set on high for 3-5 minutes or until the meat is charred to your liking.

You can store your al pastor in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to one week or up to 3 months in the freezer. If you freeze it, you will have a quick meal anytime you crave some tacos.

This recipe requires you to marinate the meat for at least a few hours in the fried but you could even marinate it overnight. The longer you marinate the meat, the more flavorful your dish will be.

Personally, I do not like a lot of cumin, but you could add more to this recipe if you like. If you’re following a Carnivore or Keto diet, you could leave out the whole pineapple as you will still get some pineapple flavor from the pineapple juice in the marinade and eat the meat all by itself.

This dish is customarily served as tacos with cilantro onion and topped with chile and freshly squeezed lemon. Chile is a Mexican hot sauce made with roasted tomatoes or tomatillos and roasted chili peppers, onions, garlic, and salt. These tacos go great with radishes and sliced cucumbers.

Al pastor also makes for a fantastic filling for Quesadillas, along with a healthy amount of mozzarella cheese.

Authentic Al Pastor Tacos Recipe

Difficulty Level:  4 Meatballs

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 1/2 Hours

Servings: 6

• 5 pounds of pork shoulder
• 1 pineapple
• 1 bunch of cilantro, washed and chopped
• 1 medium white onion, small dice

Marinade:

• 3 tablespoons of achiote paste
• 5 guajillo chilies, soaked in 2 cups of hot water until tender, seeds removed
• 1 whole clove of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• 1 tablespoon of cumin
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of pepper
• 3/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup of pineapple juice

Slice the Pork into 1/4 inch slices and set aside.

Add all marinade ingredients into a zip-top bag or other container with a lid and mix until combined.

Add the sliced pork to the container with the marinade, seal, and marinate in the fridge for 2-8 hours.

Remove the middle rack from the oven, move the lower rack to the lowest slot, then preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the pork from the fridge and allow to warm up to room temperature.

Remove the skin of the pineapple and slice it into approximately one-inch rounds.

Thread one slice of pineapple onto the roasting rod, followed by a few slices of pork, and continue threading the pineapple and pork onto the roasting rod until only one inch of the roasting rod is visible.

Top roasting rod with a piece of pineapple.

Place roasting rods on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Remove pork and pineapple from the roasting rod, and chop into 1/2-inch pieces, and mix them together.

In a large skillet over high heat, fry small batches of the pastor and pineapple mixture until they get slightly charred.

Serve with onions and cilantro.

Nutritional Facts: (Per Serving) Calories 416 Protein 45g Fat 16g Total Carbohydrates 19g