Mexican
Tacos al Pastor
Tacos al pastor with adobo-marinated pork charred deeply, sliced thin, and balanced by sweet pineapple on warm corn tortillas.
6 servings · 55 minutes prep · 45 minutes cook
Ingredients
Adobo and Pork
- 3 lb boneless pork shoulder, sliced 1/4 inch thick across the grain
- 5 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 dried chile de arbol, stemmed
- 3/4 cup fresh pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 3 tbsp achiote paste
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 small white onion, chopped
- 1 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 whole cloves
- 1-inch cinnamon stick, toasted
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
Tacos
- 18 small corn tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple
- 3/4 cup finely chopped white onion
- 3/4 cup chopped cilantro
Directions
Make the Adobo and Marinate
- Toast the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, and chile de arbol in a dry skillet until pliable and fragrant, 15-20 seconds per side. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain.
- Blend the soaked chiles, pineapple juice, white vinegar, achiote paste, garlic, white onion, kosher salt, Mexican oregano, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, and avocado oil until completely smooth.
- Coat the pork shoulder thoroughly with the adobo, cover, and refrigerate for 12 hours.
Stack and Cook the Pork
- Heat a grill for two-zone cooking or heat a broiler to high. Thread the pork tightly onto wide skewers, stacking the slices into a compact loaf.
- Cook over indirect high heat or under the broiler until the center reaches 155F, turning and basting with adobo juices, 25-30 minutes.
- Move over direct heat or closer to the broiler and char the outside deeply, 4-6 minutes. Rest for 8 minutes.
Char, Slice, and Assemble
- Char the pineapple lightly, 1-2 minutes per side. Chop the pork and pineapple finely. Stop when blistered dark spots appear while the interior remains juicy.
- Warm the corn tortillas on a comal. Fill with pork, charred pineapple, white onion, and cilantro.
