Tacos al Pastor

Tacos al pastor trace their lineage directly to Lebanese immigrants who brought shawarma to Mexico City in the early twentieth century. Pork replaced lamb, achiote and dried chillies replaced Middle Eastern spices, and a pineapple was affixed to the top of the vertical spit — but the technique remained. Today al pastor is the undisputed king of Mexico City street food, the trompo (spit) turning outside every taqueria from midnight until dawn. Grilling a marinated pork shoulder at home over charcoal comes close to the original.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

For the marinade:

• 1kg (2¼ lb) pork shoulder, sliced 5mm (¼ inch) thick
• 3 dried guajillo chillies, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried ancho chillies, stemmed and seeded
• 3 cloves garlic
• 60ml (4 tbsp) pineapple juice
• 2 tbsp achiote (annatto) paste
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt

To serve:

• 150g (5 oz) fresh pineapple, cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• Fresh coriander, chopped
• Small corn tortillas, warmed
• Salsa verde or salsa roja
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Toast guajillo and ancho chillies in a dry pan for 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes until soft.
2. Drain chillies and blend with garlic, pineapple juice, achiote paste, vinegar, oregano, cumin, cloves, and salt into a smooth paste.
3. Toss sliced pork with marinade, ensuring every piece is coated. Marinate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight in the refrigerator.
4. Light a charcoal grill to high heat. Grill pork slices for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly charred and cooked through. Alternatively, cook in batches in a very hot cast-iron pan.
5. Roughly chop the grilled pork into small pieces. Warm corn tortillas directly over a flame for 15–20 seconds per side.
6. Assemble tacos: pile pork on tortillas, add pineapple, diced onion, and fresh coriander. Squeeze lime juice over each taco and serve with salsa.

Cook's Notes: The char is non-negotiable — al pastor needs high heat and some scorching on the edges. Marinating overnight is strongly recommended. If achiote paste is unavailable, substitute with 1½ tsp ground annatto, ½ tsp paprika, and ½ tsp orange juice.