DinnerMain Course

Tacos al Pastor

Name: Tacos al Pastor
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: mexican
Ingredients: 900 g pork shoulder thinly sliced; 3 pcs dried guajillo chili stemmed and deseeded; 2 pcs dried ancho chili stemmed and deseeded; 4 clove garlic peeled; 2 tbsp achiote paste; 0.25 cup white vinegar; 0.25 cup orange juice; 0.5 tsp cumin ground; 0.5 tsp oregano dried; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 pcs pineapple peeled and cored, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices; 12 pcs corn tortilla; 0.5 pcs white onion finely diced; 0.25 cup cilantro chopped; 2 pcs lime cut into wedges

These Tacos al Pastor feature marinated pork cooked until tender and flavorful, then thinly sliced and served in warm tortillas. Pineapple and onion add a touch of sweetness and freshness, balancing the rich pork.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 1 hr 15 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Per serving: 873 kcal

Mise en place

Ingredients

pork

900 gpork shoulder, thinly sliced

marinade

3 pcsdried guajillo chili, stemmed and deseeded
2 pcsdried ancho chili, stemmed and deseeded
4 clovegarlic, peeled
2 tbspachiote paste
0.25 cupwhite vinegar
0.25 cuporange juice
0.5 tspcumin, ground
0.5 tsporegano, dried
1 tspsalt

filling

0.5 pcspineapple, peeled and cored, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

serving

12 pcscorn tortilla

garnish

0.5 pcswhite onion, finely diced
0.25 cupcilantro, chopped
2 pcslime, cut into wedges

Equipment

grill or large cast-iron skillet · resealable bag · blender · large bowl · cutting board · small bowl

The method

Step by step

1
Place the guajillo and ancho chilies in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and let them rehydrate for 15-20 minutes until softened.
About 20 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the chilies are fully submerged for even rehydration.
2
Drain the rehydrated chilies and transfer them to a blender along with the garlic, achiote paste, white vinegar, orange juice, cumin, oregano, and salt.
About 2 min
3
Blend the marinade ingredients until completely smooth, adding a tablespoon of water if needed to achieve a pourable consistency.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: A smooth marinade ensures even flavor distribution.
4
Place the thinly sliced pork shoulder in a large bowl or a resealable bag.
About 1 min
5
Pour the prepared marinade over the pork, ensuring all pieces are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor.
About 30 min
Cook’s note: Marinating longer will result in more tender and flavorful pork.
6
Preheat your grill or a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: A well-heated surface helps achieve a good sear on the pork.
7
Grill or pan-fry the marinated pork slices in batches, along with the pineapple slices, until the pork is cooked through and slightly charred, about 3-4 minutes per side.
About 20 min
Cook’s note: Do not overcrowd the pan or grill to ensure even cooking and browning.
8
Remove the cooked pork and pineapple to a cutting board. Finely chop the pork into small pieces and dice the pineapple.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Small, uniform pieces of pork are ideal for tacos.
9
Warm the corn tortillas on a dry skillet or griddle until pliable and slightly toasted, about 30 seconds per side.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Stacking warm tortillas helps keep them soft.
10
Assemble the tacos by filling each warm tortilla with the chopped al pastor pork and diced pineapple.
About 5 min
11
Garnish with finely diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
About 1 min

Per serving

Nutrition

55%Score

Calories: 873.3kcal
Protein: 47.2g
Carbs: 72g
Fat: 46.1g
Fibre: 12.7g
Sugar: 16.9g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover al pastor pork and pineapple in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat the pork in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, then warm tortillas separately.