Tacos al pastor is a traditional Mexican dish that has become a beloved favorite worldwide. It is made with marinated pork shoulder that is cooked on a vertical spit, known as a trompo, and then shaved off and served on a tortilla. The pork is typically marinated in a combination of spices, such as achiote, guajillo, and ancho chiles, garlic, cumin, and oregano. The resulting flavor profile is wonderfully complex, with a balance of sweet, sour, and smoky notes. This article provides two recipes for tacos al pastor: a traditional recipe that uses a trompo and a simplified recipe that can be made at home without specialized equipment. Both recipes include detailed instructions and helpful tips to ensure you create delicious and authentic tacos al pastor.
Here are our top 10 tried and tested recipes!
TACOS AL PASTOR
These tacos are sure to impress your family and friends. A good Taco al Pastor is very hard to come by in the States. Now you can enjoy them in the comfort of your own home anytime!
Provided by Nikkivazquez
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 8h50m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Soak pasilla chiles and guajillo chiles in a bowl with hot water until chiles are softened, about 10 minutes; drain. Mash chiles, garlic, achiote powder, cumin, and cloves in a saucepan with a fork.
- Pour vinegar into sauce pan and bring to a boil; cook and stir until mixture becomes a thick paste. Season with salt. Rub chile paste over sliced pork, stacking meat on a plate. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours to overnight.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir marinated pork and pineapple until pork is browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Divide pork over stacks of two corn tortillas and serve with onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 361 calories, Carbohydrate 54.1 g, Cholesterol 49 mg, Fat 6.7 g, Fiber 9.7 g, Protein 24.6 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 113.7 mg, Sugar 2.9 g
THE BEST TACOS AL PASTOR RECIPE
Tacos al Pastor - made with slow marinated pork, grilled to perfection, and served with grilled pineapple.
Provided by Charbel Barker
Categories Main Course
Time 4h30m
Number Of Ingredients 27
Steps:
- Blend all of the ingredients together until completely combined.
- Strain the liquid over a bowl to end up with a smooth marinade.
- Add one layer of meat in a large bowl or baking dish and cover with the marinade, and then repeat in layers until all of the meat and marinade have been used.
- Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best)
- Remove from the refrigerator and grill the meat until cooked through.
- Remove from grill and cut into thin slices to serve on the tacos.
- Roast the tomatillo, onion, and garlic in the oven on baking sheet at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes, remove from oven.
- Blend with the rest of the ingredients except the salt and pepper until well combined.
- Put in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat the tortillas with a little bit of oil.
- Add the meat, the pineapple, the salsa, the lime juice, the cilantro and onions, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 Taco, Calories 171 kcal, Carbohydrate 19 g, Protein 15 g, Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 38 mg, Sodium 511 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 4 g
AL PASTOR TACOS
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time P1DT2h10m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- For the marinade: Blend the orange juice, achiote paste, cinnamon, ginger, salt and pepper, mashing and stirring until smooth with no lumps. Use mix to marinate pork for 24 hours.
- Preheat a rotisserie or oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place meat on a skewer layering with onions and cook in a rotisserie or bake until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, about 1 hour. Cut thin slices of meat and place on tortillas, followed by a few pieces of fresh pineapple, a sprinkling of chopped onion, a pinch of cilantro, a spoonful of Salsa de Aguacate and Salsa Roja. Serve with lime wedges.
- Blend together avocados, sour cream, jalapenos, cilantro, serrano, if using, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic and onion until roasted. Blend very well, then add salt and pepper.
AUTHENTIC TACOS AL PASTOR
Tacos al pastor is a quintessential Mexican dish, with tender pork and pineapple marinated in a savory and aromatic chile sauce. Serve with warm corn tortillas, tomatillos salsa, and lemon or lime wedges.
Provided by docmancito
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 5h19m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Cook tomato on a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat until slightly blackened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool until easily handled. Peel off skin and remove seeds.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add guajillo and ancho chile peppers; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain.
- Combine tomato flesh, softened chile peppers, 2 slices pineapple, orange juice, quartered onion, vinegar, chipotle peppers, salt, garlic, cloves, cumin seeds, and oregano in a blender; blend until smooth.
- Arrange pork slices in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour blended mixture over pork, ensuring all sides are evenly coated. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap.
- Marinate pork in the refrigerator, 4 hours to overnight.
- Cook remaining pineapple slices on a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat until slightly blackened and soft, about 5 minutes per side. Chop into small pieces.
- Wipe out grill pan and preheat over medium-high heat. Cook marinated pork in the hot pan, turning once, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Chop pork coarsely into small pieces against the grain. Serve with pineapple, chopped onion, and cilantro.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 204.3 calories, Carbohydrate 23 g, Cholesterol 43.5 mg, Fat 5.6 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 16.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.9 g, Sodium 748.1 mg, Sugar 15.9 g
HORIZONTAL TACOS AL PASTOR
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Categories main-dish
Time 2h40m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Puree 3/4 cup of the pineapple juice, the vegetable oil, achiote paste, adobo sauce, chipotles, garlic and salt in a food processor. Mix the pineapple juice mixture with the pork in a freezer bag and move around to coat. Marinate the pork in the fridge, 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet or grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the skillet and add the tortillas, toasting, about 30 seconds per side. Remove the tortillas and store in a towel to keep warm.
- Raise the heat under the skillet to high and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Remove the pork from the bag and wipe off any excess pineapple juice mixture. Cook the pork in batches, until charred and cooked through.
- Remove the pork from the skillet. Chop the meat into bite-size pieces. Add half of the onions and the fresh pineapple and quickly cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup pineapple juice and the chopped pork back to the skillet with the juices.
- Place the pork, pineapple and onion mixture in the tortillas. Top with the remaining onions, cilantro, cotija and salsa. Order a margarita, apply SPF 2 and take a bite.
CHARRED TACOS AL PASTOR
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Categories main-dish
Time 14h40m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Combine adobo, ancho powder, oil, achiote paste, brown sugar, salt, cumin, garlic and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Whisk until uniform while bringing to a simmer to bloom all the spices and flavors, then simmer, about 5 minutes. Take off heat to cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Coat all slices of pork with marinade. Spray a plastic quart container with cooking spray. Stuff the container with the slices of marinated pork, arranging them in a stack. Cover and place in the fridge 8 hours or overnight to marinate.
- Slide marinated meat gently out of quart container. Cut the pineapple into 4 equal rounds. Reserve 2 whole slices of pineapple and core the remaining 2 slices, then cut them into chunks. Place the stack of marinated meat in between the reserved slices of pineapple. Evenly skewer the stack with 8 to 10 metal skewers to make the "pastor".
- Heat a grill for cooking at about 275 degrees F. Using a chimney starter, ignite 3 to 4 charcoal briquettes. Place the briquettes in a smoker box with apple or cherry wood chips that have soaked in water 30 minutes, and place the box directly on the grate.
- Place onion and pineapple chunks in a small drip tray or roasting pan. Position the pan right on the grill, and the pastor on the elevated grill shelf directly above it. Place smoker box directly in front of the drip pan, so that some of the heat and smoke from the wood can reach the pastor.
- Cook for 4 hours, rotating a quarter every 45 minutes to 1 hour. Take it off the heat and let rest for at least 1 hour.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Dice onions and pineapple from drip tray and sear in the skillet until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Holding the pastor vertical, shave off shards of pork. Sear off in the skillet until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Serve with corn tortillas, salsa verde and fresh cilantro.
TACOS AL PASTOR
This is my favorite kind of taco from a taqueria. Don't leave out the pineapple-- pieces of it in which make it so good! The cook time includes time in fridge. This recipe includes directions for both the grill or oven. Recipe from Baja: Cooking on the Edge.
Provided by cookiedog
Categories Pork
Time 7h30m
Yield 24 tacos
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- At least 6 hours before cooking, make the marinade: Heat a heavy griddle or frying pan over medium heat and gently toast the chiles, pressing them down quickly with a spatula. Turn and repeat on the other side. Be very careful not to scorch the chiles or they will have an off taste. Cool and then remove the stems, seeds, and stringy ribs.
- Tear the chiles into small pieces and pulse in a spice grinder until they are as finely ground as possible.
- In a blender, combine the garlic, vinegar, achiote, salt, cumin, and cloves. Puree until well combined. Add the ground chiles and blend for several minutes, or until the sauce is very smooth; if necessary, add a tablespoon or so of vinegar to make a thick paste.
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chile paste; use the water to swish out the blender and add to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until thickened. Scrape onto a plate and cool completely.
- Cut the pork into lengthwise slices about 3/4 inch thick and smear a layer of the chile paste on each side (thick enough to draw a line in). Stack the slices in a shallow container, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.
- Cut the crown off the pineapple and cut a slice off the bottom. Carve off the prickly skin, slicing from top to bottom, then cut the flesh into slices 1/2 inch thick; set aside.
- Grill Method: Half an hour before cooking, clean the grill thoroughly with a brush and wipe it down with an oil-dampened rag. Preheat the grill on high. Remove any thick blobs of chile paste from the meat, as these will burn. Grill the meat and pineapple for 7 minutes on each side, directly over the flame (if your grill is hot as heck -- medium is ok). Watch carefully to make sure the chile paste is not burning; if needed, turn down the heat or move the meat to a cooler part of the grill. The pineapple should be given a half-turn partway through cooking to make nice crosshatch marks. When the meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees (don't overcook) remove to a warm plate.
- Oven method: Preheat the oven to 375°F Spread the meat out in one layer in a shallow, lightly oiled baking dish or a rimmed cookie sheet. There should be some open space between the pieces; it's better to use several baking dishes than crowd the meat. Cut half of the pineapple slices into quarters and scatter over the top. Reserve the rest for another use. Roast the meat and pineapple for 30 to 40 minutes, or until well browned and crisp; there should be some caramelized juices in the bottom of the dish. Remove from the oven, cover the cooked meat and pineapple loosely with foil, and let stand 5 minutes while you heat the tortillas.
- To Serve: Heat the tortillas' keep them warm in a cloth napkin or a tortilla warmer. Dice the meat into small bits, mix with the juices on the plate or in the baking dish, and fill the tortillas. The pineapple can be chopped up or cut into quarters. Serve with the onion, radishes, cilantro, and your choice of salsa or hot sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 135.8, Fat 4.9, SaturatedFat 1.6, Cholesterol 55.9, Sodium 124.9, Carbohydrate 6.2, Fiber 0.7, Sugar 4.3, Protein 16.1
TACOS AL PASTOR
Tacos al pastor, a Mexican street-food staple, are a perfect synthesis of local flavors (pineapple, chiles, annatto), Spanish influence (pork, adobo), and Middle Eastern technique (a spinning, shawarma-style vertical rotisserie). The synthesis comes from Mexico's history, but perfection comes from the combination of sweet pineapple, spicy meat and fragrant corn. This recipe, from the chef Gabriela Cámara, provides an easy way to make it at home; try boneless chicken thighs if you don't want pork. Either way, make sure to blot the meat until very dry before cooking it so you get a hard sear that mimics the char of a grill.
Provided by Julia Moskin
Categories dinner, lunch, meat, tacos, main course
Time 45m
Yield 12 tacos (3 to 4 servings)
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- Make the marinade: Break off the stem ends of the cascabel and ancho (or guajillo) chiles and shake out and discard the seeds. Place chiles in a saucepan and pour over cold water to just cover. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn off the heat and let the chiles soak, 15 minutes.
- In a blender, combine tomatoes, onion, oil, citrus juices, stemmed chile de árbol, garlic, clove, achiote seeds, cumin, oregano and salt. Add the soaked chiles and a few tablespoons of the soaking water and purée until smooth. Add more of the soaking water if needed to make a thin paste. Set aside about 1/2 cup of the marinade for cooking.
- Sprinkle the meat with salt. Place in a container, add remaining marinade, and mix until well coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. (The recipe can be made up to this point up to 1 day in advance.) Bring to room temperature before cooking.
- Combine the pineapple and sugar in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir often until the sugar is melted and the pineapple is caramelized, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 225 degrees. Prepare a tortilla basket or slightly damp clean dish towel. On a griddle or in a heavy skillet, warm the tortillas on both sides until hot and blistered, stacking them in the basket or wrapped in the towel. Transfer to the oven until ready to serve.
- Place a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Drain off all excess liquid from the meat and blot between layers of paper towels. Add the oil to the hot skillet, swirl to heat through, then add 2 tablespoons marinade. Let sizzle for a moment, then add the meat, spreading it out in a single layer. (If your skillet is smaller than 12 inches, cook in batches to avoid crowding the pan.) Let meat cook undisturbed over high heat until browned on the bottom, then sauté over high heat, stirring often, until cooked through but still moist, about 5 minutes. After 3 minutes, taste and stir in more reserved marinade as needed. When cooked, transfer to a serving bowl.
- Place everything on the table, including the toppings, and serve at once.
CARNE ASADA TACOS OR AL PASTOR TACOS
I have had great success preparing tacos this way. I bought this recipe from a taqueria owner (taco restaurant) in Mexico City. I am translating the directions. It can be used for beef, pork, or just about any other type of meat. The spice mix on this recipe gives meat a really excellent flavor.
Provided by Vic Voss
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 6h40m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- Place 1/2 chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic, parsley, oregano, paprika, anise seed, black pepper, cumin, sage, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice, and lime juice in a blender; pulse until a very well-blended paste is achieved, scraping down sides as needed, 3 to 5 minutes. Spread paste on both sides of the flank steak. Wrap steak in plastic and refrigerate at least 6 hours to overnight.
- Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove excess marinade from flank steak.
- Grill steak until it begins to firm and is hot and slightly pink in the center, about 8 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Chop steak into small pieces and transfer to a platter; cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
- Place 1 chopped onion, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and 3 cloves garlic in a blend; pulse until desired consistency. Add water if the salsa becomes too thick. Transfer salsa to a bowl.
- Heat tortillas in a microwave safe plate until warm, about 1 minute.
- Serve beef over stacks of two corn tortillas with salsa and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 chopped onion, radishes, and cilantro.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 399.7 calories, Carbohydrate 53.9 g, Cholesterol 36.4 mg, Fat 8.8 g, Fiber 8.8 g, Protein 26.7 g, SaturatedFat 2.8 g, Sodium 1336.6 mg, Sugar 4.5 g
MEXICAN-STYLE PORK TACOS (TACOS AL PASTOR) RECIPE BY TASTY
It's Taco Tuesday! Or maybe it's taco ANYday because let's face it: there's never NOT a good day to eat a taco. But you don't want something basic. You want the real deal, and we're here to make that dream come true. With our super flavorful tacos al pastor, you're going to feel like you're at a food truck on a beach, chowing down on some of the best eats around.
Provided by Alvin Zhou
Categories Dinner
Yield 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Slice the pork shoulder into about 1-centimeter (¼ in) slices, then transfer to a large dish or bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the achiote paste, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and pineapple juice, mashing and stirring until smooth with no lumps. Pour the marinade over the pork slices, then toss to make sure they are coated on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Place a slice or two of the pineapple on the baking sheet. Take a wooden skewer and push it directly in the middle of the pineapple. Remove the pork from the fridge and push the slices through the skewer, layering one after the other until there is a 1-inch (2 ½ cm) gap at the top. Push another pineapple slice on top.
- Bake for about 1½ hours, until the pork is slightly charred on the outside and deep red. Rest the meat for about 10 minutes, then carve off thin slices of pork and roasted pineapple.
- To assemble, place some pork on the tortillas, followed by a few pieces of pineapple, a sprinkling of onion, a pinch of cilantro, and a spoonful of salsa, and some diced avocado. Serve with lime wedges.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 597 calories, Carbohydrate 29 grams, Fat 32 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 48 grams, Sugar 10 grams
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients: This will make a big difference in the flavor of your tacos.
- Marinate the pork for at least 4 hours, or overnight: This will help the flavors to penetrate the meat and make it more tender.
- Cook the pork slowly over low heat: This will help to prevent it from drying out.
- Use a variety of toppings: This will add flavor and texture to your tacos. Some popular toppings include pineapple, cilantro, onion, and salsa.
- Serve the tacos immediately: This will ensure that they are hot and fresh.
Conclusion:
Tacos al pastor is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With its unique flavor profile and endless topping possibilities, it's no wonder that this dish has become a favorite around the world. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just starting out, I encourage you to give this recipe a try. With a little effort, you can create a meal that your family and friends will love.
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