How To Make Al Pastor Tacos

Al Pastor Tacos

This classic street taco is not difficult to make at home. We’ll cook thin slices of marinated pork on the grill instead of using a trompo since we don’t have one. We will also make a roasted tomatillo salsa to complement the Al pastor Tacos.

We seek out the al pastor tacos when we are in Mexico. The pineapple just adds a beautiful brightness that makes this one of our favorite street foods. The vendors set up the trompo right out front where you can see it and it invites us in. Since we don’t have a trompo at home we had to find another way to make this delicious dish.

The Traditional Trompo

Here is the trompo one sees in Mexico:

Photo shows a trompo loaded with Al Pastor meat
Mexican Trompo

Watch a Video

Here is a video of 2 Cooks in the Kitchen making Al Pastor Tacos:

The Ingredients For Al Pastor Tacos

Al Pastor

  • 2 lb Pork Shoulder
  • 4 Guajillo Chiles
  • 1 Ancho Chile
  • 6 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Large Shallot or Small Onion
  • 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
  • 3/4 Cup Pineapple Juice
  • 1 Tbls Oregano
  • 1Tbls Thyme
  • 1 Tbls Pepper
  • 1 Tbls Cumin
  • 2 Tbls Paprika
  • 1 Tbls Salt

Roasted Tomatillo Chipotle Sauce

  • 3 Tomatillos
  • 1/4 Onion (yellow or sweet)
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • 2 Tbls Chipotle
  • 3 Tbls Pineapple Juice
  • Salt and Pepper

For serving

  • Corn Tortillas
  • Cilantro

Prepare the Dried Chiles

Of course Mr Cook gets excited when he finds a recipe that uses dried chiles. Starting with the dried chiles, we need to remove the stems and seeds, tear them into strips, put them in a bowl and cover with hot water to soak for 30 minutes.

Photo shows dried chiles
Guajillo and Ancho Chiles

Slice the Pork

Now we need to cut the pork into thin slices. We use pork shoulder or cushion for this because we can get nice wide slices, but go with what you can find. Cut across the grain as much as possible to get it more tender.

Photo shows pork sliced.
Slice the Pork

Make The Marinade

To make the marinade, chop the onion and put it in a blender. Add the soaked chiles, pepper, thyme, oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, orange juice and pineapple juice. Blend into a smooth, thick liquid.

Photo shows marinade blended smooth
Blend the Marinade

Marinate The Pork

Put some marinade in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan. Lay half the pork on top with the pieces next to each other. Cover that with marinade, add another layer of pork and cover with the rest of the marinade. The idea is to get as much of the meat exposed to as much of the marinade as possible. Marinate for at least four hours in the refrigerator.

Photo shows por and marinade being layered in a baking pan
Layer Pork and Marinade

Make the Salsa. Roast Tomatoes, Shallot and Garlic

We can work on our salsa while the pork is marinating. Place the tomatillos, shallot and garlic in a greased baking dish. Put that in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes to cook them a bit.

Photo shows tomatillos, shallot and garlic in a small baking dish
Bake the Tomatillos, Shallot and Garlic

Blend With Chipotle and Pineapple Juice

Put the cooked tomatillos, shallot and garlic in a blender with the chipotle and pineapple juice. Blend until almost smooth. Since this is a salsa we want to leave a little chunk to it.

Photo shows pineapple juice being added to the blender with the other things
Add the Salsa Ingredients to the Blender

Add Salt and Pepper

Pour the salsa into a bowl and add the salt and pepper. Mix well.

Photo shows the bowl of salsa getting salt and pepper
Add Salt and Pepper

Put the Pork In A Grill Basket

Now to cook the pork that has been marinating for hours. It’s going to be tasty. We find it easiest to put the pork in a grill basket rather than just laying it on the grill. There are a lot of pieces and some of them are a little on the small side so the basket helps keep it all contained and makes it easier to turn them over. It won’t all fit in one basket so we do this in batches. If you keep the meat refrigerated, you can do the second basket the next day for another meal.

Photo shows the pork in one layer in a grill basket.
Lay the Pork In a Grill Basket

Grill 5 Minutes On Each Side

Let’s get cooking! Put the basket on a hot grill and cook the first side for 5 minutes. Turn it over and cook side 2 for 5 minutes.

Photo shows the pork in the grill basket on the grill.
Cook Each Side for 5 Minutes

Cook One More Minute On Each Side

Flip it again and cook each side one minute more. We want just a little bit of that barbecue char on the edges of the meat. Some of the marinade will still be pretty wet but that’s just fine.

Lay Out The Meat For Cutting

Lay the meat on a cutting board, overlapping the pieces like shingles so you can cut down one side of them. You may need to do this in two columns. Remember, we are trying to mimic the cut you would get slicing it off the trompo. Smaller pieces will go on the taco better as well.

Photo shows the meat laid out for cutting on a cutting board
Lay the Meat Out For Cutting

Warm The Tortillas

While that is going on, warm the tortillas on a dry, warm griddle. You don’t need to cook them, just get them warm.

Image shows four tortillas warming on a griddle
Warm the Tortillas

Assemble Your Tacos

Time to assemble a taco. Put some meat on your taco shell, Add some of the tomatillo salsa and then some cilantro leaves. Squeeze some lime over the top and you have a real street-taco-style al pastor taco.

Photo shows lime being squeezed over a taco
Squeeze Lime Over the Taco

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Here are some other Salsa Recipe ideas you can make

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Photo shows two tacos on a plate

Al Pastor Tacos

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  • Author: 2 Cooks in the Kitchen
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes plus 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 hours
  • Yield: About 20 tacos 1x
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Delicious easy Al Pastor street tacos with Tomatillo Salsa


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 lb Pork Shoulder
  • 4 Guajillo Chiles
  • 1 Ancho Chile
  • 6 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Large Shallot or Small Onion
  • 1/2 cup Orange Juice
  • 3/4 cup Pineapple Juice
  • 1 Tbls Oregano
  • 1Tbls Thyme
  • 1 Tbls Pepper
  • 1 Tbls Cumin
  • 2 Tbls Paprika
  • 1 Tbls Salt

Roasted Tomatillo Chipotle Sauce

  • 3 Tomatillos
  • 1/4 Onion (yellow or sweet)
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • 2 Tbls Chipotle
  • 3 Tbls Pineapple Juice
  • Salt and Pepper

For serving

  • Corn Tortillas
  • Cilantro

Instructions

  1. Peel the chiles and remove the seeds. Tear them into smaller pieces. Put the chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 30 minutes.
  2. Slice the pork into thin slices, cutting across the grain.
  3. Make the marinade: Chop the onion and put it in the blender. Add the soaked chiles to the blender. Add the garlic, orange juice, pineapple juice, oregano, thyme, pepper, cumin, paprika and salt. Blend until smooth.
  4. Put some marinade in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Lay the pork slices in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Cover with marinade and lay a second layer of pork. Cover with the last of the marinade and let marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of four hours.
  5. For the tomatillo salsa: Put the tomatillos, onion and garlic in a greased baking dish and put in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Put the tomatillos, onion, garlic, chipotle and pineapple juice in a blender. Blend until almost smooth. You want a little chunk left to the texture. Pour into a bowl and stir in salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Cook the pork: Lay the pork in a grill basket. Cook over a hot grill for 5 minutes on each side and then for 1 minute more on each side. Lay the cooked pieces on a cutting board, overlapping the pieces. Cut thin strips off the row of pork.
  7. Assemble the tacos: Heat the tortillas on a dry skillet until warm. Place a generous amount of pork on the tortilla. Put some salsa and some cilantro on top. Serve.

Notes

You can use any size tortilla from the smaller street size to the little larger taco sized. If you make your own, that’s even better!

Another option with the Al Pastor meat is to prepare a baked potato and use the meat on top along with your favorite baker condiments.

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