Sep 09 2026

Al Pastor Recipe

Time2h
Serves4

Refried beans, peppers

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Ingredients

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Al Pastor Pork

Method

Al Pastor Pork

  1. 1

    Prepare chiles

    Place guajillo and ancho chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak 15–20 minutes until softened, then drain.

  2. 2

    Make marinade

    In a blender combine softened chiles, achiote paste, pineapple juice, orange juice, white vinegar, garlic cloves, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper and the optional chipotle. Blend until smooth, adding 2–3 tbs of the chile soaking liquid or water as needed to reach a thick pourable paste.

  3. 3

    Marinate pork

    Place sliced pork in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the pork ensuring all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight for best flavor.

  4. 4

    Cook pork

    Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the marinated pork in an even layer and cook undisturbed 3–4 minutes to develop color. Flip and cook another 3–4 minutes until edges are browned and pork is cooked through. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining pork, adding more oil if needed. During the last 2 minutes of the second batch, add the fresh pineapple pieces to the pan to caramelize and join the meat.

  5. 5

    Shred and finish

    Once all pork is cooked, roughly chop or shred into bite-sized pieces. Return all meat to the skillet, add any accumulated juices, and cook 1–2 minutes until flavors combine. Taste and adjust salt.

Refried Beans

  1. 6

    Sauté aromatics

    Heat 2 tbs oil or lard in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté 4–5 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

  2. 7

    Mash and fry

    Add drained beans to the skillet along with cumin and salt. Stir, then pour in about 1/4–1/2 cup reserved bean liquid or water. Using a potato masher or the back of a spoon, mash the beans to desired consistency. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened and creamy. If needed, add more liquid to reach preferred texture. Stir in chopped cilantro if using and adjust seasoning.

Peppers & Assembly

  1. 8

    Sauté peppers

    In a separate skillet, heat 1 tbs oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced poblano, red bell pepper and onion. Sauté 5–7 minutes until softened and slightly charred at edges. Season with a pinch of salt.

  2. 9

    Warm tortillas

    Warm tortillas on a dry skillet or comal over medium heat 30–45 seconds per side until pliable and lightly blistered. Keep wrapped in a towel to stay warm.

  3. 10

    Assemble tacos

    Spoon a generous tablespoon or more of refried beans onto each tortilla, then top with a portion of al pastor pork and sautéed peppers and onions. Add chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and crumble queso fresco or cotija if desired.

  4. 11

    Serve

    Serve tacos immediately with extra lime wedges on the side. Leftover pork and beans keep refrigerated up to 3 days.

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