Tacos Al Pastor Recipe

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo and ancho/pasilla chiles. Toast them lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak 15 minutes until softened; reserve 1/4 cup soaking liquid.

Make marinade

In a blender combine soaked chiles (drained), reserved soaking liquid (or 1/4 cup hot water), 1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks, pineapple juice reserved, white vinegar, orange juice, achiote paste, garlic cloves, ground cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Blend until very smooth, adding 1–2 tablespoons of water if needed to reach a pourable consistency.

Marinate pork

Place the 1.5 lb diced pork shoulder in a bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the pork and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight for best flavor.

Cook pork

When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Remove pork from marinade (reserve marinade) and sear in batches so pieces brown and develop edges, about 4–5 minutes per batch. Return all pork to the pan, add 1/4 cup reserved marinade and the remaining 1/2 cup pineapple chunks. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is tender and caramelized, about 10–12 minutes. Taste and add remaining 1/2 tsp salt if needed. For extra char, finish under a broiler for 2–3 minutes on a sheet pan, turning once.

Shred or chop

Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes. Chop coarsely or shred pork with two forks to bite-sized pieces suitable for tacos. Keep warm.

Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 onion (quartered) and 1 smashed garlic clove; sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add 1.5 cups cooked pinto beans, 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth, 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer gently 6–8 minutes, mashing some of the beans with the back of a spoon to thicken. Adjust seasoning and keep warm until serving.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the 6 halved/quartered tomatillos and 2 serrano chiles and blanch 3–4 minutes until tomatillos change color and soften. Drain and transfer to a blender with 1 garlic clove, 1/4 white onion, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more serrano (or seeds) if you want it spicier. Chill or serve at room temperature.

Warm tortillas: Heat a dry skillet or comal over medium-high heat. Warm each corn tortilla 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly toasted. Keep covered in a towel to stay warm.

Assemble tacos: Divide the chopped/shredded pork al pastor evenly among 6 tortillas (about 3 tacos per serving). Top each taco with a spoonful of diced fresh pineapple, a sprinkle of finely diced white onion, and chopped cilantro.

Serve: Arrange three tacos per plate. Add a scoop of pinto beans on the side and a small bowl or spoonful of tomatillo salsa verde. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing. Enjoy immediately.