Pork Al Pastor Recipe

Prepare dried chilies

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Toast the guajillo and ancho chilies for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove from heat.

Soak the toasted chilies in 1/2 cup hot (not boiling) water for 15 minutes until softened. Reserve the soaking liquid.

In a blender combine softened chilies (drain but reserve 1/4 cup soaking liquid), achiote paste, chipotle in adobo, pineapple juice, orange juice, white vinegar, garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground cloves, black pepper and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Blend until completely smooth, adding up to the reserved chili soaking liquid as needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency (about 2–3 tablespoons).

Place the sliced pork shoulder in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the pork, add the pineapple pieces, toss to coat thoroughly, and press out excess air if using a bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Turn once halfway through for even coverage.

Drain and pat dry

Remove the pork from the marinade and set the pineapple pieces aside for grilling. Pat the pork slices dry with paper towels to promote even browning. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting (optional) but do not use it raw as-is unless boiled (see note).

If you want to reduce food-safety risk with reserved marinade, bring it to a simmer in a small saucepan for 5 minutes before using as a baste or sauce.

Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and let it shimmer.

Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the pork slices 2–3 minutes per side until well browned and slightly charred at edges. Add additional oil as needed between batches. As pork finishes, transfer to a sheet pan and keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven.

Once all pork is seared, optionally stack the slices and use tongs to hold the stack vertically, slicing thin ribbons off the stack (al pastor style). Alternatively, chop the cooked slices into bite-size pieces and return to the skillet.

If using chopped pieces, add the reserved pineapple pieces to the skillet and cook together 2–3 minutes until pineapple is lightly caramelized and pork is cooked through (internal temp 145°F / 63°C). Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt if needed.

Warm the corn tortillas: heat a dry skillet or comal over medium heat and warm tortillas 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and lightly charred. Keep wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to stay warm.

Assemble tacos: place 2–3 tablespoons of pork al pastor onto each warm tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of diced white onion and chopped cilantro, a few pieces of the caramelized pineapple, and a squeeze of lime.

Serve immediately with extra lime wedges and additional chopped pineapple on the side. Provide salt to taste.

Leftovers: refrigerate cooled cooked pork in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water or pineapple juice to keep moist.