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Restaurants›Taco Libre North St. Augustine›El Pastor Recipe

El Pastor Recipe

Name: Taco Libre North St. Augustines El Pastor Recipe
Cook time: 3 h 20 min
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 lbs pork shoulder (boneless), trimmed and cut into 1/4–1/2" slices; 3 tbs achiote (annatto) paste; 4 pieces dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 1 piece dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded; 1 tbs chipotle in adobo; 1 cup white vinegar; 1 cup fresh orange juice; 1 cup pineapple juice; 3 tpsp fresh garlic (about 3 cloves), minced; 2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican); 0.25 tsp ground cloves; 2 tbs vegetable oil; 1 cup fresh pineapple, sliced (rings or small wedges); 12 pieces corn tortillas, warmed; 0.5 cup white onion, finely chopped; 0.5 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 3 pieces limes, cut into wedges; 0.5 tsp salt; 1 to taste optional: salsa verde or roja

Inspired by Taco Libre North St. Augustine

Time3h 20m

Serves6

Make El Pastor Recipe in just 3h 20m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Marinade & Meat

2 lbs pork shoulder (boneless), trimmed and cut into 1/4–1/2" slices

3 tbs achiote (annatto) paste

4 pieces dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

1 piece dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded

1 tbs chipotle in adobo

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 cup Pineapple juice

3 tpsp fresh garlic (about 3 cloves), minced

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican)

1/4 tsp ground cloves

2 tbs Tuscany sunflower oil

Assembly & Toppings

1 cup fresh pineapple, sliced (rings or small wedges)

12 pieces corn tortillas, warmed

1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped

3 pieces limes, cut into wedges

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 to taste optional: salsa verde or roja

Method

Marinade & Meat

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chiles. Toast them briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak 15–20 minutes until softened. Reserve soaking liquid.

Make marinade

In a blender combine softened guajillo and ancho chiles (drain but reserve a little soaking liquid), achiote paste, chipotle in adobo, white vinegar, fresh orange juice, pineapple juice, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground cloves and vegetable oil. Blend until very smooth, adding up to 1/4 cup of the reserved chile soaking liquid if needed to reach a pourable yet thick paste consistency.

Marinate pork

Place the sliced pork shoulder into a large bowl or a resealable bag. Pour the marinade over the pork, massaging so every slice is well coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight for best flavor (up to 24 hours).

Bring meat to room temperature

About 30 minutes before cooking remove the marinated pork from the refrigerator to take the chill off. Reserve any excess marinade for basting.

Cook pork (grill or oven)

Option A — Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high. Oil the grates. Thread slices onto skewers or lay slices directly on the grill. Grill 3–5 minutes per side until edges are charred and interior reaches 145–160°F (depending on slice thickness) and caramelized in spots. Option B — Oven: Preheat broiler (or oven to 475°F). Spread slices in an even single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil or roast 6–10 minutes, flip, and cook another 4–8 minutes until edges are browned and slightly crisp. For a stacked trompo style, stack slices in a mound and roast at 425°F, basting occasionally, until cooked through and charred in places (30–40 minutes).

Caramelize pineapple with pork

While the pork finishes, cut pineapple into small wedges or rings. When pork has a few minutes left, grill or pan-sear the pineapple with a little oil until browned and caramelized, about 1–2 minutes per side. If broiling, place pineapple on the tray beside pork for the final 5 minutes to brown.

Rest and chop

Remove cooked pork to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Chop or thinly slice into bite-sized pieces. If you cooked larger pieces, shred or chop into small bits, keeping some crisped edges for texture. Chop the caramelized pineapple into small pieces as well.

Assembly & Toppings

Warm tortillas: Heat a comal, cast-iron skillet, or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Warm each corn tortilla about 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and lightly charred in spots. Keep wrapped in a clean towel to stay warm.

Assemble tacos: Place 1–2 tablespoons (or more to taste) of chopped al pastor meat on each warmed tortilla. Top with a bit of chopped caramelized pineapple.

Add finishing touches: Sprinkle finely chopped white onion and chopped cilantro over the meat. Season lightly with the 1/2 teaspoon salt if needed. Serve with lime wedges and optional salsa on the side. Squeeze lime over tacos just before eating.

Serve immediately

Serve tacos al pastor hot, allowing diners to add salsa and extra pineapple as they like.