Al Pastor Tacos Recipe

Make the marinade

Combine pineapple juice, achiote paste, chipotle in adobo, guajillo (or ancho) chile powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, black pepper, kosher salt, apple cider vinegar, quartered white onion, and garlic cloves in a blender. Purée until completely smooth and vibrant. If mixture is too thick, add up to 2 tablespoons water to help blend.

Marinate the pork

Place thinly sliced pork shoulder in a large zip-top bag or nonreactive container. Pour the blended pineapple-achiote marinade over the pork, pressing to coat thoroughly. Add the thin pineapple slices into the bag, distributing among the meat. Seal and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 18 hours (overnight) to tenderize and flavor the meat.

Cook the pork

Remove pork from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Remove pork from marinade (reserve marinade) and pat pieces lightly dry with paper towels. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, sear pork slices about 2–3 minutes per side until nicely browned and cooked through (internal temp 145–160°F depending on thickness). Transfer cooked pork to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. If desired, in the same pan, add reserved thin pineapple slices and sear 1–2 minutes per side until caramelized; chop for garnish.

Finish

Stack the seared pork slices and slice or chop into small bite-sized pieces (2–3 cm). Toss briefly in the pan with any accumulated juices and 1 tablespoon oil for 30–60 seconds to reheat and develop crisp edges. Taste and adjust salt.

Prepare the avocado salsa just before serving: in a bowl combine diced avocados, diced roma tomato, minced red onion, chopped cilantro, minced jalapeño (if using), lime juice, salt and pepper. Gently fold to combine, leaving some avocado chunks for texture. Taste and adjust lime and salt. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Warm tortillas

Warm corn tortillas on a dry skillet over medium heat for about 20–30 seconds per side until soft and pliable, or wrap stacked tortillas in a damp towel and microwave 30–45 seconds. Keep wrapped to stay warm.

Assemble tacos

Place about 2–3 tablespoons of chopped al pastor pork on each warmed tortilla. Top each with 1–2 tablespoons avocado salsa, a pinch of finely diced white onion, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, and a few pieces of the caramelized diced pineapple. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Serving suggestions

Offer extra hot sauce, pickled red onions or radishes at the table. Leftover pork can be refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet to preserve edges.