Tacos al Pastor — Spit-roasted pork tacos with pineapple, cilantro, and onion

One of Mexico's most beloved street foods, tacos al pastor draws from Lebanese shawarma traditions brought by immigrants in the early 20th century, reimagined with dried chiles and pineapple. The marinated pork is traditionally cooked on a vertical spit (trompo), but a home oven or skillet delivers excellent results.

Serves: 4-6 | Prep: 30 min + 2 hr marinate | Cook: 25 min

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless pork shoulder, sliced thin (about 1/4 inch)
• 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, plus extra slices for grilling
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 medium white onion, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp achiote paste (optional, for color)
• Small corn tortillas

For serving:

• Diced white onion
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges
• Salsa verde or salsa roja

Instructions

1. Toast and rehydrate the chiles: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo and ancho chiles 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Soak in hot water 15 minutes, then drain.
2. Blend the marinade: Combine rehydrated chiles, 1 cup pineapple chunks, garlic, onion, vinegar, cumin, oregano, cloves, pepper, salt, and achiote paste in a blender. Puree until smooth.
3. Marinate the pork: Coat sliced pork thoroughly with the marinade. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results.
4. Cook the pork: Preheat oven to 400F. Spread pork on a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast 15-20 minutes, turning once, until edges char slightly. Alternatively, sear in a hot cast iron skillet in batches, 3-4 minutes per side.
5. Grill the pineapple: Grill or pan-sear pineapple slices until caramelized, about 2 minutes per side. Dice into small pieces.
6. Assemble: Warm corn tortillas on a dry skillet. Top with chopped pork, grilled pineapple, diced onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Tips

• Freezing the pork shoulder for 30 minutes makes thin slicing much easier
• For closer-to-authentic results, stack marinated slices on a vertical skewer and broil, shaving off the cooked edges
• Leftover marinade works well on chicken thighs