Al pastor ("shepherd style") came from Lebanese shawarma and became Mexican street-food royalty — pork stacked on a vertical trompo, crowned with a pineapple. This home version gets you the same smoky-sweet flavor from a screaming-hot pan or grill.
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork shoulder, thinly sliced
- 3 guajillo + 2 ancho chiles, soaked soft
- 2 tbsp achiote (annatto) paste
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup pineapple juice + 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp cumin + 1 tsp oregano + 1 tsp salt
- Fresh pineapple, diced
- Corn tortillas
- White onion & cilantro, chopped; lime wedges
Method
- Soak the dried chiles in hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Blend with achiote, garlic, pineapple juice, vinegar, cumin, oregano and salt into a smooth, thick marinade.
- Coat the sliced pork thoroughly and marinate at least 4 hours — overnight is best.
- Heat a heavy pan or grill until very hot. Sear the pork in a single layer, undisturbed, so it chars at the edges. Add the diced pineapple to caramelize alongside.
- Chop the cooked pork into small pieces (the traditional texture).
- Warm the corn tortillas, then build: pork, pineapple, a shower of onion and cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with salsa roja.
🌮 Char is flavor
Don't crowd the pan — cook in batches so the pork sears instead of steams. Those crispy charred edges are the whole point.