Traditionally this taco is made with seasoned and marinated pork cooked on a spit grill. It is sometimes also referred to as tacos arabes. The flavor profile of the pastor taco is sweet and savory. The pork is well marinated in an adobo sauce, then served on a soft tortilla, topped with chopped pineapple. The name pastor taco translates to ‘shephard style’, which refers to the cooking method.

The Al Pastor taco is marinated in an adobo sauce, which gives a golden brown color to the meat once grilled. The adobo sauce usually has the following ingredients: chile powder, Roma tomatoes, cider vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, oregano, salt, ground cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, all spice, olive oil.

Each restaurant has its own recipe, with secret ingredients. The trompo is the vertical rotisserie. Some restaurants add orange juice and their own special seasoning. The pork is sliced and then stacked on the stick of meat on top of each other. Some slices are thicker and some thinner. On top of the stick you will see a pineapple. The taqueros will cut a few slices of the pineapple when he serves the al pastor taco, adding some salsa, cilantro and onion.

A brief history of the Al Pastor taco

The pastor taco originates from the region of Anatolia, where they grilled meat on a rotating spit. The Greeks call it gyro, the Lebanese call it Shawarma and in Turkey it’s Doner kebab. When the Lebanese migration to Mexico started in the 19th and early 20th centuries, they landed in Mexican ports such as Puerto Progreso, Veracruz and Tampico. With this migration they brought the influence of their cuisine. The Lebanese-Mexican community that settled in Pueblo started selling tacos. On a flour tortilla, add chipotle salsa, and pastor meat.

What kind of meat is used for Al Pastor tacos?

The Al Pastor meat is usually made from boneless pork shoulder, which is a triangular cut from the area just above the front leg of the pig. Butchers often sell pork shoulder with the skin on and a layer of fat. The al pastor taco has to be cooked on a rotating spit. This is why pork shoulder is the perfect cut for this slow cooking, the fats will retain the flavor and keep the meat juicy. Other variations could be to mix pork sirloin pounded thin with bacon, this will be similar to the fat content of traditional pork shoulder.

Where can you find the best Al Pastor taco in the world

The world’s most famous al pastor taco is to be found on the streets of Mexico City. Specifically on Lorenzo Boturini street you will find the best al pastor taquerias. Here in Washington D.C. you will find the best al pastor taco in Paraiso Taqueria. Chef Giovany Beltran marinates the Al Pastor taco in his special spice blend, then it’s grilled and serves with salsa, grilled pineapple and cilantro on a heirloom corn tortilla. Provecho!

How to make tacos Al Pastor

The most authentic recipe for the al pastor taco is one that is passed down from generation to generation. The marinade requires a lot of different spices and herbs. It’s best to go to your local Latin American grocery store and make sure you have all of the necessary ingredients.

Ingredients:

1oz Guajillo peppers cleaned and seeds removed
1oz Achioate paste
¼ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup white vinegar
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp Mexican oregano
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 cloves
1 ¼ tsp salt
2 lbs pork shoulder cut in ⅓ inch strips
Salt and pepper
1 medium size white onion cut in slices
1 cup of finely chopped pineapple
1 bunch of cilantro washed and chopped
1 medium size onion chopped
12 corn tortillas
Spicy salsa of your choice

STEPS:

Prepare the meat first
Place the Guajillo peppers in a saucepan and cover with water, let it simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the peppers are soft. Let it cool and then drain the water.
In a blender, place your peppers, pineapple juice, spices, achiote paste and blend until it’s smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. I would recommend about 3 tsp of salt and 1 tsp pepper.
In a large bowl, place the cut pork shoulder strips and pour the sauce on top of it. Mix well and let it marinade for at least 4 hours.
When you’re ready to serve the tacos, grill the pork shoulder strips on a skillet. Other methods of cooking the pork shoulder are on kabob skewers over charcoal (this will take at least 20 minutes and you should slice the pork shoulder in larger cubes) or on a rotisserie.
Grill the finely chopped pineapple strips.
Serve your al pastor tacos on the corn tortillas, with the meat, the grilled pineapple, chopped onion, cilantro and the spicy salsa of your choice. Provecho!

WHAT IS THE ‘AL PASTOR’ TACO?