Mexican · Tacos

Tacos al Pastor

Name: Tacos al Pastor
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 4 h 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 900 g boneless pork shoulder, sliced across the grain as thinly as possible; 3 pieces dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 60 ml pineapple juice; 45 ml white vinegar; 30 g achiote paste; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tsp Mexican oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 1/2 tsp fine salt; 1 tbsp neutral oil; 350 g fresh pineapple, sliced; 18 pieces small corn tortillas; 1 piece small white onion, finely diced; 1 handful cilantro, chopped; 3 pieces limes, cut into wedges

This home-kitchen adaptation cooks thinly sliced achiote-and-chile pork in a very hot skillet, then serves it on warm corn tortillas with pineapple and fresh garnishes.

By Cookimoki Editorial Team · Updated Sep 2, 2026

View recipe ↓Editorial recipe, not kitchen tested

Photo: AI-generated for Cookimoki · Cookimoki-owned AI-generated image

45 minActive Time

4 hrRest / Wait

4 hr 45 minTotal Time

6 servingsServings

MediumDifficulty

Ingredients

Servings

6 servings

Units

Check ingredients you already have, then copy the remaining items for shopping.

Pork and marinade
Marinade
Cooking
To assemble

Instructions

1
Soften the chiles. Cover the guajillos with just-boiled water for 15 minutes, then drain.
Look for: The skins bend easily and no dry brittle areas remain.
2
Blend the marinade. Blend softened chiles, pineapple juice, vinegar, achiote, garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt until smooth.
Look for: The mixture is brick red and pourable, with no large chile-skin pieces.
3
Marinate the pork. Coat the pork thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for 4–12 hours. Do not marinate at room temperature.
Look for: Every slice is thinly and evenly coated.
4
Char the pineapple. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat and sear the pineapple in batches until browned. Chop into bite-size pieces.
Look for: Dark caramelized patches form while the center remains juicy.
5
Sear the pork in batches. Add oil and cook a single layer of pork at a time over high heat, turning until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a clean board and chop. Verify at least 71°C in a representative thick piece.
Look for: The edges are charred, no raw pink remains, and the measured temperature reaches 71°C.
6
Warm and assemble. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet. Fill with pork and pineapple, then finish with onion, cilantro, and lime.
Look for: The tortillas are flexible and lightly toasted at the edges.

Tips & Variations

→Partially freeze the pork for 25–35 minutes to make thin slicing easier.
→Cook in small batches so the pork sears instead of steaming.

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Dietary & allergen notes

Gluten-free adaptableDairy-free as written

Contains: No major U.S. allergens intentionally included

Confirm that the achiote paste and corn tortillas are certified gluten-free if needed.

Allergy information is ingredient guidance, not a guarantee against cross-contact. FDA allergen guidance

Storage & reheating

Refrigerator: Refrigerate cooked pork and garnishes separately for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze cooked pork without garnishes for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat pork in a hot skillet until steaming; warm tortillas separately.

USDA leftovers and food-safety guidance

Cultural context

Tacos al pastor are a widely recognized Mexican taco style. The vertical-spit restaurant method is difficult to reproduce exactly at home, so this draft is explicitly a skillet adaptation rather than a claim of identical trompo results.

This short note provides context, not a complete history; regional and family traditions vary.

Sources & further reading

Mexico Secretariat of Agriculture: Tacos al PastorSupports the broader cultural context of tacos and identifies al pastor as a prominent variation.
USDA: Safe Minimum Internal Temperature ChartSupports safe temperature guidance for the home preparation.

Recipe credits

Author: Cookimoki Editorial Team; Recipe editor
Testing: Editorial recipe, not kitchen tested
Published: Sep 2, 2026
Last updated: —

Editorial research draft. This recipe must be kitchen-tested, photographed, and reviewed before publication.