The best tacos al pastor recipe takes flavorful pork shoulder seasoned in a zesty marinade and grills it to perfection, just like this one. Get the tortillas ready!
There is a Mexican restaurant right up the street from me that makes outstanding tacos al pastor. There is also a Mexican restaurant just on the other side of town that makes a mean one. And another about 2 miles away from me. My town isn't hurting for great Mexican food.
I just can't get enough tacos. There are so many types that I love, and absolutely one of my favorites is Tacos al Pastor. As much as I love going out for tacos, I love even more making them at home myself. It's super easy.
If you've never tried making your own homemade tacos al pastor, now is the time to give it a go. I'm here to help.
It really is an easy recipe, my friends. It's mostly about the marinade. Then it's a bit of grilling and chopping and topping those tacos.
But first.
What are Tacos al Pastor?
Tacos al Pastor is a recipe from central Mexico derived from shawarma introduced by Lebanese immigrants. Similar to Greek gyros, the meat is traditionally spit-grilled on a trompo and sliced into tacos, though tacos al pastor uses pork. The dish is compared to recipes like tacos de adobada from Northern Mexico and tacos árabes from Puebla.
"Al pastor" translates to "shepherd style".
There are two components to tacos al pastor that make it unique compared to other taco recipes - the marinade and the grilling.
Tacos al pastor marinade can vary somewhat from cook to cook, but it boils down to a base of Mexican chili peppers, fruit juices and seasonings that make this dish a culinary favorite.
Let's talk about how to make Tacos al Pastor, shall we?
Tacos al Pastor Ingredients
- FOR THE MARINADE
- Chili Peppers. I'm using ancho peppers, guajillo peppers, and chiles de arbol. You can use chili powder as well.
- Onion and Garlic.
- Pineapple. Use fresh, or you can use canned, or pineapple juice.
- Chipotle Sauce.
- Achiote Paste.
- Orange Juice.
- Apple Cider Vinegar.
- Brown Sugar.
- Seasonings. Mexican oregano, cumin, salt and pepper to taste.
- FOR THE TACOS AL PASTOR
- Pork Shoulder.
- Olive Oil.
- Warmed Corn Tortillas.
- Garnish, such as pineapple slices, sliced peppers, fresh herbs.
This is enough to thoroughly coat and marinate a 3 pound pork shoulder, which is the cut of meat you want for tacos al pastor.
How to Make Tacos al Pastor - the Recipe Steps
Make the al Pastor Marinade
Soften the Peppers. Dry toast the dried anchos, guajillos and chiles de arbol a couple minutes per side in a hot pan to release their oils. Cool, then remove stems and seeds. Set into a bowl and cover with hot water to soften for 20 minutes.
Drain. Drain the water and add the rehydrated peppers to a large food processor.
Food Processor. Add in the onion, garlic, pineapple, chipotle sauce, achiote paste, orange juice, vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, and salt to taste. Process until smooth.
Slice the Pork. Slice the pork shoulder into long thin strips, about ½ inch thick. Make them large enough so they won’t fall through your grill grates. If using the Vertical Skewer method, slice the pork instead into 1/4 inch slices.
Marinate the Pork. Add the pork to a large bowl and cover with the marinade. Make sure to get all of the pork evenly coated.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but overnight is better to develop more flavor.
Easy Grilled Tacos al Pastor
When you're ready to make your tacos al pastor, heat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Alternatively, you can make this indoors in a grill pan on the stove top.
Shake off excess marinade and grill the pork for 6-7 minutes, or until slightly charred and cooked through. You want to get a bit of crispy char on them.
Slice into bite-sized pieces and serve over warmed corn tortillas. Top with diced jalapeno, diced grilled pineapple or fresh pineapple, diced tomato, chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges or lime juice, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce.
Vertical Skewer Grilled Tacos al Pastor
Thread the Skewer. Shake off excess marinade and thread the sliced pork onto a vertical skewer.
Grill the Pork. Heat the grill to 250 degrees F and grill the pork over indirect heat for 3-3.5 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. The outer edges should be a bit crispy and charred.
Remove and Slice. Remove from heat and slice the pork, then serve! Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
BOOM! Done! Quite easy, right? I love easy. And BIG FLAVOR. Taco time, my friends!
Recipe Tips
- On Slicing. Slice the pork shoulder into thinner strips or slices for marinating. Some recipes call for you to slice the pork into thicker steaks, but cutting them smaller allows the marinade to better permeate and flavor the meat. Thin slices of pork is best for flavor. Just don't cut them so small that they will fall through your grill grates.
- On Marinating. Marinate the sliced pork at least 2 hours, but longer is better for more flavor infusion. I like to marinate overnight for best results.
- Make it Ahead. Get your sliced pork marinating the night before you want to make tacos al pastor. When you get home from work, dinner is on the table in a snap. All you need to do is prep your toppings, grill and slice the pork, then serve up tacos.
Are Tacos al Pastor Grilled?
Yes. It's easier to use your grill to get the colorful char. I like to the cooking method of smoking the pork on a charcoal grill to get that smoky, wood flavor that takes this recipe to the next level.
However, you can make this recipe on a stove top with either a grill pan or even your every day pan. You'll miss that extra flavor component, but it will still be satisfying and flavorful. You can use a gas grill as well.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your easy tacos al pastor! Homemade!
Try Some of My Other Popular Taco Recipes
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Beef Enchiladas
- Cochinita Pibil
- Chicken Enchiladas Verde with Cheese
- Rajas Poblanas – Roasted Poblano Strips in Cream Sauce
- Mexican Chicken Tortas
- Carne Asada - Mexican Grilled Steak
- Pernil (Puerto Rican Roast Pork)
- Bean Burritos
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Tacos al Pastor Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE MARINADE
- 2 ancho peppers
- 2 guajillo peppers
- 2 dried chiles de arbol or more as desired
- 1 small yellow onion roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/3 cup crushed pineapple or use pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons chipotle sauce
- 2 tablespoons achiote paste
- Juice from 1 large orange about 1/3 cup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
FOR THE TACOS AL PASTOR
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- Olive oil as needed
- 12 corn tortillas warmed
- FOR SERVING: Diced jalapeno, diced pineapple, diced tomato, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce
Instructions
FOR THE MARINADE
- Dry toast the dried anchos, guajillos and chiles de arbol a couple minutes per side in a hot pan to release their oils. Cool, then remove stems and seeds. Set into a bowl and cover with hot water to soften for 20 minutes.
- Drain the water and add the rehydrated peppers to a large food processor.
- Add in the onion, garlic, pineapple, chipotle sauce, achiote paste, orange juice, vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, and salt to taste. Process until smooth.
- Next, slice the pork shoulder into long strips, about ½ inch thick. Make them large enough so they won’t fall through your grill grates. (If using the vertical skewer method, slice the pork into 1/4 inch or thinner slices, not strips.)
- Add the pork to a large bowl and cover with the marinade. Make sure to get all of the pork evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but overnight is better to develop more flavor.
FOR THE TACOS AL PASTOR (EASY GRILLING METHOD)
- Heat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Alternatively, you can make this indoors in a grill pan on the stove top.
- Shake off excess marinade and grill the pork for 6-7 minutes, or until cooked through. You want to get a nice crusty char.
- Slice into bite-sized pieces and serve over warmed tortillas. Top with diced jalapeno, diced pineapple, diced tomato, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce.
FOR TACOS AL PASTOR ON A VERTICAL SKEWER
- Shake off excess marinade and thread the marinated sliced pork shoulder onto a vertical skewer.
- Heat your grill (or smoker) to 250 degrees F and set the skewer inside over indirect heat.
- Grill over indirect heat for 3 to 3.5 hours, or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- Slice into bite-sized pieces and serve over warmed tortillas. Top with diced jalapeno, diced pineapple, diced tomato, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce.
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This post was updated on 3/16/22 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 4/24/19.
