Tacos al Pastor Recipe | An Authentic, Smoky & Juicy Pork Tacos Recipe (2024)

Juicy tacos al pastor are a crowd favorite made with spicy and smoky pork and sweet pineapple. You’ll love the bold flavor that the earthy, hearty chilis and spices bring to this simple, authentic recipe for al pastor tacos!

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Crave This Authentic Tacos al Pastor Recipe
• Ingredients for Seasoning for Tacos al Pastor
• How to Make Tacos al Pastor
• Chef’s Tips and Variations
• What to Serve with Al Pastor Tacos
• Can I Prepare The Pork Ahead?
• Storing and Reheating Leftovers
• Get the Recipe
• More Irresistible Taco Recipes

Need more authentic tacos in your life? Try these nopales asados tacos, birria tacos, and classic carne asada tacos!

Ingredients for Seasoning for Tacos al Pastor

To whip up this fiesta-worthy recipe, you’ll need some basic ingredients, and a few special chiles and spices. If you don’t have a good latin grocery store near you, you can find the dried chiles online! Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.

For the Marinade

• Dried Chiles: Guajillo chiles and ancho chile, seeded and stemmed.
• Chipotle Pepper: Canned, in adobo sauce.
• Onion and Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves and fresh onion. Any color onion will do.
• Spices and Seasonings: Achiote powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt and black pepper.
• Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is my go-to, but any vinegar will work.
• Liquid from the Chiles: We’ll be soaking the chiles, and saving the soaking liquid to help make the marinade.

For the Tacos

• Pork: Some recipes use pork shoulder, but this one’s extra easy – all you need are boneless pork chops, thinly sliced. If you prefer to use a pork shoulder, cut it into bite size chunks or slices.
• Oil: Vegetable oil is my preference here.
• Tortillas: You’ll want corn tortillas for authentic tacos al pastor, but if you prefer, you can of course use flour tortillas instead.
• Salt

Optional Toppings

• Pineapple: Diced, grilled pineapple is a must for tacos al pastor! If it’s your first time, here’s my post for how to cut up a pineapple!
• Onion: Diced.
• Cilantro: Chopped.
• Salsa: A simple tomato salsa, like my restaurant style salsa is perfect here. You could also use Pico de Gallo!
• Avocado: While not typically served with tacos al pastor, you can definitely add some.

How to Make Tacos al Pastor

So how do you put it all together? While there are a few steps, it’s actually much easier than you might think. The hardest part about making these tacos is waiting for the pork to marinate! Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full detailed instructions.

• Marinate the Pork: Soak the chiles in boiling water until softened. Add them to a blender with the other marinade ingredients, plus a little of the soaking liquid. Blend, strain, add in the pork and marinate for at least one hour.
• Cook Pork in Skillet: Cook the pork over medium-high heat spread out in a large skillet or grill pan. Work in batches as needed. Don’t crowd the meat, because you want it to be crispy!
• Heat the Tortillas: In a clean pan or on a griddle, warm up the corn tortillas until they’re soft and easy to bend.You can also microwave them wrapped in a damp paper towel for 30 seconds.
• Serve: Fill your tortillas with pork, add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Chef’s Tips and Variations

• Thinly Slice the Pork: For the best texture and cooking results, slice the pork into thin pieces as they cook quickly and evenly. This allows the meat to brown on the outside, while staying tender and juicy on the inside!
• Pineapple is Essential: Tacos al pastor wouldn’t be complete without the pineapple. You can grill it on a grill, or just toss it in to the skillet with the pork. You want it cooked so that its natural sweetness shines through.
• Warming the Tortillas: The final touch for your tacos al pastor is using warm, soft tortillas. Unheated corn tortillas can be crumbly and a bit bland, but heated up, they are soft, warm, and perfectly yummy.
• Use the Grill Instead: If you prefer to grill your pork, you can use cubed pork shoulder and skewer it on kabobs before grilling!
• Sweeten the Pork: Prefer your al pastor meat to be sweet and savory? Use pineapple juice to thin the marinade, instead of using the soaking liquid from the chiles.
• Spicy or Not: As is, this recipe creates a smoky and slightly spicy pork. The smokiness comes from the dried chilis, the heat comes from the canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. To increase the level of heat, double or triple the chipotle peppers!

What to Serve with Al Pastor Tacos

These tacos are bold enough to shine on their own, but if you want to throw a full-blown fiesta, try adding a few flavorful side dishes.

• Mexican Rice: Everyone always loves this zesty, authentic Mexican rice. For a lighter flavor, cilantro lime rice is also a great choice!
• Beans: And if you’re serving rice (or even if you’re not), no one will be sad if you add a pot of ranch style beans or Mexican pinto beans! These are addictively delicious!
• Vegetables: Some sautéed calabacitas (Mexican squash) is a tasty choice, but you can’t go wrong with grilled Mexican street corn or a make-ahead Mexican street corn salad!

Can I Prepare The Pork Ahead?

Absolutely! You can refrigerate the marinate meat for up to 3 days in advance.

Tacos al pastor also makes a great freezer friendly meal! Freeze the marinated pork (in the marinade) for up to 3 months in an air-tight freezer safe bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then cook as directed!

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Fridge: Store the pork and toppings separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
• Reheat: You can microwave a serving or two of pork covered with a damp paper towel. For larger servings, heat in a covered skillet over low heat, adding a splash of water if it seems dry.
• Freezer: Transfer cooled pork into freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

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