About this Dish
Mexico City's most beloved street food — pork marinated in dried chillies and achiote, stacked on a vertical spit with a pineapple on top, shaved to order into small corn tortillas. The technique was introduced by Lebanese immigrants in the 1930s — now entirely its own Mexican tradition.
IngredientsServes 3
🥩Pork shoulder, 1.5kg thinly sliced (about 3–4mm thick)
🌶️Dried guajillo chillies, 4 large, stems and seeds removed
🌶️Dried ancho chillies, 2, stems and seeds removed
🟠Achiote paste (annatto paste), 3 tablespoons
🍍Fresh pineapple, 1 small — half blended into marinade, half sliced for grilling
🧅White onion, 1 large — half for marinade, half finely diced to serve
🧄Garlic cloves, 4, peeled
🍊Orange juice, 120ml (juice of about 2 oranges)
🌽Small corn tortillas, 16–20
🌿Fresh coriander, a large handful, roughly chopped, to serve
Method
1
Toast the dried guajillo and ancho chillies in a dry pan over medium heat for 30 seconds each side until fragrant, then soak them in just-boiled water for 15 minutes until soft. Drain and add to a blender with the achiote paste, half the onion, garlic, orange juice, half the pineapple, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of cumin — blend until completely smooth.2
Pour the marinade over the thinly sliced pork, making sure every piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight gives the best depth of flavour.3
When ready to cook, heat a large heavy skillet or griddle pan over high heat until very hot. Working in batches, cook the pork slices for 2–3 minutes per side until nicely charred at the edges — don't overcrowd the pan or the meat will steam instead of sear.4
In the same pan, grill the pineapple slices for 1–2 minutes per side until caramelised and golden. Once slightly cooled, chop the pork and pineapple together into small pieces on a chopping board, mixing them as you go.5
Warm your corn tortillas directly over a gas flame for 20–30 seconds per side, or in a dry pan, until soft and lightly charred in spots. Stack them wrapped in a clean cloth to keep them warm and pliable.6
Build each taco with a spoonful of the pork and pineapple mixture on a doubled-up tortilla (street-style). Top with finely diced white onion and fresh coriander, and serve with lime wedges and salsa verde on the side.User Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first!
Sign in to leave a review
Members can create lists, save favourites and get recommendations.
Find the Best Tacos al Pastor Near Me
AI-powered — Google, TripAdvisor and food blogs
What To Eat
The World's Food Guide
© 2025 What To Eat · hello@whattoeat.world