Sarah's Kitchen / Mexican / Street Food

Tacos al Pastor

Shepherd-Style Tacos — Mexican-Lebanese Fusion Masterpiece

"Lebanese shawarma meets Mexican chiles. Immigration created perfection."

4+Hours (includes marinating)
8-10Servings
3/5Difficulty

The Origin

When Lebanese immigrants brought shawarma to Mexico, magic happened.

The Beautiful Collision

In the early 1900s, Lebanese immigrants arrived in Mexico City. They brought their techniques — vertical spits, shaved meat, the art of shawarma. But they found Mexican ingredients waiting for them.

Lamb became pork. Middle Eastern spices became dried chiles and achiote. Pita became corn tortillas. And tahini? Replaced with pineapple, caramelized on top of the rotating spit, its juice dripping down to baste the meat.

Tacos al Pastor — "shepherd-style tacos" — was born. The name references the Lebanese shepherds who first made spit-roasted meat. The flavor is 100% Mexican street food glory.

At taquerías across Mexico City, the trompo (spinning cone of marinated pork) glows red with chile marinade, crowned with pineapple. Taqueros shave paper-thin slices directly into tortillas. It's theater. It's perfection.

"Every taco al pastor is a love letter between two cultures who found each other."

The Ingredients

La Carne — The Meat

Thin is Key
  • 3 lbsPork shoulderSliced ¼ inch thin (ask butcher) OR boneless pork butt

El Adobo — The Marinade

THE SOUL
  • 5Guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 2Ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1Chipotle in adobo (or 1 morita chile)
  • ½ cupPineapple juice
  • ¼ cupWhite vinegar
  • 4 clovesGarlic
  • ½White onion
  • 2 tbspAchiote paste
  • 1 tspCumin
  • 1 tspMexican oregano
  • ½ tspBlack pepper
  • 1 tbspSalt

La Piña — The Pineapple

  • ½Fresh pineappleCut into ½-inch thick rounds or chunks

Para Servir

  • Small corn tortillas
  • White onion, finely diced
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Salsa verde or roja
  • Lime wedges

The Method

01

Make the Adobo Marinade

1

Toast dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and pliable, about 30 seconds per side.

2

Soak chiles in hot water for 20 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving ½ cup soaking liquid.

3

Blend soaked chiles with pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, onion, achiote paste, spices, and reserved liquid until completely smooth.

Critical

Blend for 2-3 minutes. The adobo should be silky smooth. Strain if needed.

02

Marinate (2+ hours, overnight best)

4

If using pork butt, slice into thin (¼ inch) pieces against the grain.

5

Coat pork thoroughly in adobo marinade. Massage it into every piece.

6

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. The longer, the better.

03

Cook the Meat

7

Grill method (best): Grill pork slices over high heat 2-3 minutes per side until charred and cooked through. Grill pineapple chunks until caramelized.

8

Cast iron method: Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Cook pork in batches, getting good char. Don't crowd the pan.

The Char

You want crispy, caramelized edges — that's where the magic lives. High heat, don't move the meat.

9

Chop the cooked pork into small pieces. Mix with charred pineapple chunks.

04

Build the Tacos

10

Warm tortillas on a dry comal or directly over a gas flame until pliable and slightly charred.

11

Double up tortillas (two per taco). Fill with pastor and pineapple.

12

Top with diced onion and cilantro. Squeeze lime. Add salsa. Devour.

Pro Tips

Get closer to taquería perfection.

The Trompo at Home

Stack marinated pork on a vertical skewer over a drip pan. Roast in a 375°F oven, basting with drippings. Slice with a sharp knife as it cooks.

Don't Skip Achiote

Achiote paste gives that distinctive red color and earthy flavor. No substitute. Find it in the Mexican aisle.

Thin Slices Matter

Ask your butcher to slice pork shoulder thin (¼ inch). More surface area = more marinade absorption = more char = more flavor.