Tacos al Pastor: The Trompo at Home
Al pastor is Mexico City street food at its finest — pork marinated in dried chillies and achiote, cooked on a vertical spit, shaved into a tortilla with pineapple. We don't have a trompo. A screaming-hot pan works just as well.
Al pastor without the dried chilli and achiote marinade is just pork in a tortilla. The colour, the flavour, the smokiness — it all comes from the paste. Don't skip toasting the dried chillies and don't substitute the achiote paste.
🛒 Ingredients
- 600gPork shoulder, thin-sliced (5mm)
- 3Guajillo chillies, dried
- 2Ancho chillies, dried
- 2 tbspAchiote (annatto) paste
- 3 clovesGarlic
- 1 tspCumin
- 1 tspDried oregano
- 3 tbspWhite vinegar
- 1 tbspOrange juice
- 1 tspSalt
- 200gFresh pineapple, sliced
- 12 smallCorn tortillas
- 1 mediumWhite onion, finely diced
- 1 bunchFresh coriander (cilantro)
- 2Limes, cut into wedges
- Salsa verdeto serve
🛠️ Method
Toast and Rehydrate the Chillies
Remove stems and seeds from dried chillies. Toast in a dry pan over medium heat for 30 seconds per side — they should blister and become fragrant, not burn. Submerge in hot water for 15–20 minutes until completely soft. Drain.
Make the Marinade
Blend the soaked chillies with achiote paste, garlic, cumin, oregano, vinegar, orange juice, and salt until completely smooth. Taste — it should be complex, slightly smoky, and tangy. Adjust salt.
Marinate the Pork
Slice pork shoulder very thin — 4–5mm. The thinner the slice, the better it caramelises. Coat thoroughly in the marinade, massaging into every piece. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Grill the Pineapple
Slice pineapple into 1cm rounds. Grill or pan-sear on high heat for 2 minutes per side until caramelised with char marks. Cut into small chunks. This is not optional decoration — the sweet-acid contrast is fundamental to the dish.
Cook the Pork
Get a cast-iron pan or heavy skillet screaming hot — the hottest your hob will go. Cook pork in a single layer without crowding, 2–3 minutes per side. You want char at the edges and caramelisation, not steaming. Cook in batches if needed. Rest briefly, then chop roughly with a knife.
Build the Taco
Warm corn tortillas directly on a gas flame or dry pan until charred in spots and pliable. Double them up. Add pork, a piece of pineapple, diced onion, coriander, a squeeze of lime, and salsa verde. Eat immediately — tacos wait for no one.
💡 Chef's Notes
Achiote paste is available in Latin grocery stores or online. It's what gives al pastor its distinctive brick-red colour. No real substitute.
Corn vs flour tortillas: Corn is correct for al pastor. Flour tortillas are for burritos and Tex-Mex. Use corn.
Batch cooking: The marinated pork freezes perfectly. Make 2kg, freeze in portions, and you're 20 minutes from tacos any night.