Tacos al Pastor at home

This Tacos al Pastor recipe was given to me by my sister, she wrote the recipe while watching a TV show in Mexico, they were having a competition for the best Tacos al Pastor in Mexico City. The most famous taquerias were represented there, and the winner was kind enough to share his recipe. My sister took notes and this is the best recipe.

Best Authentic Homemade Tacos al Pastor

As a Mexican living abroad, it is not easy for me to satisfy the craving for eating really good Tacos al Pastor or Tacos de Trompo, as we call them in my hometown. Something happens inside taco trucks or Mexican-style restaurants outside of México that cannot explain in this short space, but you can see that there is a Mexican-looking guy cooking in the kitchen but the food doesn’t taste anything like the real thing.

I know they are focusing their business on the local clientele’s palate but please, why change the flavors 180 degrees? That is why I am always looking for ways to recreate those flavors at home as much as possible and this Tacos al pastor recipe is one of them.

Photo courtesy of Mexico Alternativo

Tacos al pastor are cooked on a vertical spit, the meat is stacked in the shape of an inverted top. Over the years, I tried different methods to mimic the tacos as they are sold in Mexico. One method was stacking the meat and bake it in the oven, it just doesn't work, the result was soft meat and not the crispier texture of the vertical pit, then the classic skillet versions where the meat sticks a little bit to the pan, the kabob style got better results than the previous cooking methods until one day I happen to visit blogger Kalofas and saw his Gyro recipe.

Using a rotisserie to make it. Bingo! I had found what I needed, a vertical rotisserie oven small enough to place on your countertop.And after doing some shopping via eBay and 26 dollars,  including shipping and handling, I am the proud owner of a Carousel Rotisserie. For me, this is the only way to cook tacos al pastor and also Tacos Arabes, Gyros, Chicken Shawarma, and a whole chicken, too.

You can buy a newer version of thisVertical Rotisserie online. Or get the same like mine, just click on the link below the ingredients list.You can buy a similar and new version Rotisserie in Amazon.

How to make Tacos al Pastor Recipe

INSTRUCTIONS:

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• Place the peppers in a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer over a medium heat until they look soft. Let them cool and drain. (Please check the ingredients list below)
• Place peppers, vinegar, pineapple juice with the spices and achiote paste in your blender. Process it until you have a very smooth sauce. Pour the sauce slowly through a fine sieve to get a nice homogenous texture.

• Season the meat with salt and pepper. Place the sauce and steaks in a large bowl and marinate the meat or use a pastry brush.
• Marinade for at least 4 hours or overnight of hours, and then grill the steaks or fry in a skillet. Grilling some pineapple and onion slices on the meat to add to the tacos when serving.

Now for the cooking process:

• To cook in the Vertical Rotisserie stake the meat intercalating with some slices of onions and pineapple. Let any marinade drain for about 20 minutes before starting the timer. 1 Hr. is enough to cook 2 pounds. Shave the meat with a sharp knife and place it in an already warm skillet.

• The second option to make your tacos al pastor at home is using the broiler in your oven. Cut the meat as for Kabobs and insert into the skewer placing onion and pineapple slices between the meat. Since the meat is cut into smaller portions this method will take about 20 minutes to cook rotating at least 2 times while cooking.

• Now, this is the easiest since almost anyone has a frying pan or skillet at home. Once your meat has marinated cut into small fine strips. Make sure to remove any excess adobo sauce. Warm the frying pan and add 1 – 2 Tablespoons of oil until hot enough that when you place the meat it sizzles. Add onion and pineapple slices along the meat to cook. Turning as needed to avoid the meat to stick to the pan.

Slice the meat finely and make your tacos al pastor with warm tortillas, topped with chopped onion and cilantro, onion, pineapple and a salsa of your choice.

Check out our recipes for Tacos de Suadero, Tripitas, Steak, huitlacoche tacos and Beef Tongue.

¡Buen provecho!

Mely,

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Tacos al-Pastor en español.

Tacos al Pastor at home

Mely Martínez

This recipe for Tacos al Pastor was given to me by my sister, she wrote the recipe while watching a TV show in Mexico, they were having a competition for the best Tacos al Pastor in Mexico City. The most famous taquerias were represented there, and the winner was kind enough to share his recipe.

4.91 from 63 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Tacos

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6

Calories 362 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 oz. guajillo peppers cleaned and seed removed About 4 peppers
• ▢ 1 oz. achiote paste
• ▢ ¼ cup pineapple juice you could use the juices from the sliced pineapple can
• ▢ ¼ cup white vinegar
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves
• ▢ 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
• ▢ ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ▢ ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 cloves
• ▢ 1 ¼ tsp. salt

FOR THE TACOS

• ▢ 2 Lbs. pork butt Shoulder cut in ⅓ inch steaks
• ▢ Salt and pepper to season the meat
• ▢ 1 medium size white onion cut in slices
• ▢ 1 can of pineapple rings
• ▢ 1 medium size bunch of cilantro washed and finely chopped
• ▢ 1 medium size onion finely chopped
• ▢ 12 Corn tortillas
• ▢ A good spicy salsa of your choice

Instructions

 

• Place the peppers in a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 15 minutes or until they look soft. Let them cool and drain.
• Place peppers, vinegar, pineapple juice with the spices and achiote paste in your blender. Process it until you have a very smooth sauce. Pour the sauce slowly through a fine sieve to get a nice homogenous texture. At this time, taste the sauce just to make sure the salt is enough for your taste.
• Season the meat with salt and pepper. Place the sauce and steaks in a large bowl and marinate the meat or use a pastry brush and apply the sauce to each side of the steaks.
• Marinade for at least 4 hours or overnight of hours (believe me it tastes way better), and then grill the steaks or fry in a skillet. Grilling some pineapple and onion slices along the meat to add to the tacos when serving. When cooking in a skillet, remove any excess adobo sauce since it will stick to the pan.

Now for the cooking process:

• To cook in the Vertical Rotisserie stake the meat intercalating with some slices of onions and pineapple. Let any marinade drain for about 20 minutes before starting the timer. 1 Hr. is enough to cook 2 pounds. Shave the meat with a sharp knife and place it in an already warm skillet to give it that crisper taste as they do at the taquerias in Mexico.
• The second option is using the broiler of your oven. Cut the meat as for Kabobs and insert into the skewer placing onion and pineapple slices between the meat. Since the meat is cut in smaller portions this method will take about 20 minutes to cook rotating at least 2 times while cooking.
• Now, this is the easiest since almost anyone has a frying pan or skillet at home. Once your meat has marinated cut in small fine strips. Make sure to remove any excess adobo sauce.Warm the frying pan and add 1 – 2 Tablespoons of oil until hot enough that when you place the meat it sizzles. Add onion and pineapple slices along the meat to cook. Turning as needed to avoid the meat to stick to the pan. Cook for about 12 -15 minutes.

You can also use your gas or charcoal grill to cook the marinated pork steaks.

Slice the meat finely and make your tacos with warm tortillas, topped with chopped onion and cilantro, onion, pineapple and a salsa of your choice.

Notes

• This is my old Rotisserie but you can buy the new version of the Vertical Rotisserie.

• This adobo sauce is great with the pork meat for your tacos, choose your own cooking method as shown below.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacosCalories: 362kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 32gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 527mgPotassium: 799mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1290IUVitamin C: 6.5mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 3.4mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!