Tacos Al Pastor

A classic Mexican dish featuring marinated pork shoulder cooked with a flavorful blend of dried chiles, citrus, and spices. This authentic recipe creates tender, flavorful meat perfect for serving in soft corn tortillas with caramelized pineapple.

8 servings

13 hr 7 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•40 pieces dried guajillo chiles
•20 pieces dried ancho chiles
•20 pieces dried pasilla negro chiles
•2½ cups fresh orange juice
•1 orange orange zest
•⅓ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
•9 cloves garlic
•1½ tablespoons cumin seed
•1½ tablespoons dried Mexican oregano
•1½ tablespoons kosher salt
•1 tablespoon black pepper
•1½ tablespoons distilled vinegar
•1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
•6 ounces cola
•8 ounces Mexican beer
•4 pounds pork shoulder
•3 tablespoons vegetable oil
•24 pieces soft white corn tortillas
•1 cup caramelized diced pineapple

Cooking Instructions

1.
Stem, seed, and rehydrate the dried chiles (page 153). Drain and set aside, reserving the soaking liquid.
30 min
2.
In a small saucepan, simmer the orange juice over medium-low heat until reduced by half; set aside. In the jar of a blender, puree the rehydrated chiles until smooth, adding some of the soaking water, if needed, to achieve a smooth consistency.
20 min
3.
In a large bowl, add the reduced orange juice, pureed chiles, orange zest, brown sugar, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, vinegar, lime juice, cola, and beer and stir to mix well. Add the pork, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
720 min
4.
When ready to cook, remove the pork from the marinade and drain well. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the pork pieces until the meat is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve right away or keep warm in the pan until ready to serve.
7 min
5.
To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with pineapple and salsa. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with pineapple and salsa, fold, and eat right away.
10 min

Ingredients

•40 pieces dried guajillo chiles

•20 pieces dried ancho chiles

•20 pieces dried pasilla negro chiles

•2½ cups fresh orange juice

•1 orange orange zest

•⅓ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

•9 cloves garlic

•1½ tablespoons cumin seed

•1½ tablespoons dried Mexican oregano

•1½ tablespoons kosher salt

•1 tablespoon black pepper

•1½ tablespoons distilled vinegar

•1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

•6 ounces cola

•8 ounces Mexican beer

•4 pounds pork shoulder

•3 tablespoons vegetable oil

•24 pieces soft white corn tortillas

•1 cup caramelized diced pineapple

Cooking Instructions

Stem, seed, and rehydrate the dried chiles (page 153). Drain and set aside, reserving the soaking liquid.

30 min

In a small saucepan, simmer the orange juice over medium-low heat until reduced by half; set aside. In the jar of a blender, puree the rehydrated chiles until smooth, adding some of the soaking water, if needed, to achieve a smooth consistency.

20 min

In a large bowl, add the reduced orange juice, pureed chiles, orange zest, brown sugar, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, vinegar, lime juice, cola, and beer and stir to mix well. Add the pork, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

720 min

When ready to cook, remove the pork from the marinade and drain well. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the pork pieces until the meat is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve right away or keep warm in the pan until ready to serve.

7 min

To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with pineapple and salsa. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with pineapple and salsa, fold, and eat right away.

10 min