Name: Tacos al pastor (Tapatio) (home recipe)
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 800 g pork shoulder, sliced thin (3 mm); 3 guajillo chiles, seeded; 2 ancho chiles, seeded; 3 garlic cloves; 1 tbsp achiote paste; 2 tbsp white vinegar; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp salt; Juice of 1 orange; 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, in 5 mm slices; 16 small corn tortillas; Chopped white onion, cilantro and lime for serving; Chile-de-arbol salsa for serving

History

Tacos al pastor descend from the shawarma tradition brought by Lebanese and Syrian immigrants to Mexico in the early 20th century. The Mexican adaptation replaced the lamb with achiote-marinated pork, kept the vertical trompo spit and added pineapple to the top of the cone. Mexico City claims invention in the 1960s, but Tapatio late-night taquerias developed their own style: smaller trompos, more chile-de-arbol salsa and a slice of pineapple per taco. Tacos Providencia and Los Pinches Tacos are the canonical Guadalajara late-night addresses.

Common allergens: Wheat (some tortillas)

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 4 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

800 g pork shoulder, sliced thin (3 mm)
3 guajillo chiles, seeded
2 ancho chiles, seeded
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp achiote paste
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
Juice of 1 orange
1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, in 5 mm slices
16 small corn tortillas
Chopped white onion, cilantro and lime for serving
Chile-de-arbol salsa for serving

Method

Toast the chiles, soak in hot water 15 minutes, then blend with garlic, achiote, vinegar, oregano, cumin, salt and orange juice into a smooth marinade.
Coat the sliced pork in the marinade and refrigerate at least 3 hours (overnight is better).
Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Cook the pork in batches until charred at the edges, about 4 minutes per batch.
Char the pineapple slices in the same pan, then dice.
Chop the pork finely.
Warm the tortillas on a comal, fill with pork, top with diced pineapple, chopped onion, cilantro, lime juice and chile-de-arbol salsa.

Tip from the editors. A home oven broiler under a vertical skewer setup approximates the trompo. Otherwise, the high-heat skillet char gets close enough.