Tacos al pastor

Mexico City's greatest street taco: achiote and cumin-marinated pork from the vertical spit, a fusion born of Lebanese shawarma and the Mexican market

Origin: Mexico City, Mexico

From the journey of Cumin.

Al pastor, meaning 'shepherd style', is one of Mexico City's most iconic street foods, and its origin story is a case study in culinary migration. Lebanese immigrants who arrived in Mexico in the early 20th century brought with them the vertical rotisserie technique of shawarma; Mexican taqueros adapted it to marinated pork with dried chilis, achiote, and cumin, and placed a slice of pineapple on top of the trompo (spit). Cumin is the critical bridge between the two traditions, present in both the Arab shawarma marinade and the Mexican chilli paste, binding an entirely new dish out of two ancient ones. The home method uses a roasted pork shoulder to achieve the same caramelised, crisp exterior.

Ingredients

Meat

  • 1.2 kg pork shoulder, sliced 1cm thick

Marinade

  • 3 dried guajillo chilis, stems and seeds removed
  • 2 dried ancho chilis, stems and seeds removed
  • 2 tbsp achiote paste (recado rojo)
  • 1.5 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican)
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 rings fresh pineapple

To serve

  • 16 small corn tortillas, warmed
  • 1 small white onion, finely diced
  • handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Method

  1. Toast the dried guajillo and ancho chilis in a dry pan over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Place in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 20 minutes until softened.
  2. Drain the chilis and blend with achiote paste, cumin, oregano, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt, and 3 tbsp of the soaking liquid until completely smooth.
  3. Coat the pork slices thoroughly in the marinade, massaging it into every surface. Layer the pork in a container with pineapple rings. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 hours.
  4. Heat the oven to 200°C. Stack the marinated pork slices in a tight pile on a baking rack set over a foil-lined tray, pressing the layers together to form a compact cylinder. Place a pineapple ring on top.
  5. Roast for 1 hour 45 minutes, basting with the pan juices every 30 minutes, until the exterior is deeply caramelised and charred at the edges and the pork is cooked through.
  6. Remove from oven and rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain using a sharp knife, then chop into small pieces. Dice the roasted pineapple.
  7. Warm the corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry pan. Layer two tortillas per taco (the traditional street style). Top with chopped pork, a piece of pineapple, diced white onion, and fresh coriander. Serve immediately.

Notes

True taquero al pastor is made on a trompo (vertical rotisserie) that holds 20–30kg of marinated pork and spins for hours. The home oven method produces genuinely excellent results if you replicate the key steps: overnight marinating, layered stacking for moisture, and a final high-heat blast for caramelisation. Leftovers keep for 3 days and reheat beautifully in a hot cast-iron pan.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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