Tacos Al Pastor – Homemade Mexican Street Food at Its Best
Few dishes capture the spirit of Mexican street food like Tacos Al Pastor. Thin slices of marinated pork, stacked into a traditional trompo, slowly roasted until juicy on the inside and beautifully caramelized on the outside, then served in warm tortillas with fresh toppings.In this episode of Cutting Edge Cooking, we take the traditional approach using pork neck, a homemade adobo marinade made from dried Mexican chilies, and a slow cooking process that rewards patience with incredible flavour. This recipe takes two days, but every minute is worth it.
Equipment
- Pellet Smoker
Ingredients
- 3.8 kg pork neck or Boston butt / pork shoulder, boneless
- 100 ml canned pineapple juice
- 75 ml apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp salt adjusted to 1.5% of meat weight
- 2 blocks achiote paste or annatto seeds
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 onion coarsely chopped
- 6-7 cloves garlic
- 2-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 slice fresh pineapple cut into chunks
- Assorted dried chilies mulato, guajillo; optional chile de arbol for heat
- Water for soaking chilies
- Flour tortillas
- Pico de gallo or salsa verde, guacamole, etc.
- Optional: Extra pineapple slices for grilling and topping
Instructions
Prepare the Pork
- Get 3.8 kg of boneless pork neck.
- Slice into thin slices (about 0.5–1 cm thick) to prepare for the trompo.
- Set aside while preparing the marinade.
Prepare the Dried Chilies
- Cut open the dried chilies with scissors, remove loose seeds (they can be bitter).
- Dry roast the chilies in a cold pan over medium heat, stirring until you see small puffs of smoke (do not burn).
- Add water to cover and bring to a simmer.
- Cover with a lid and steep for 10–15 minutes until soft and pliable.
Make the Marinade
- Add the softened chilies to a blender.
- Include:
- 100 ml canned pineapple juice
- 75 ml apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp salt (reduced due to achiote)
- 2 blocks achiote paste
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 6–7 garlic cloves
- 2–4 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 1 chunked slice of fresh pineapple
- Add some chili steeping liquid (not all) to help blending.
- Blend into a thick, smooth paste.
Marinate the Meat
- Put on gloves (achiote stains).
- Coat all pork slices thoroughly with the marinade.
- Massage well so all pieces are covered.
- Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
Assemble the Trompo
- The next day, skewer a slice of pineapple at the bottom to lift the meat.
- Stack the marinated pork slices to form a tower.
- Shape into a conical trompo and top with another pineapple slice for presentation.
Smoke the Meat
- Preheat a smoker to 140°C with apple wood pellets.
- Place the trompo in the center and close the lid.
- Smoke for 3–4 hours, basting occasionally with the drippings.
- Cook until the center reaches mid 60s°C for tender meat.
Serve as Tacos
- Shred the smoked pork al pastor.
- Serve on warm flour tortillas.
- Top with pico de gallo, grilled pineapple, or salsa of choice.
- Enjoy messy and delicious homemade tacos al pastor!