Tacos Al Pastor (Melt-In-Your-Mouth Tender Pork!)
This is the tacos al pastor recipe that will make you forget your favorite Mexican restaurant. These pork and pineapple tacos are steeped deeply in the most incredible marinade that takes minutes to whizz up.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For Al Pastor Marinade
- 1 cup diced pineapple (or 2/3 cup pineapple juice)
- ⅓ cup white vinegar
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 5 large garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 3 tbsp paprika
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne
- 3 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
For Pork
- 3 to 3 ½ lbs pork shoulder thinly sliced
To Assemble Tacos
- Corn tortillas
- Chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Diced fresh pineapple
- Diced white onion
Instructions
Prepare Al Pastor Marinade
- Blend the marinade: In a blender, combine all marinade ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Marinate the pork: Thinly slice the pork shoulder and arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour the marinade over the pork, ensuring all pieces are well-coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours if possible for best flavor. It's also ok to cook it right away.
Cook the Pork (Choose Your Method):
- Oven roasting: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover the dish with foil and roast in the marinade for 1.5 to 2 hours, until very tender. Remove foil, pour off some of the juices into a bowl, and broil for the last 5-10 minutes.Toss with the juices before serving, if desired, or chop the pork into small slices without the additional sauce.
- Instant pot: Layer marinated pork with the marinade in the Instant Pot. Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. Natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release. Optionally, crisp pork in a hot skillet or in a single layer on a baking sheet under the broiler.
- Slow cooker: Layer marinated pork with the marinade in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Optionally, crisp pork in a hot skillet or in a single layer on a baking sheet under the broiler.
- Taste the pork and add more salt as needed. It will taste rich and tangy when properly seasoned, but will taste flat if it needs more salt.
- Assemble the Tacos
- Warm the tortillas: Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat or directly on a gas flame until slightly charred and pliable.
- Fill each tortilla with sliced pork. Squeeze with lime juice.Top as desired with pineapple, cilantro, and diced onion.
Video
Notes
For Pineapple:
You'll need about 3/4 to 1 whole fresh pineapple for this recipe. Choose a fragrant, ripe one for best results!
You can substitute frozen pineapple (thawed before starting the recipe).
I don't personally love canned pineapple but it can be used in a pinch.
For Marinade:
Al Pastor meat is typically marinated and then cooked on a spit, with remaining marinade discarded. The sliced, cooked meat is then more like shawarma, not saucy.
Because here we are cooking the pork right in the marinade, I like to toss the pork in it the flavorful liquid as a delicious built-in sauce. If you prefer, you could discard it and serve the pork without the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1017mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2434IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg