Homemade al pastor tacos

• 500 g pork loin, sliced
• 3 dried guajillo chilies
• 2 dried ancho chilies
• ½ onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 orange (juice)
• 100 g fresh pineapple
• Fresh cilantro
• Corn tortillas
• Green salsa

👨‍🍳 Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Soak the chilies in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and blend with onion, garlic, orange juice, and spices.

2. 2

   Marinate the meat with the adobo for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight in the refrigerator.

3. 3

   Cook the meat in a very hot skillet or in the oven at 200 °C until caramelized.

4. 4

   Finely chop the meat or slice it into strips. Heat the tortillas on a griddle or dry skillet.

5. 5

   Serve on double tortillas with pineapple, chopped onion, cilantro, and green salsa.

💡 Chef's tip

Marinate the meat for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. For a homemade spit: stack the slices on a skewer and roast in the oven at 220 °C for the final 10 minutes to achieve golden edges.

📝 Our take

The adobo is everything in this recipe. The toasted dried guajillo chili, achiote, and pineapple are non‑negotiable: without them you have marinated chicken, not al pastor. The home‑cook’s key, without a spit, is to sear the meat over very high heat in a cast‑iron skillet to achieve the caramelized edges that set a proper al pastor taco apart from a mediocre one.

🍷 Wine & food pairing

Tamarind agua fresca or a well‑chilled Mexican beer. Al pastor tacos call for refreshing drinks that cleanse the palate between bites.

Suggested wine: Light Mexican beer