Tacos al Pastor Recipe (Achiote Pork and Pineapple Tacos)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 100 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Pork shoulder marinated red with achiote and guajillo chilies gets sliced thin, seared, and tucked into corn tortillas with grilled pineapple.
Read more
This home version cooks the slices in batches in a pan or on a grill; crowding them releases so much liquid that the meat steams instead of browning.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Remove the stems and seeds from 3 dried guajillo chilies.
Soak in warm water until soft, drain, and blend with 2 tablespoons achiote paste and 100 ml orange juice.
- 2
Slice 600 g pork shoulder about 5 mm thick.
Coat with the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Allow about 20 minutes for chile and marinade preparation plus 60 minutes of refrigerated marinating.
- 3
Cut 100 g pineapple into bite-size pieces that can sit flat on the pan or grill.
Finely chop 1 onion and 20 g cilantro, cut 2 limes into wedges for squeezing, and keep the 8 corn tortillas ready nearby.
- 4
Heat a pan or grill over medium-high heat.
Cook the pork in uncrowded batches, using 2 to 3 minutes per side as a guide. Check that the center of a thick piece reaches at least 63C (145F) with a food thermometer; browned edges alone are not the endpoint.
- 5
Rest the cooked pork on a clean plate for at least 3 minutes, then chop it.
Briefly grill both sides of the pineapple on the same hot surface until brown spots appear.
- 6
Warm the corn tortillas just until flexible so they fold without cracking.
Fill each one with pork and pineapple, then finish with chopped onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime before serving right away.
References checked
These references were consulted when this page was prepared or corrected. A source check does not mean the recipe was independently kitchen-tested.
- Mely Martinez: Tacos al Pastor at Home
Mely Martinez: Tacos al Pastor at Home · Checked: 2026-09-12
- USDA FSIS Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart
USDA FSIS Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart · Checked: 2026-09-12
Official cooking and safety guidance
Public-agency cooking and food safety guidance that applies to this recipe.
Official cooking and safety guidance
-
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the center to 74°C.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
Sources checked 2026-08-03
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