Tacos al Pastor
Mexico City's gift to the world: thinly sliced pork marinated in dried-chilli paste, achiote and pineapple, traditionally cooked on a vertical trompo (the spit Lebanese immigrants brought; the Mexicans added the chilli and pineapple). Home-cook version on a flat pan; topped with raw onion, coriander and pineapple.
Overview
Pork shoulder is sliced thin, marinated in a paste of rehydrated guajillo and ancho chillies, achiote, vinegar, garlic, pineapple juice and spices, then seared hard in a screaming-hot pan. Served on warm corn tortillas with chopped onion, coriander, lime, and small chunks of charred pineapple.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 4 dried guajillo chillies (stems and seeds removed)
- 2 dried ancho chillies (stems and seeds removed)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 100 ml white wine vinegar
- 100 ml fresh pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons achiote paste (or 1 teaspoon paprika + 1 teaspoon turmeric as substitute)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican if possible)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
Pork
- 1 kg pork shoulder (very thinly sliced, 5 mm thick)
To serve
- 24 corn tortillas (small)
- ½ small fresh pineapple (cut into 1 cm chunks)
- 1 white onion (small, very finely chopped)
- A bunch of fresh coriander (chopped)
- 4 limes (cut into wedges)
Method
Stage 1 - Marinade
- Toast the dried chillies in a dry pan over medium heat for 30 seconds a side until fragrant (don't burn).
- Soak the chillies in just-boiled water for 15 minutes to soften.
- Drain and blend with the garlic, vinegar, pineapple juice, achiote, cumin, oregano, salt and sugar to a smooth paste.
Stage 2 - Marinate
- Toss the sliced pork with the marinade in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Stage 3 - Sear the pork
- Heat a heavy frying pan or griddle over high heat.
- Working in batches (don't crowd), sear the pork for 2-3 minutes a side until charred at the edges and cooked through.
- As each batch is done, transfer to a board and chop into smaller pieces.
Stage 4 - Char the pineapple
- In the same pan, char the pineapple chunks for 1-2 minutes a side.
Stage 5 - Warm the tortillas
- Warm the tortillas one at a time on a dry hot griddle for 20 seconds a side, or wrap in foil and heat in a 180°C oven for 10 minutes.
- Stack and wrap in a clean tea towel to keep warm.
Stage 6 - Build the tacos
- Pile chopped pork on each tortilla.
- Top with charred pineapple, chopped onion, coriander.
- Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- Pineapple is structural: The bromelain enzyme tenderises the meat and gives the characteristic sweet-savoury edge. Don't substitute orange juice.
- Slice pork thin: Easier if the shoulder is partially frozen for 30 minutes before slicing; cuts cleanly with a sharp knife.
- Fresh chillies, not powdered: Dried whole chillies (guajillo, ancho) give the layered chilli flavour that powder can't match.
Storage
- Marinated raw pork keeps 2 days refrigerated; cooked keeps 3 days.
- Tortillas eat best fresh. Reheat individually.
More like this
Cochinita Pibil
Pork shoulder is rubbed with a paste of achiote, orange and lime juices, garlic, oregano and warming spices, then left to marinate overnight. The pork is wrapped in banana leaves and roasted low and slow until it shreds with two forks. The pibil sits in its own bright red juices; warm corn tortillas and habanero-bright pickled red onions are the only accompaniments needed.
Birria
Birria is a Mexican braise of long, patient ambition. Originally a goat or lamb dish from Jalisco, it has long since adopted beef in much of Mexico and almost entirely in the popular taco version. The flavour comes from a layered chile base: guajillo for fruit and colour, ancho for raisin sweetness, pasilla for earthy depth, and a handful of arbol for a sharper heat. These are simmered with onion, garlic, cinnamon and peppercorns, blended smooth with chipotles in adobo and fire-roasted tomato, then poured over seared chuck and short rib for a long oven braise. Three hours later the meat is meltingly tender, sitting in a rust-red consomme that is the whole point: ladled over the shredded beef in a bowl, scattered with raw onion, cilantro and lime, or used to dip crisp taco shells for the now-iconic quesabirria. The recipe takes time but very little technique; almost everything happens unattended in the oven. Plan ahead and make it a day in advance so the flavours settle and the fat lifts cleanly off the top before you reheat.
Mixed Meat and Bean Chilli
Chilli con carne is a hearty, flavour-packed stew that celebrates bold Mexican spicing combined with slow-cooked beef, beans, and tomatoes. This version builds deep, complex flavours through toasted whole spices, umami ingredients (marmite and soy sauce), and slow simmering. The result is a comforting, warming dish that improves with time and is perfect for feeding a crowd.
Pozole Rojo
Pork shoulder and pork ribs are simmered with onion, garlic and bay until tender, building a stock that becomes the soup base. Dried guajillo and ancho chillies are toasted, soaked and blended with the cooking stock, then strained back into the pot with cooked hominy and the shredded meat for a final simmer. The bowls are topped at the table with shredded cabbage, sliced radish, dried oregano, lime wedges and tostadas, so each diner finishes their own.