Mexican · Lunch · Dinner
Tacos al Pastor
Thin slices of lean pork marinated in a smoky guajillo, achiote and pineapple adobo, seared until caramelised and tucked into warm corn tortillas with charred pineapple, onion and cilantro. This lighter take keeps every classic flavour while cutting the fat.
- Prep
- 55 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 50% · Fat 18% · Protein 32%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 600 g (about 1 1/3 lb)Pork tenderloin, trimmed
- 3 chiles18 gDried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 cup250 gHot water, for soaking chiles
- 2/3 cup100 gFresh pineapple, chopped, for the marinade
- 3 rings250 gFresh pineapple, sliced into rings 1 cm thick
- 1 1/2 tbsp25 gAchiote paste
- 2 tbsp30 gWhite vinegar
- 3 cloves9 gGarlic cloves
- 1 tspDried oregano (Mexican if available)
- 1/2 tspGround cumin
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1 tbsp14 gVegetable oil
- 12 tortillas300 gSmall corn tortillas
- 1/2 medium70 gWhite onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup8 gFresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 limes134 gLimes, cut into wedges
Steps
- 1
Toast the guajillo chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side, until fragrant but not burnt.
- 2
Place the chiles in a bowl, cover with the hot water and soak for 15 minutes until soft.
- 3
Drain the chiles, keeping 1/4 cup of the soaking water and discarding the rest.
- 4
Blend the chiles, reserved soaking water, chopped pineapple, achiote paste, vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin and salt until smooth.
- 5
Slice the pork tenderloin across the grain into thin slices about 5 mm thick.
- 6
Toss the pork with the marinade in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight).
- 7
Heat a large skillet or grill pan over high heat and brush lightly with a little of the oil.
- 8
Sear the pineapple rings for 2-3 minutes per side until charred, then remove and chop into small pieces.
- 9
Add the remaining oil and sear the pork in batches in a single layer for 2-3 minutes per side, until caramelised and cooked to at least 63 °C / 145 °F.
- 10
Rest the pork for 3 minutes, then chop it into small pieces.
- 11
Warm the tortillas in a dry hot pan for about 30 seconds per side and keep them wrapped in a clean towel.
- 12
Fill each tortilla with pork and charred pineapple, then top with onion and cilantro.
- 13
Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of pork tenderloin, cooking them until they reach 74 °C / 165 °F.
- For a vegan version, swap the pork for thinly sliced king oyster mushrooms or pressed extra-firm tofu, and choose an achiote paste labelled vegan.
- If you can't find guajillo chiles, use dried ancho chiles or 2 tbsp of a pure ground chile powder (not a seasoning blend) in the marinade.
- Canned pineapple in juice, well drained, works in place of fresh for both the marinade and the charred topping.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover pork and pineapple in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating in a hot skillet until steaming hot. Keep tortillas and fresh toppings separate, and assemble tacos just before eating, since filled tacos go soggy.
Make ahead
Blend the marinade up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, or marinate the sliced pork overnight. Dice the onion and chop the cilantro a few hours before serving and refrigerate them covered.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (454 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 460 kcal | 101 kcal |
| Protein | 37.3 g | 8.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 57.8 g | 12.7 g |
| of which sugars | 13.4 g | 3 g |
| Fiber | 8.5 g | 1.9 g |
| Fat | 9.3 g | 2 g |
| of which saturated | 1.4 g | 0.3 g |
| Sodium | 826 mg | 182 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
