Al pastor without trumps: how not to disappoint yourself at home
Al pastor that isn't burnt around the edges is braised pork pretending to be something else. Here's how to get him fired up in the kitchen.
Al pastor that isn't burnt somewhere, caramelized around the edges and a little crispy — is braised pork pretending to be something else. That is the only truth that most domestic versions ignore. Utaqueria trompo(a vertical grater inherited from the Lebanese settlers in Puebla) rotates all day, the outer layer is baked on a direct flame to 220-250°C, the taco master cuts it into thin slices as it caramelizes, and that's the whole point: the contrast between browned and juicy.
You don't have a trompo. You don't even have room for him. But you have an oven with a grill, a strong griddle and an hour of patience — and that's enough to burn the pork where it needs to be.
The marinade is red for a reason
The color of al pastor comes fromachiotea(annato), seeds that give a brick color and an earthy, slightly peppery note. It is sold as a paste (achiote paste, often the El Yucateco or Marin brand) in Mexican and larger Asian stores in Belgrade; if you don't like it, the combination of sweet allspice and a pinch of turmeric for color brings you close, but not quite.
The right marinade for about 1 kg of pork (neck or shoulder, cut into 1 cm slices):2 dried guajillosand2 ancho peppers(soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and then blended), 40 g of achiote paste, 3 cloves of garlic, a teaspoon of oregano, a teaspoon of cumin, 60 ml of white vinegar, the juice of one lemon, and — what no one skips in Mexico —juice from half a can of pineapple. Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which softens the meat and provides a sweet-sour counterpoint to the fat. Marinate the meat for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
How to get a browned edge without a razor
The trick is that the meatyou stack, not scatter. Arrange the marinated tiles one on top of the other in a compact tower, pour a little marinade, and bake at 220°C under the oven grill for 40-50 minutes, turning the block. The outer layers are caramelized like on a trump card. Then cool for 10 minutes, thinly slice those cuts as wellreturn to the hot plateto burn once more. The second aisle is the one that separates the taco from the goulash.
But you have an oven with a grill, a strong griddle and an hour of patience — and that's enough to burn the pork where it needs to be.
The crown of every al pastor isa piece of pineapplewhich is baked on top of the trompo and dripped with juice over the meat all day. You bake it separately on a dry plate until it gets black stripes, then chop it into small pieces.
A tortilla that doesn't break
Corn tortillas are non-negotiable - wheat flour doesn't work here. If you find itmasa harina(Maseca), you make them in 15 minutes: 2 tablespoons of flour, 1.5 tablespoons of warm water, a pinch of salt, form balls and press. Heat them on a dry griddle for 30 seconds on each side until browned. They are always served double — two tortillas per taco hold the juice and don't split.
It only goes from abovechopped onion, coriander (cilantro) and lime. No sour cream, no yellow cheese, no cabbage. Al pastor is a precise thing. For real Mexican salsa and the context of the region, read usguide through Oaxaca.
What to drink with it
It goes well with fatty, smoked pork either coldPaloma— grapefruit and tequila cut fat better than anything else — or neat room temperature reposado. If you choose a bottle, nasamap of tequila and mezcalexplains what NOM on the label means and why mezcal smoke is not a flaw but a style.
Questions & answers
short and to the point- What is achiote and what should I replace it with?
- Achiote (annato) is the seed that gives al pastor its brick color and earthy note. If it is not available, a close substitute is sweet allspice with a pinch of turmeric for color, but only real achiote paste gives a more authentic taste.
- Can al pastor be made without a trumpet, in a normal oven?
- It can. Place the marinated slices of meat in a tightly packed tower and bake under the grill at 220°C for about 40-50 minutes, then cut thinly and return the slices to the hot plate for a browned edge.
- What meat is used for taco al pastor?
- Pork neck or shoulder, cut into thin slices of about 1 cm. The neck has enough fat to stay juicy after being double-roasted.
