Al Pastor–Style Grilled Pork Tacos

Ingredients

6–7 lb boneless pork shoulder, butterflied and pounded to ¾ inch

6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

1 cup pineapple juice

3 oz achiote (recado rojo) paste

8 cloves garlic

1 orange, juiced and zested

⅓ cup apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

Small pinch ground clove (optional)

1 fresh pineapple, cut into thick rings

2 white onions (1 halved for grilling, 1 finely diced to serve)

40–45 corn tortillas

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Cotija or queso fresco, crumbled

4 limes, cut into wedges

Salsa verde (charred tomatillo), to serve

Chile de árbol or chipotle salsa, to serve (adults)

Method

Bone out the shoulder if needed, trim heavy silverskin, and butterfly and pound the meat into slabs about ¾ inch thick for even, fast cooking.

Stem and seed the guajillo and ancho chiles. Toast them in a dry pan about 30 seconds until fragrant, then cover with boiling water and soak 15 minutes until soft. Drain.

Simmer the pineapple juice 3–4 minutes, then blend it with the softened chiles, achiote paste, garlic, orange juice and zest, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, salt, and clove into a smooth adobo.

Coat the pork slabs thoroughly in the marinade, bag them, and freeze solid. Transport frozen in a well-packed cooler and let thaw over 2–3 nights, timed so the pork is fully thawed by grill day but never warmer than fridge-cold.

Build a hot two-zone fire. Grill the pork over direct heat about 6–8 minutes per side, chasing deep char at the edges, until it reaches 145–150°F internal. Alongside, char the pineapple rings and halved onion until marked and softened.

Rest the pork 5 minutes, then chop it together with the grilled pineapple and grilled onion on the board so the flavors mingle.

Warm the tortillas and double them up. Build with the chopped pork, diced raw white onion, cilantro, cotija, and a squeeze of lime. Pass the salsa verde at the table, with the árbol or chipotle salsa on the side for anyone who wants heat.

At a Glance

6–7 lb boneless pork shoulder	trim, butterfly, pound to ¾ in		coat, bag, freeze; thaw over 2–3 nights	grill over direct heat 6–8 min per side to 145–150°F	rest 5 min	chop together on the board	build tacos; pass salsas at the table
6 dried guajillo chiles	toast 30 sec, soak 15 min, drain	blend into a smooth adobo
3 dried ancho chiles
1 cup pineapple juice	simmer 3–4 min
3 oz achiote paste
8 cloves garlic
1 orange, juiced and zested
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp Mexican oregano
1 Tbsp kosher salt
pinch ground clove (optional)
1 fresh pineapple	cut into thick rings			char until marked and soft
1 white onion	halve
40–45 corn tortillas	warm, double up
1 white onion	dice fine
1 bunch cilantro	chop
cotija or queso fresco	crumble
4 limes	cut into wedges
salsa verde
chile de árbol or chipotle salsa (adults)

Notes

Fresh pineapple stays out of the marinade on purpose: its bromelain enzyme digests protein and would turn the pork to mush over a multi-day thaw. Cooking the pineapple juice first denatures that enzyme, so you get the sweetness without the damage, and the fresh fruit contributes on the grill instead. The frozen-then-thaw transport is a feature, not a compromise — the meat marinates continuously as it slowly thaws, and a solid frozen block holds below 40°F for days like an extended fridge thaw, with the acidic adobo as backup insurance. Guajillo and ancho are both mild, so the base heat is kid-safe; the hot salsa lives on the side. Pounding the shoulder flat is the same move as fire-roasted pork — thin, even slabs take deep char fast without drying, and the achiote and sugars want to blacken at the edges.