Where does Tacos al Pastor come from?

Tacos al Pastor — country of origin: Mexico.

What is Tacos al Pastor made of?

Corn tortilla, pork, pineapple, onion, coriander, chilli, achiote, lime.

How do you pronounce Tacos al Pastor?

Tacos al pastor (Mexican Spanish) is pronounced /ˈtakos al pasˈtoɾ/.

Tacos al Pastor

Pronunciation (IPA) /ˈtakos al pasˈtoɾ/

Marinated pork shaved from a vertical spit into corn tortillas, with pineapple, onion and coriander — Lebanese technique, Mexican seasoning.

Also known as: Al pastor · Tacos de trompo

Allergens & declarations

The classic recipe carries none of the 14 EU allergens.

This describes the classic recipe, so you know what to ask about. It is not a declaration for any particular kitchen — recipes and suppliers vary, and only the restaurant can tell you what is in the dish it serves.

In detail

Tacos al pastor are corn tortillas filled with pork that has been marinated in chillies and achiote, stacked on a vertical spit and shaved off as it cooks. The spit came to Mexico with Lebanese immigrants; the marinade and the tortilla are Mexican.

What it really is

Thin slices of pork are marinated in dried chillies, achiote and spices, then stacked on the trompo with a pineapple at the top. The outside roasts as the spit turns and is shaved directly into a tortilla, often with a piece of pineapple cut down after it.

The technique is shawarma; the dish is not. Al pastor shares its spit with shawarma and döner, and nothing else — the meat, the marinade, the tortilla and the pineapple are its own.

How it is served

Two small tortillas per taco, stacked, eaten by hand.
With onion, coriander, lime and salsa added by the guest.
From a street stand, standing up, in the evening.

Say the meat is pork — the name does not.
Pineapple is part of the dish, not a garnish; guests who dislike it will ask.
Corn tortillas contain no wheat, but check what the salsa was thickened with.

Typical ingredients

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Frequently asked questions

What is Tacos al Pastor?: Marinated pork shaved from a vertical spit into corn tortillas, with pineapple, onion and coriander — Lebanese technique, Mexican seasoning.
Where does Tacos al Pastor come from?: Tacos al Pastor — country of origin: Mexico.
What is Tacos al Pastor made of?: Corn tortilla, pork, pineapple, onion, coriander, chilli, achiote, lime.
Which allergens does Tacos al Pastor contain?: The classic recipe carries none of the 14 EU allergens.
What is Tacos al Pastor also known as?: Al pastor, Tacos de trompo.
How do you pronounce Tacos al Pastor?: Tacos al pastor (Mexican Spanish) is pronounced /ˈtakos al pasˈtoɾ/. Select the speaker button next to the dish name to hear it.