If there is one thing everyone knows about me…my love for tacos runs deep. There are just so many incredible options to place in a tortilla to make a lil pocket of deliciousness so I never get bored of tacos.

I’m a pretty inclusive individual so I’ve never really met a taco I didn’t like or respect so I don’t tend to play favourites. The one distinction I will make here is if I had to create a ranking system , Al Pastor style tacos would likely be at the top. Al Pastor is a dish that was developed in central Mexico from Lebanese immigrants that introduced a ‘shawarma’ style to this by spit grilling the meat. Honestly, walking around Mexico and smelling that amazing marinated meat, grilled on a spit with pineapple will make me pop in to any establishment and check it out.

This recipe can be made on your BBQ, Grill or your oven so it’s pretty versatile. I like making this on my grill because I get the wood smoked flavour but if the weather isn’t cooperating (which is often), I know I can make this in my oven and have an equally delicious vibe happening at dinner time.

Let’s get those ingredients ready, shall we? Get yourself a pork shoulder and ingredients ready for the marinade.

First we want to take the pork shoulder and slice it in to pieces about a half inch thick. Set aside

For our marinade, combine achiote paste, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, chilli powder, salt, pepper, pineapple juice and vinegar together. Look at the beautiful red colour that this will produce.

Place your slices of pork in the mixture and allow it to marinade for at least 2 hours, longer if you can.

After the pork has marinated. You are going to get ready to make a DIY spit that you will pile the meat on to. You can use a metal straw or a skewer. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (this will likely get messy later on in the oven so you will thank me later). Next take slices of pineapple to create a base for your skewer. Place the skewer or straw in to the pineapple and make sure it’s secure.

Now you are ready to start placing your marinated pork through the skewer and keep layering the meat until you have a tower of deliciousness!! Top it off with some pineapple.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 1.5 to 2 hours.

When ready you want to slice this shawarma style. So you can place little yummy charred pieces in a corn tortilla. Keep it simple, this dish doesn’t need any fancy toppings because the meat will speak for itself. A simple sprinkle of onion and cilantro and a bit of that grilled pineapple will literally make all of your taco dreams come true!!

Hope you like this recipe my friends!!

Al Pastor Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 Pork Shoulder sliced in to half inch pieces
• 3 Tbsp Achiote Paste
• 2 Tbsp Chilli Powder
• 2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tbsp Oregano
• 1 Tbsp Cumin
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Pepper
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1 Cup Pineapple juice

Directions

1. Make marinade by combining everything together except the pork. Make sure there are no clumps of the achiote paste (you can break it up with a whisk)
2. Place slices of pork in the marinade for at least 2 hours
3. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
4. Place a slice of pineapple on the parchment paper to use as a base. Insert a metal straw or skewer in to the pineapple making sure it’s secure.
5. Start to skewer the slices of pork through the skewer and layer it until you are out of pork.
6. Top it with pineapple
7. Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours.
8. Once it’s finished cooking, finely slice pieces of the pork off the spit.
9. Place in a corn tortilla and top with finely diced onions, cilantro and some of that grilled pineapple.
10. Shove it in your mouth