Destination
Puerto Vallarta
The story
Al pastor is the iconic Mexico City taco: pork marinated in guajillo chile, achiote, pineapple juice and vinegar, then stacked in a tall cone (the trompo) around a vertical rotisserie, with a whole pineapple crowned on top that drips juice down the meat as it turns. The taquero — usually a stern-faced man in a white apron — carves slivers of the caramelised outer layer off the trompo with a long knife, flips them onto a small corn tortilla in his other hand, and adds a flick of chopped raw onion, a shower of coriander, a small square of pineapple hacked off the top, and a wedge of lime. Sold everywhere in CDMX from mid-afternoon to 3am, three or four tacos to a plate.
Method
Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles on a dry hot pan 20 seconds per side until fragrant. Soak in hot water 20 minutes to soften.
Drain the softened chiles. Blend with the chipotles, adobo, garlic, achiote, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, vinegar, pineapple juice, salt and sugar to a very smooth paste. Strain through a sieve if you want a smoother marinade.
Pour the marinade over the pork escalopes in a large bowl or bag. Massage in so every slice is coated. Refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight (up to 24 hours).
Slice 4 thick rounds off the top of the pineapple; reserve. Cut the rest into small 5mm dice for garnish.
Heat a heavy cast-iron ridged pan or plancha to the highest heat possible until smoking. Grill the marinated pork escalopes in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until dark charred at the edges and cooked through. Grill the reserved pineapple rounds alongside 2 minutes a side until caramelised.
Slice the grilled pork into thin strips, then chop into 5mm dice. Chop the grilled pineapple rounds fine and fold into the pork with any resting juices.
Char the tomatillos, chillies, garlic and onion on a dry pan 6 minutes. Blend with coriander, salt and lime to a coarse-smooth sauce.
Warm small tortillas 15 seconds per side on a hot pan. Lay a tortilla in your hand. Add 1 tbsp of the chopped al pastor. Top with a small pinch of raw diced pineapple, a pinch of onion and a pinch of coriander. Serve with salsa verde and lime. Eaters take 3 to 4 per plate.
Tips
- Overnight marinade. Six hours minimum; 24 is markedly better. The dried chiles need time to hydrate the pork with their flavour.
- One tortilla, not two. Al pastor is the small-tortilla taco. A 10cm tortilla holds one strip of pork and disappears in two bites. Bigger tortillas are wrong.
- Grill the pineapple. Raw pineapple on top is fresh and bright; grilled pineapple is caramelised and pairs better with the pork. The taquería carves both — the grilled pineapple from the top of the trompo, and offers raw pineapple in a bowl for those who want more.
- Salsa verde is the classical partner. Salsa roja works too, but if a taquero asks "con o sin salsa," they mean salsa verde by default.
- A trompo at home is possible. Skewer the marinated pork onto vertical bamboo skewers with a pineapple on top, and roast at 220C for 45 minutes. It won't be a proper trompo but it's a decent approximation.
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