Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep: In a large bowl, whisk white vinegar, pineapple juice, orange juice, and Spanglish Asadero Al Pastor Seasoning until combined.
- Add thinly sliced pork to the marinade. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (longer if time allows).
- Preheat grill for direct heat (400-425°F) and indirect heat areas.
- Remove pork from marinade. Place over direct heat. Grill 2-3 minutes per side until evenly charred. Move to indirect heat, cover grill, and cook until internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Remove pork from grill. Rest 15 minutes before thinly slicing.
- Place pineapple rings over direct heat. Grill 2-3 minutes per side until heated through with grill marks. Cool slightly, then dice into bite-size pieces.
- Warm corn tortillas on the grill until soft and lightly charred.
- Build tacos: Fill each tortilla with sliced pork al pastor, grilled pineapple, diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
- Marinade time is the variable most people rush. Thirty minutes is the floor. An hour gives noticeably better penetration. If you're prepping ahead, the pork can marinate overnight — it won't over-tenderize at these citrus levels.
- Use a thermometer, not a timer. Sliced pork shoulder is done at 145°F internal — the USDA-safe floor for whole muscle pork with a 3-minute rest. Pull it at temp, not by color. Color lies; the thermometer doesn't.
- Two-zone grill setup is not optional. Preheat fully before the food goes on. Direct heat builds the crust; indirect heat finishes the cook without burning. A cold or single-zone grill means steaming, not searing.
- Slice thin. Thick cuts won't cook evenly and won't layer right in the taco. Partially freeze the pork shoulder before slicing if you're doing it yourself — it firms up and makes thin cuts much easier.
- Get real char on the pineapple. Don't pull it when it's just heated through. You want grill marks and visible caramelization on the edges — that's when the sweetness concentrates and the contrast with the pork clicks.
- Serve straight off the grill, built at the table. Sliced pork, grilled pineapple diced small, white onion, fresh cilantro, a hard squeeze of lime over corn tortillas that still have some char on them. Let people build their own — the ingredient layering is part of the experience, and everyone has a ratio they like.
- For a fuller plate, Mexican rice and black beans are the right call. Both are ready in the time the pork is resting. Fresh salsa verde or a simple pico de gallo alongside lets people dial up the heat and brightness without changing the build.
- If you're cooking for a group, set everything in the center of the table and let it run. Tacos al pastor are built to be eaten fast and reassembled. Don't plate them ahead — they soften and lose the textural contrast between the char, the pineapple, and the fresh toppings.
- Store the pork separate from the tortillas, toppings, and grilled pineapple. Cooked pork keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a cast iron skillet over medium heat with a small splash of water or broth to bring moisture back — two to three minutes is usually enough. Avoid high heat; it dries out the protein and fades the seasoning.
- Toppings — onion, cilantro, lime — are always better fresh. Warm tortillas on a hot pan or directly over a flame for 20–30 seconds per side right before serving. The grilled pineapple can be reheated in the same skillet, though fresh is better if you have it.