Tacos al Pastor

Marinated pork shoulder steak gets its signature sweet-savory punch from guajillo and ancho chiles blended with fresh pineapple and vinegar, then seared until caramelized and crispy at the edges. The result is impossibly tender, deeply flavored meat that's perfect piled into warm tortillas with fresh pineapple and onion. Make this when you're craving restaurant-quality Mexican food that impresses without keeping you in the kitchen all day.

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, sliced into 1/4-inch thin steaks

4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, plus 1/2 cup diced for serving

1/2 cup white vinegar

4 cloves garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried Mexican oregano

1/2 tsp ground achiote or annatto powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

12 small corn tortillas

1/2 cup finely diced white onion

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Lime wedges, for serving

Salsa verde or your favorite salsa, for serving

Instructions

Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant and pliable. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 20 minutes until softened.

Drain the chiles and add them to a blender along with the pineapple chunks, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, achiote powder, smoked paprika, vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Place the sliced pork in a large dish or resealable bag and pour the marinade over it, ensuring all pieces are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.

Preheat a grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade, shaking off excess, and grill for 3-4 minutes per side until charred and cooked through with an internal temperature of 145°F.

Grill a few pineapple chunks alongside the pork until caramelized with grill marks, about 2 minutes per side. Dice the grilled pineapple.

Transfer the cooked pork to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Chop into small bite-sized pieces.

Warm the corn tortillas on the grill or in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side.

Assemble the tacos by placing chopped pork on each tortilla and topping with diced pineapple, white onion, and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and salsa on the side.