Tacos al Pastor

From Lebanon to Puebla

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, thousands of Lebanese immigrants settled in Mexico, especially in Puebla and Mexico City. The most widely told origin story says they brought shawarma, meat stacked on a vertical spit and shaved off as it roasts. In Puebla this became tacos árabes, usually pork wrapped in a thin pita-style bread called pan árabe, still sold today.

The Mexican makeover

By the 1960s, the Mexican-born children of those immigrants and taquerias in Mexico City had given the idea a fully Mexican identity. Cooks swapped the Middle Eastern seasoning for an adobo of dried guajillo and ancho chiles, achiote, vinegar and spices, which stains the pork a deep red. They switched to small corn tortillas and crowned the spit, called a trompo, or spinning top, with a whole pineapple. The name al pastor, shepherd style, nods to the lamb roasting traditions that inspired it.

Watching a taquero work is part of the fun: thin slices are shaved off the turning spit straight onto a tortilla, and with a flick of the knife a sliver of pineapple flies from the top of the trompo to land on the taco.

Tacos al pastor are night food in Mexico City. Taquerias stay busy until late, with customers standing at the counter ordering by the half dozen. The marinade is a careful balance: achiote gives earthy color, guajillo chiles bring mild fruity heat, vinegar and pineapple juice tenderize the pork, and spices such as cumin, clove and oregano round it out. Layers of thinly sliced pork shoulder are stacked tight on the spit so the outside chars while the inside stays juicy.

Variations

Gringas wrap al pastor in a flour tortilla with melted cheese. Volcanes pile it on a crisp tostada. In northern Mexico and the United States, al pastor appears in burritos, tortas and even pizza. At home, without a spit, cooks often roast or grill the marinated pork and slice it thin, or stack it on a skewer in the oven.

How to serve them

Serve on two small warm corn tortillas, layered to stop tearing. Top with finely chopped white onion, cilantro and diced pineapple, then squeeze over lime. A green salsa of tomatillo or a creamy avocado salsa balances the rich, smoky meat.

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