How to Make Al Pastor Tacos at Home: DIY and Delicioso

We asked one of our favorite Mexican food cooks, Vivi Abeja, to help us find a way to make al pastor tacos in our home kitchens. Which definitely don’t have a trompo, the large metal rotating spit we see in street vendors’ stands and restaurants. Could she think up a DIY hack for this popular taco made with chile-and-achiote-paste marinated pork and pineapple?

Vivi was happy to take on this taco challenge. “I have always been fascinated with al pastor tacos because of the way they are made and the flavors they carry,” she says. Vivi researched options and landed on an ingenious way to DIY the slow-roasting, piled-high effect of the rotating trompo. Her solution? Use two wooden skewers that she pokes into a thick chunk of pineapple for ballast. She then layers thin cuts of the juicy pork shoulder onto the skewer and slow roasts her tiny trompo for 2 to 3 hours in a 275° oven. When the meat is ready, it’s time to add pineapple chunks, chopped onion and cilantro. “I love spices and layers of flavor, so adding salsa to the already marinated meat is something that makes my tastebuds have a party,” Vivi adds.

Find more taco recipes here!