Quick Summary: Tender pork with crispy, caramelized edges in a brick-red achiote and smoked chile sauce, with just enough pineapple sweetness. The Instant Pot does the braising and a hot skillet adds the char. Prep: 15 min | Cook: 45 min | Serves: 6
Jump to: RECIPE | What is Tacos al Pastor? | Variations | Step by Step | More Taco Recipes | FAQ
Tacos al pastor is the iconic Mexico City taco, showcasing a stack of pork that has been marinated for days, cooked on a rotating spit and then sliced and crisped to order.
It’s street food perfected over decades, and I’m not going to pretend this Instant Pot version perfectly replicates that experience.
What this version does is capture the essential al pastor flavors in a weeknight-friendly format. The same spices (achiote, cumin, oregano, dried chiles), the same sweet-savory balance from fruit, the same tender pork.
The Instant Pot does the braising, and a quick sear at the end provides the caramelization you’d get from the spit.
I make mine with a little pineapple, the traditional choice. I’ve also made it with quince paste when that’s what was in the pantry, and it adds a jammy, more complex sweetness. Neither fruit is low carb, so check the slow carb notes below if you’re watching carbs.
This post may contain affiliate links, and you can read our disclosure information here–
What are Tacos al Pastor?
Al pastor means “shepherd style” in English. Tacos al pastor are thin slices of pork marinated in dried chiles, achiote, and spices, stacked on a vertical spit called a trompo, and shaved off in thin, crispy-edged strips into corn tortillas. A pineapple often sits on top of the spit, and a sliver goes into each taco.
The name comes from asado al pastor, an old way of spit-roasting meat over an open fire in the Mexican countryside. The vertical spit came later, with Lebanese immigrants who settled in Puebla in the early 1900s and brought shawarma with them.
Mexican cooks swapped the lamb for pork, added a chile and achiote marinade, and moved it onto corn tortillas. Mexico City made al pastor famous, and today you’ll find it at nearly every taquería in the country.
It’s one of the world’s great street foods, and nearly impossible to replicate at home without specialized equipment, like this trompo from Amazon.
This Instant Pot version in the recipe below doesn’t try to replicate the technique. It aims for the same flavor profile through different means.
4 Variations on the Classic Taco Al Pastor
Al Pastor vs. Tacos Árabes vs. Tacos de Trompo
Depending on the spices and how you serve the tacos, there are actually four regional variations of this taco.
- Tacos árabes: The Puebla original. Spiced pork cooked on a vertical spit and served in pan árabe, a thin flatbread, usually with a chipotle salsa.
- Tacos al pastor: The chile and achiote version on corn tortillas, usually with pineapple. This is the one most associated with Mexico City.
- Tacos de trompo: The Monterrey version from Nuevo León. Similar spit-roasted pork, typically served without the pineapple.
The Instant Pot version below is closer to a home-style braise: the pork cooks in its own juices, then gets seared in a hot skillet for the char.
- Traditional: This is the most recognizable of the al pastor versions and is the most closely related to the Lebanese gyro “taco”. The main difference between the Lebanese version and the taco al pastor is that the taco al pastor is served in a corn tortilla. The traditional tacos al pastor also has pineapple in the filling. This is the version most associated with Mexico City street carts.
- Purista: This version adds a little adobo seasoning in the marinade. The purista includes chiles and achiote like the traditional version, but typically does not have pineapple added.
- Trompo Rojo: Trompo rojo literally means, “red spinning top”. Which is no coincidence, as this version has more achiote added to the marinade to give it a deeper red color. This version is more typically found in the northeast parts of Mexico and the state of Nuevo Leon, capital city of Monterrey (see map below).
- Guisado: The pineapple is also optional in this lesser-known version of a taco al pastor. Guisado means “stew” in Spanish, and this version is actually not cooked on a grill spit like the other versions. The guisado taco is instead cooked in its own juices and fat. This version usually has more onion and can be slightly more charred than the other three versions. This is essentially what we’re making with the Instant Pot.
Whichever version you choose (or combination of versions), traditional tacos al pastor call for the meat to be “crisped” or seared on the stove top.
The Instant Pot version below is closer to a home-style braise: the pork cooks in its own juices, then gets seared in a hot skillet for the char.
How to Make Instant Pot Al Pastor (Step by Step)
Here are the steps lined out with photos. For the details of the recipe itself, see the recipe card below.
Tips for Crisping the Meat:
Traditional al pastor has caramelized, slightly charred edges from the trompo. To approximate this:
Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add the cooked pork cubes (without sauce) and let them sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until browned on one side (see Step #5 above). Stir and repeat.
Then add the sauce and reserved liquid, tossing to coat.
This extra step takes 5 minutes but significantly improves the texture. The crispy edges against the tender interior is what makes great al pastor.
Can You Get Traditional Flavors from a Spice Blend?
The essential al pastor flavors come from:
- Achiote paste: Provides the signature red-orange color and earthy, slightly peppery flavor
- Dried chiles: Typically guajillo, ancho, or a blend
- Cumin and oregano: Warm, aromatic base
- Cloves: Just a hint, for depth
- Vinegar: Brightness to balance the richness
The smoked pepper blend I use comes from peppers I grow and dry at Heathglen Farm. For more on which dried peppers work best in different Mexican dishes, see my guide to traditional Mexican chile peppers.
If you want to make your own smoked chile powder, here’s how I smoke chile peppers at home for chipotle and spice blends.
More Mexican Taco Recipes
This crispy carnita recipe is another favorite for seared crispy pork tacos.
And this beef birria quesataco is my favorite taco made with meat that has been “stewed” instead of seared.
Baja Fish Tacos is another great taco recipe
Check out our Mexican Recipe catalog of recipes for over 70 recipes for street food, traditional Mexican fare, and Mexican celebration recipes.
How to Serve
The classic way to serve tacos is with a basket of warm corn tortillas browned on a comal (a flat griddle). Of course you can use a regular skillet or pan for browning tortillas, but a comal seems to add that elusive extra punch of flavor.
Once you have decided on the meat for your tacos, why not lay it all out for guests or family in the style of a taco bar, you can go wild with Mexican accompaniments like avocados, pickled onions, different cheeses, radishes, cilantro, guacamole, etc.
Is This Recipe Slow Carb or Low Carb?
The recipe below has a “low-ish” carb count. Traditional tacos al pastor are marinated over pineapple slices and topped with fresh chopped pineapples, and pineapples are not low carb.
The pineapple is a problem for low carb or keto people. There is just no getting around how much sugar is in pineapple. In one cup of pineapple there are 22 grams of carbs and 16 grams of sugar.
I tried to come up with a low carb alternative to the pineapple but really it is such a classic addition to al pastor that it’s probably better to go ahead and use pineapple, but just use it more sparingly.
A variation in the recipe below: I didn’t have any pineapple handy, and I needed to figure out how to use that quince paste that had been sitting in my pantry for so long, so this recipe uses quince paste instead of pineapple.
I think using the quince paste really elevated this dish and made it unique (but not traditional). Quince is not low carb either however, so use your preferred fruit.
The other carb-heavy ingredient of course is the tortillas. If you are aiming to lower the carb count, you can either omit the tortillas all together or you can use a lower carb tortilla. This list compares store-bought low carb tortillas vs homemade low carb tortillas.
So, to keep the integrity of al pastor but still get the delicious taste, focus on using really fresh spices, and great pork and then just go easy on the pineapple.
We used pickled red onions to up the flavor even more.
FAQ
Literally, tacos al pastor means shepherd style. The style is similar to Middle Eastern shawarma preparation- with meat cooking on a rotating vertical spit.
Both use pork, but the preparation differs. Al pastor is marinated in chiles and spices, then grilled or spit-roasted. Carnitas is braised or confited in fat until tender, then crisped. Al pastor has more complex spice flavor; carnitas is richer and more simply seasoned.
Yes. Use 1/4 cup quince paste in place of the pineapple. It gives a jammier, more complex sweetness. It isn’t traditional, but it’s a good way to use up a jar from the pantry.
Ground annatto seeds mixed with spices, vinegar, and sometimes garlic. It provides the distinctive red-orange color and earthy flavor of al pastor. Find it in the Mexican section of most grocery stores.
Yes. Brown the pork first, make the sauce, combine in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. The Instant Pot is faster but the slow cooker works.
Warm corn tortillas, al pastor meat, diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Pineapple chunks are traditional if you didn’t cook with them. A good salsa verde is welcome.
The pork, achiote, and spices work for both. The fruit is the problem: pineapple and quince paste both add sugar, and fruit is off the slow carb plan. For slow carb, leave the fruit out and add an extra splash of vinegar. Serve it in lettuce cups or with a low carb tortilla.
Any electric pressure cooker works with the same 30 minutes at high pressure.
Yes. Use boneless, skinless thighs cut into 1-inch pieces and cook 8 to 10 minutes at High Pressure, until they reach 165°F. Sear and sauce them the same way.
Traditionally, al pastor is roasted on a vertical spit and shaved off in thin, crispy strips. At home, the closest you’ll get is thin slices of marinated pork seared in a very hot cast iron skillet or under the broiler. The Instant Pot method trades some of that crispness for speed and tender meat, and a hard sear at the end brings back the char.
Instant Pot Tacos al Pastor.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds pork shoulder cut into bite-size cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup water
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4-6 cloves garlic smashed with knife and then minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon achiote paste
- 2 tablespoons smoked pepper blend
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ⅓ cup vinegar white distilled or sherry vinegar
- ¼ cup crushed pineapple
- 1 ½ cup liquid left in instant pot from pork
- pickled red onions or cilantro optional additions/garnishes
Instructions
- Add the cubed pork, salt, and 3/4 cup water to the Instant Pot. Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure (Meat setting) for 30 minutes. [Release method per question 3.]2-3 pounds pork shoulder, 1 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup water
- While the pork cooks, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion 5 to 7 minutes until caramelized, add the garlic for 30 seconds, then stir in the oregano, cumin, cloves, achiote paste, smoked pepper blend, and black pepper for 30 seconds to toast.2-3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 4-6 cloves garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon achiote paste, 2 tablespoons smoked pepper blend, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Stir in the vinegar and pineapple and cook until combined. Scrape the sauce into a bowl and set it aside.1/3 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup crushed pineapple
- Drain the pork, reserving the cooking liquid. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet (cast iron is best) over high heat. Add the pork in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed 2 to 3 minutes until browned, then stir and repeat. Work in batches if needed.
- Return the sauce to the skillet with the pork. Add the reserved liquid a little at a time, up to 1 1/2 cups, tossing until the pork is glossy and coated.
- Serve in warm corn tortillas with fresh pineapple, diced onion, cilantro, pickled red onions, and lime.
Notes
- Quince paste variation: use 1/4 cup quince paste in place of the pineapple for a jammy, less traditional sweetness.
- Broiler option: spread the sauced pork on a sheet pan and broil 3 to 5 minutes until the edges char.
- Slow carb: skip the fruit and add an extra splash of vinegar. Serve in lettuce cups or <a href=”https://farmtojar.com/low-carb-tortillas/”>low carb tortillas</a>.
- Chicken al pastor: use boneless thighs in 1-inch pieces and cook 8 to 10 minutes at High Pressure, to 165°F.