Al pastor marinade
A deep red guajillo, achiote and pineapple marinade that gives pork, chicken or mushrooms proper taco stand flavour.
Make this once, then cook it into 33 different dishes.
- Time35 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.33 a head
- Makesabout 500 g, enough for 3 batches of tacos for 4
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Toast the chillies for 15 to 20 seconds on each side, pressing them flat, until they smell fruity. Do not let them blacken or the marinade turns bitter.
1 min - 2
Put the toasted chillies in a heatproof bowl, cover with the boiling water and weigh them down with a saucer. Soak for 20 minutes until completely soft.
20 min - 3
Drain the chillies and keep 100 ml of the soaking water. Put the chillies, pineapple, achiote paste, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, pepper and salt in a blender with the 100 ml soaking water.
- 4
Blend for 2 minutes until completely smooth, adding a splash more soaking water if the blades stall. It should look like a thick, brick red paint.
2 min - 5
Taste a little on a spoon. It should be tangy, smoky and slightly fruity, with salt that is noticeable but not harsh. Add a pinch of salt or a splash of vinegar if needed.
- 6
To use, coat thinly sliced pork, chicken or sliced mushrooms with about 150 g marinade per 500 g to 600 g food. Marinate in the fridge for 4 to 24 hours, then grill or roast until cooked through.
About al pastor marinade
Al pastor marinade is a bright red paste of dried guajillo and ancho chillies, achiote, pineapple, vinegar and warm spices, used to flavour pork for tacos al pastor. It tastes smoky, tangy and gently fruity, with only mild heat, because guajillo and ancho chillies are about flavour more than fire.
The dish came to Mexico City with Lebanese immigrants who brought the idea of meat roasted on a vertical spit (shawarma). Cooks there switched to pork, chillies and achiote, and finished each taco with a sliver of pineapple. At home you do not need a spit. Thin slices of marinated pork cooked in a very hot pan, under a grill or on a barbecue give the same charred edges.
This base also works on chicken thighs, king oyster mushrooms, cauliflower steaks and tofu. The pineapple must be fresh: its enzymes soften the meat, so tinned pineapple gives flavour but far less tenderising.
Tips
- Use fresh pineapple. Its enzymes tenderise thin pork, but they turn meat mushy if you marinate longer than 24 hours, so 6 to 12 hours is the sweet spot.
- Slice pork shoulder about 5 mm thick (freezing it for 30 minutes first makes this easy), then cook it in a very hot pan in small batches so it chars rather than steams.
- No achiote paste? Use 1 tbsp sweet paprika and 1 tsp white vinegar for colour. The earthy, peppery flavour will be milder, but the marinade still works.
- For more heat, soak 2 dried chiles de árbol with the other chillies. For less, use 3 guajillos and 3 anchos and a little more pineapple.
- Never reuse marinade that has touched raw meat as a sauce unless you boil it hard for at least 5 minutes. Spoon out a clean portion for serving before you start.
Storing and freezing
Keeps in a clean covered jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in 150 g portions for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Throw away any marinade left in the bowl after raw meat has been in it.
Dishes you can make with al pastor marinade
Tacos al Pastor con Salsa Verde (Pork and Pineapple Tacos)
GFDFEFTacos al Pastor con Piña (Pork and Pineapple Tacos)
GFDFEFTacos al Pastor (Pork and Pineapple Tacos)
GFDFEFTacos de Coliflor al Pastor (Cauliflower Al Pastor Tacos)
GFDFEFTacos al Pastor (Marinated Pork and Pineapple Tacos)
GFDFEFGringas al Pastor (Pork and Pineapple Cheese Tortillas)
EFNFTostadas de Coliflor al Pastor (Pastor Cauliflower Tostadas)
GFDFEFCerdo al Pastor al Horno con Piña y Frijoles (Oven Pastor Pork with Pineapple and Beans)
DFEFNFBowls de Tofu al Pastor con Arroz Rojo y Piña (Tofu al Pastor Rice Bowls)
DFEFNFTacos al Pastor (Mexico City Pork Tacos with Pineapple)
DFEFNFGringas de Pastor (Flour Tortilla Pastor and Cheese Quesadillas)
EFNFTacos de Hongos al Pastor (King Oyster Mushroom Pastor Tacos)
DFEFNFQuestions
Can I make al pastor without a spit?
Yes. Slice the pork thin, marinate it, then cook in a very hot cast iron pan, under a hot grill or on a barbecue in small batches. Chop it small and add fresh pineapple to each taco, just as a taquero would.
Is al pastor marinade spicy?
It is mild to medium. Guajillo and ancho chillies are fruity and smoky rather than hot. Add a few chiles de árbol or a tinned chipotle if you want real heat.
What can I use instead of achiote paste?
Mix 1 tbsp sweet paprika with 1 tsp white vinegar. You will lose the earthy annatto flavour but keep the red colour. Achiote paste is sold in the world foods aisle and online.
How long should I marinate the meat?
Between 4 and 24 hours in the fridge. Under 4 hours gives little flavour, and over 24 hours the pineapple makes thin slices of pork soft and mushy.
Is it gluten free and vegan?
The ingredients are gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free and vegan. Check the achiote paste label, because a few brands add flour as a filler. It suits mushrooms, cauliflower or tofu.
Can I freeze marinated meat?
Yes. Raw pork or chicken in this marinade freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, never on the worktop, and cook it within 24 hours of thawing.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.