The Absolute Best Cut Of Pork For Tacos Al Pastor

Savory, smoky, with just a hint of sweetness, tacos al pastor have been holding their place as the reigning taco for some time, even with the increased popularity of birria. Tacos al pastor, a traditional Mexican dish dating back to the early 1900s, differ slightly from carnitas and birria tacos. They are traditionally cooked on a vertical spit as opposed to being braised, and the meat isn't pulled like birria or carnitas; it becomes thinly shaved pieces of deliciously seasoned pork. Because vertical spits aren't that accessible, recipes for al pastor have been easily replicated in a slow cooker or on a grill with just as much success. But which cut of meat should you use? According to Chef Marc Marrone, pork shoulder works best with tacos al pastor.

When we caught up with Marrone, executive chef of the Austin, Texas, eatery Arriba Abajo, he advised using pork shoulder because "it has the best intermuscular fat to keep it from drying out during the cooking process, and has the muscle fibers to hold up to the marinade." Because al pastor is generously seasoned and marinated, pork shoulder is also the best vehicle for standing up to the acid from the vinegar and pineapple, and the marbling of fat in pork shoulder beautifully absorbs and re-distributes the flavors of the spices in the dish.

Because the most common cooking process for al pastor (especially for home cooks) is using a slow cooker, choosing and preparing the pork shoulder (or pork butt, which also comes from the shoulder) is important. Look for boneless, thinly sliced cuts (or slice it yourself to about ¼-inch thickness). You can also use 2-inch-thick chunks, depending on your preference. Also, make sure to choose cuts with good marbling. This higher fat content is necessary to prevent drying, and this is one reason why using other cuts of pork like tenderloin isn't the best option for tacos al pastor.

As for other tips for making your al pastor top-notch, you can use chipotle powder as well as chipotles in adobo, or try adding dried chiles. Dried chiles like ancho, or chile de arbol add an earthy element to the blend, and hold up better than red pepper flakes. Choose Mexican oregano over its Italian and Greek counterparts for a more pungent herb profile. For a touch more citric acid, use some fresh lemon juice in the marinade in addition to pineapple, and if you're using a slow cooker, place pineapple peels on top of the seasoned and marinated pork to infuse the al pastor with a more tangy flavor. After you've cooked the al pastor (on high for 5 to 5 ½ hours, or low and slow for 10 hours), you can choose to shred it or dice it before you serve it with warm corn tortillas, cilantro, more diced pineapple, and lime.