This Al Pastor Marinade has all the authentic and delicious smoky flavors for the famous Al Pastor Tacos and more. Bursting with flavor, this marinade combines the perfect blend of dried peppers, orange juice, garlic, herbs and some pineapple for a touch of sweetness.
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Al Pastor Marinade (Taquería-Style Adobo)
This Al Pastor marinade is the reason I still get my favorite tacos living all the way over here in Portugal. Good tacos al pastor at a restaurant here? Basically a unicorn. So I make my own, and honestly, homemade wins anyway. My hubby is team Carnitas, but for me it’s al pastor and Cochinita Pibil every single time.
This adobo blends guajillo and ancho chiles with smoky chipotle, achiote paste, fresh pineapple, orange juice, and a handful of warm spices into a brick-red marinade that clings to every slice of pork. It takes about 15 minutes, most of it just waiting on the chiles to soften, and one batch covers a big family taco night with plenty left over for the freezer.
Why this recipe works
- Taquería flavor, no trompo required. Dried chiles, chipotle, and achiote give you the same smoky, earthy, slightly sweet flavor you get at a taco stand in Mexico.
- Make ahead and freeze. One blender batch makes about 3 cups, enough for 4 to 5 pounds (1.8 to 2.3 kg) of pork. Freeze the rest in portions for next time.
- Not just for pork. Chicken, shrimp, cauliflower, mushrooms, it all works. More on that below.
♥️ xo, Ana
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Absolutely delicious and super easy to make. It was perfect with pork and chicken tacos!! We just moved to Nebraska from New Mexico and were craving good tacos, this did not disappoint! Thanks for sharing.
What’s in al pastor marinade
Don’t let the list scare you, most of it is spices you already have. Mexican ingredients are usually in the Latin aisle of a regular grocery store.
- Guajillo and ancho chiles for the color and the base flavor. Guajillos are fruity and bright, anchos are deeper and a little raisin-y.
- Chipotles in adobo from the can for smoke and a bit of heat.
- Achiote paste for that signature red color and earthy flavor. It’s made from ground annatto seeds mixed with spices and vinegar. El Yucateco is the brand you’ll see most. One reader used a little less than the recipe calls for as a personal preference, and it still worked great, so adjust to taste.
- Fresh pineapple for sweetness, and it’s a natural tenderizer, and that’s why marinating time is a big deal here (more below).
- Orange juice and vinegar for tang.
- Onion, garlic, whole peppercorns, cloves, Mexican oregano, thyme, and cumin for the warm, savory backbone. Regular oregano works if that’s what you’ve got.
How To Make Al Pastor Marinade
This is a visual overview of the steps to make this recipe. See the detailed list of ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below.
- Clean the chiles. Pull off the stems, shake out the seeds, and give them a quick rinse. Dried chiles are dusty, don’t skip it.
- Soften them. Cover with water, boil for 5 minutes, then let them sit off the heat for about 10 more. Save 1 cup of that soaking water for blending. Find the chile water a little bitter? Use chicken broth instead, a reader did and loved it.
- Blend everything. Chiles, chipotles, achiote, pineapple, onion, garlic, orange juice, vinegar, and all the spices go in with that cup of liquid.
- Keep blending. 2 to 3 full minutes. This marinade doesn’t get strained, so it needs to be completely smooth.
Ana’s Recipe Tips
How long to marinate (the part everyone gets wrong)
Here’s the thing about this marinade: fresh pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain that breaks down protein, and the vinegar and orange juice are doing the same job from another angle. That’s great for tender pork in a few hours. Not so great after a full day. One reader marinated a pork shoulder for almost 24 hours and it slid right off his trompo, in his words, into a “flavorful, inedible slush.” Lesson learned for all of us.
| Protein | Marinating time (in the fridge) |
|---|---|
| Pork, thin slices | 2 to 4 hours |
| Pork shoulder steaks or chops | 3 to 6 hours, no longer |
| Chicken thighs or breasts | 1 to 4 hours |
| Shrimp or fish | 15 to 30 minutes |
| Cauliflower, mushrooms, tofu | 30 minutes to 2 hours |
Need to prep the night before? Make the marinade ahead, keep it in the fridge, and toss the meat in the next morning. That way the timing works and you still get a head start.
Storing
- Fridge: Once the the sauce is done and cooled off, you can transfer it into a lidded jar or airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: Freeze in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids or resealable plastic bags. It’s a good idea to divide them into smaller portions so you can thaw only what you need.
Uses Suggestions
Tacos al pastor are traditionally shaved off a vertical spit called a trompo, but you don’t need one. For the full method, head to my Tacos Al Pastor recipe. This is the classic adobo sauce for marinated pork to make the tacos al pastor recipe. However, it can also be used to marinate chicken and other proteins and use in the same way.
Print Recipe:
Al Pastor Marinade (Taquería-Style Adobo) Recipe
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 4 large chiles guajillos (35g)
- 2 to 3 chile anchos (35g) - Pasilla will work well too.
- 2 medium chile chipotles from a can
- 20 grams achiote paste (about ¼ of a bar)
- ¾ cup chopped fresh pineapple
- ¼ cup chopped onion (about ¼ of a medium onion)
- 2 large garlic cloves
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup white vinegar or cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon knorr chicken bouillon
- 15 black whole peppercorns
- 3 cloves
- 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Remove the seeds and stems from the dried chiles. Rinse with water to remove any dust.4 large chiles guajillos (35g), 2 to 3 chile anchos (35g)
- In a medium pot add the dried chiles and enough water to cover the chiles. Bring the water to a boil and cook the chiles for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest to rehydrate the chiles for about 10 minutes. (reserve 1 cup of the water for blending).
- In a blender, add the rehydrated chiles and the rest of the ingredients plus 1 cup of the cooked chile water.2 medium chile chipotles from a can, 20 grams achiote paste (about ¼ of a bar), ¾ cup chopped fresh pineapple, ¼ cup chopped onion (about ¼ of a medium onion), 2 large garlic cloves, ½ cup fresh orange juice, ¼ cup white vinegar or cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon knorr chicken bouillon, 15 black whole peppercorns, 3 cloves, 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Puree until smooth (it won’t be strained so make sure it’s blended well). About 2 to 3 minutes.
- Use to marinade pork or chicken or store as directed in the notes section.
Notes
-
- Fridge: Once the the adobo is done and cooled off, you can transfer it into a lidded jar and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
-
- Freezer: Freeze in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids or resealable plastic bags. It’s a good idea to divide them into smaller portions so you can thaw only what you need. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Marinate pork or chicken for about 2 to 4 hours in the fridge, no longer than 6.
- This makes enough for about 4 to 5 pounds (1.8 to 2.3 kg) of meat.
Your Private Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
This marinade includes a combination of dried Guajillo and ancho chiles, along with other spices and seasonings. While the marinade has some level of spiciness, it is generally not considered hot. Guajillo and ancho chile are not spicy at all. If you want to make it spicy, you may add chile de arbol into the mix. It’s great to know that the spiciness of al pastor can be customized to suit individual tastes.
While chili powder can provide some similar flavors, it may not be the ideal substitute for Guajillo and Pasilla chilies in an Al pastor marinade. Guajillo and Pasilla chilies have distinct flavors and contribute to the authentic taste of Al pastor. If you use chili powder as a substitute, the flavor profile of the marinade will be different. However, if you don’t have access to Guajillo and Pasilla chilies, you can try using a combination of chili powder, paprika, and other spices to approximate the flavors as closely as possible. Experiment with different proportions to achieve the desired taste in your Al pastor marinade.
Yes. Canned pineapple is a little less bright than fresh, but the canning process deactivates the enzyme that tenderizes meat, so it’s more forgiving with longer marinating times.
Not as is. Marinade that’s touched raw meat needs to come to a full rolling boil for a few minutes before it goes anywhere near your tacos. Easier move: set aside half a cup before the meat goes in, and use that for basting or drizzling.
Just amazing. super easy to make.
Hi, when blended with the cloves and peppercorn does it make the sauce grainy.
It does not! I actually just made it yesterday again and there are no grains at all. Enjoy!
OK perfect, thank you for getting back to me. I actually just made this and it turned out amazing. This is definitely a keeper and one I’ll be using again and again. 5 star.
The flavors of this recipe were spot on. Though I did add a little less achiote (personal preference). I marinated it almost 24 hours and the vinegar and citrus in the recipe broke my pork shoulder down to mush. It slid off the trompo in my smoker and became a sensational-smelling, flavorful, inedible slush. I’ll definitely make this again, but I’ll probably only leave it in the marinade no longer than four hours.
Thank you so much for sharing this, that’s really helpful. You’re absolutely right. With the vinegar and citrus in the marinade, 24 hours is just too long and the acid can break the pork down too much. For this recipe, 2–4 hours is ideal (especially for thin slices), and I wouldn’t go much past that.
I’m so glad the flavor was spot on for you though! Shorter marinating time next round should give you the perfect texture. 🙌
Enjoy your day! xo, Ana
This recipe could be the most delicious in the world, but you should always remember that the great majority of your subscribers don’t have access to some ingredients like dry chilis that are so abundant and so affordable near and around Mexico and the southern USA. Amazon, at $50 for a bunch, is not an option. So, to make sure I don’t miss my salsa, I always need to look for the exact measurement of the powder recipe.
Totally fair point, access to dried chiles isn’t the same everywhere. I’ll work on adding powder measurements as an option for recipes like this one, thanks for the feedback.
Edit to say I’m back with the rough powder conversions:
Guajillo chiles (35g dried) → about 3 tablespoons guajillo powder
Ancho chiles (35g dried) → about 3 tablespoons ancho powder
Chipotles from a can (2 medium) → 1 to 1½ teaspoons chipotle powder, plus a splash of vinegar or a bit of hot sauce to mimic the adobo tang (canned chipotles carry that sauce flavor, powder alone won’t)
Note: powder gives you the color and base heat, but you lose some of the smoky, fruity depth you get from toasting and rehydrating whole pods.
I hope this helps!
Ana
How many pounds of pork will this marinate?
Thanks for your question! This recipe makes about 3 cups of marinade, which is enough for roughly 4 to 5 pounds of pork. Just be sure the meat is well coated and has time to marinate so the flavors really soak in.
I just made this and it’s perfect! This is my go-to Pastor marinade for life. Thank you so much.
Hi Matt! Go-to for life” might be the best compliment a recipe can get! So glad it turned out perfect, thanks for making it.
This was so yummy! I used broth in place of the chili water just because it was more bitter than I cared for and I added fresh cilantro just cuz I had it sitting on the counter to go with the meat after it was barbecued. We have all kinds of ideas to use this marinade with. I could see pouring a bit over steamed veggies or an omelet. Loads of flavor. So happy I ran across this recipe. Thank you for sharing
Hi Shannon! Swapping in broth and tossing in cilantro sounds like a great call, love that you made it your own! And the omelet idea is genius, definitely stealing that. So glad you found the recipe, thanks for trying it!
Absolutely delicious and super easy to make. It was perfect with pork and chicken tacos!! We just moved to Nebraska from New Mexico and were craving good tacos, this did not disappoint! Thanks for sharing.
Que fregona eres Ana!!!
Gracias por compartir!!! Son deliciosos estos tacos!!!
You’ll love this recipe guys! Make a bunch and freeze for later.