What Type of Meat is Al Pastor? Exploring the Mexican Pork Delicacy

December 11, 2025 •

4 min read

Al pastor, a beloved Mexican delicacy, has roots tied to the shawarma cooking methods brought by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico in the early 20th century. This fusion of Middle Eastern technique with Mexican ingredients led to the creation of one of Mexico's most iconic street foods.

Quick Summary

Al pastor is a traditional Mexican meat dish consisting of marinated pork, typically pork shoulder, cooked on a vertical rotisserie known as a trompo. Its distinct flavor is derived from an adobada-style marinade that includes dried chiles, spices, and pineapple.

Key Points

Marinated Pork: Al pastor is traditionally made from thinly sliced, marinated pork shoulder.
Vertical Spit (Trompo): The meat is slow-cooked on a vertical rotisserie, a method adapted from Lebanese shawarma.
Distinct Flavor Profile: The flavor is a balance of savory, spicy, and sweet, achieved through a vibrant chile and achiote marinade with pineapple.
Fusion Cuisine: This iconic Mexican dish is a testament to the country's culinary fusion, blending Middle Eastern cooking with indigenous ingredients.
Pork Shoulder is Key: The natural fat content of pork shoulder ensures a tender and juicy result during the long cooking process.
Not Spicy for All: Although made with chiles, the typical heat level is mild, though it can be customized to be spicier.
Home-Cook Friendly: Delicious al pastor can be made at home in an oven, skillet, or grill, mimicking the traditional spit-roasted flavor.

Understanding the Origins of Al Pastor

The story of al pastor is a fascinating tale of culinary fusion. The name, which translates to "shepherd style" in Spanish, hints at its nomadic origins. In the early 1900s, a large wave of Lebanese immigrants settled in Mexico, bringing with them their tradition of preparing spit-roasted lamb shawarma. Over time, Mexican cooks adapted this vertical-spit cooking method to local ingredients. They replaced the lamb with pork and developed a vibrant marinade using Mexican chiles and spices, thus creating the dish we now know as al pastor. The cooking apparatus, a vertical rotisserie, is called a trompo, or "spinning top," for its shape and motion.

The Meat: Why Pork is Essential

The key to authentic al pastor is the use of thinly sliced pork. While some modern recipes might experiment with other meats, the traditional and most flavorful choice is pork, specifically pork shoulder or pork butt. This cut of pork is ideal for several reasons:

Fat Content: Pork shoulder has a good amount of marbled fat, which melts and renders as it cooks on the trompo. This self-basting process keeps the meat moist and tender while developing a crispy, charred exterior.
Flavor: The fat content also contributes to a richer flavor profile, complementing the spicy and tangy notes of the marinade.
Tenderness: As the pork slow-roasts for hours, the tough connective tissues break down, resulting in a succulent, fall-apart tender meat.

The Signature Marinade and Cooking Process

The vibrant red color and distinctive flavor of al pastor come from its unique marinade, also known as adobada. While secret recipes vary among taqueros, common ingredients include:

Dried Chiles: Typically a mix of guajillo and ancho chiles provide a mild heat and earthy base.
Achiote Paste: Made from annatto seeds, achiote is a crucial ingredient that imparts a distinctive, earthy flavor and gives the meat its signature deep red-orange hue.
Spices: A blend of garlic, cumin, Mexican oregano, and sometimes clove and cinnamon.
Vinegar and Pineapple Juice: These acidic ingredients balance the spice and earthy tones while also helping to tenderize the meat.

After marinating, the thinly sliced pork is stacked in a cone-like shape on the vertical trompo and slow-roasted. As the meat cooks, the taquero shaves off the crispy outer layer into a tortilla, often with a piece of roasted pineapple from the top of the spit. This caramelizes the pineapple and adds a sweet and tangy element that perfectly cuts through the richness of the pork.

Al Pastor vs. Other Mexican Meats

To better understand what makes al pastor unique, it's helpful to compare it to other popular Mexican meat preparations. Below is a comparison of al pastor, carnitas, and carne asada.


Feature	Al Pastor	Carnitas	Carne Asada
Meat Type	Marinated Pork Shoulder/Butt	Pork (various cuts)	Marinated Beef (Skirt or Flank Steak)
Preparation	Marinated in chile/achiote sauce and slow-roasted on a vertical spit	Slowly braised or simmered in lard until tender	Thinly sliced and grilled over high heat
Flavor Profile	Smoky, savory, spicy, sweet, and tangy	Rich, tender, and intensely savory with browned edges	Smoky and savory from the char-grill
Cooking Method	Vertical rotisserie (trompo)	Copper pot (cazo) or slow cooker	Grill or flat top (plancha)
Texture	Tender interior with crispy, charred edges	Extremely tender and juicy, with some crispy bits	Tender, with a prominent grilled flavor and firm texture

Modern Interpretations and Home Preparation

While the vertical trompo is the traditional method for cooking al pastor, many home cooks have developed successful alternatives. One popular method is stacking the marinated pork on a skewer in a Dutch oven or slow cooker for a similar effect. Alternatively, the marinated pork can be pan-fried or grilled in a single layer to achieve delicious, caramelized results. These methods make it possible to enjoy the authentic flavor of al pastor without specialized equipment. Some popular modern variations include gringas (al pastor on a flour tortilla with cheese) and even vegetarian versions using ingredients like textured vegetable protein (TVP).

Conclusion: A Culinary Journey from Old World to New

In conclusion, the type of meat used for authentic al pastor is pork, specifically pork shoulder or butt, chosen for its ideal fat content that produces a tender and flavorful result. This delicious Mexican street food represents a beautiful cross-cultural exchange, blending Lebanese cooking techniques with Mexican ingredients and flavors. From its slow-roasted preparation on a vertical spit to the perfect combination of marinated pork and sweet pineapple, al pastor offers a rich and complex taste experience that has become a staple of Mexican cuisine around the world. For more on the history and cultural significance of al pastor, you can read the Wikipedia article.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most authentic and recommended cut of meat for al pastor is pork shoulder or pork butt, due to its ideal fat content that keeps the meat moist and tender during the long cooking process.

No, al pastor is not always spicy. The heat level can vary, but the chiles in the marinade are often balanced by the sweetness of pineapple juice and other ingredients. The spice level is often milder than people expect, though it can be adjusted.

The name 'al pastor' translates to 'shepherd style' in Spanish. This name refers to the vertical spit-roasting technique brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants, who were traditionally shepherds.

The distinctive red coloring in al pastor marinade comes from achiote paste, which is made from annatto seeds. This ingredient also contributes to the dish's earthy flavor.

Yes, it is possible to make delicious al pastor at home without a vertical spit. The marinated pork can be cooked in an oven, a skillet, or on a grill, and many recipes exist for these methods.

The main difference lies in their cooking methods. Al pastor is marinated pork that is slow-roasted on a vertical spit, while carnitas is pork braised or simmered in its own fat until tender.

Pineapple is used to balance the savory, spicy flavors of the pork with its sweetness and acidity. A piece of pineapple is often placed on top of the vertical spit, allowing its juices to drip down and baste the meat as it cooks.