Tacos Al Pastor on the Kamado Joe

Pork shoulder marinated overnight in achiote, guajillo chili, pineapple juice and vinegar, cooked on a BBQ spit and served with fresh toppings.

This recipe comes from my Kamado Joe street-taco cook. Watch the video for the pork slicing, BBQ spit setup and the charred finish between rounds of serving.

Ingredients

• 1 pork shoulder (4 lb)
• 3 tablespoons achiote paste
• 2 tablespoons guajillo chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• Cilantro, for serving
• Pineapple, for serving
• Chopped onion, for serving
• Lime, for serving
• Tortillas, for serving

Instructions

1. Combine the achiote paste, guajillo chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, white vinegar and pineapple juice to make the marinade.
2. Slice the pork, coat it with the marinade and refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat the Kamado Joe to 300°F. Arrange the marinated pork on a BBQ spit, as demonstrated in the video.
4. Cook until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 175°F, then rest for 20 minutes.
5. Slice the pork from the top down. Serve in tortillas with cilantro, pineapple and chopped onion, and finish with lime.
6. For extra char between rounds of slicing, brown the newly exposed surface using a culinary torch or return it to the hot grill before slicing again.

Cooking notes

Marinate overnight. The video uses a 175°F internal temperature and a 20-minute rest. Scott notes that some cooks take the pork to 200°F for a different texture. Servings and total cooking time are not specified in the source.

Watch the recipe

Recipe card