What is Al Pastor?
Traditional Mexican food known as al pastor is made with marinated and spiced pork.
The name, which translates to “Shephard Style,” comes from where the cooking technique originated. Al pastor is a Mexican meat, but the cooking method is a Lebanese invention. Lebanese immigrants to Mexico brought the renowned lamb shawarma cooking technique with them. This vertical spit-roasted preparation is almost identical to the Lebanese lamb shawarma.
The type of meat used is what distinguishes the Mexican take on lamb shawarma.
What part of the pork is al pastor meat?
Al Pastor meat is taken from boneless pork shoulder. The meat is entirely different from lamb, despite the cooking method being identical to that of the Lebanese shawarma with its vertical spit-roasting technique. Pork shoulder is thinly sliced off the rotating spit roast after being slow-cooked to maintain its tenderness.
What are tacos al pastor made out of?
As you might already guess, tacos al pastor is made of al pastor meat or pork shoulder. In fact, there are some places where the term “al pastor” and “tacos al pastor” are synonymous with each other. It wasn’t until cooking styles such as burritos and quesadillas were introduced when the synonymous definition lost its meaning.
Now, Al Pastor can be simply understood as a type of meat or, better yet, as a method of cooking pork shoulder.
How is al pastor meat made?
A vertical spit roast is used to slowly cook a boneless pork shoulder, as was previously mentioned. However, it is marinated in a variety of common Mexican ingredients before cooking even starts, including dried chilies, spices, pineapple, and typically achiote paste. The meat is then slowly cooked in a trompo, a vertical spit roast, over charcoal or gas flames. If you’ve ever visited a small, genuine Greek restaurant, you’ve probably witnessed them slicing lamb meat from a trompo.
Although it is prepared similarly, al pastor is served with different ingredients. Common ingredients used in or served with al pastor meat include guajillo chili, garlic, cumin, clove, bay leaf, and vinegar. Pork shoulder, unlike its lamb sibling, has a mild flavor and needs stronger ingredients to complement it. Al pastor’s slow-cooked preparation makes it an excellent vehicle for stronger seasonings because it enhances them.
Al pastor is the staple of a premier Mexican restaurant. Many Mexican restaurants cannot support the required trompo due to its cooking method, so they must settle for overcooked or pan-fried pork, which is chewy and flavorless.
Since we are an authentic Mexican restaurant, Backyard Taco stands out from the competition. Since 2005, Ruben and Marisela, two of our founders and owners, have shared their passion for food. To give our guests a true taste of Mazatlán, Mexico, they have been using straightforward and fresh ingredients for the past 15 years. All of our meats are marinated in traditional recipe-derived herbs and spices.
Backyard Taco is renowned for its Mesquite Grilled Meats in addition to the fan favorite, Al Pastor. The most popular meats and preparations found in Mexican cooking and street food are on our menu.
Steak, also known as carne asada, has long been a mainstay of Mexican cuisine. Usually a sirloin steak, it receives a robust flavor from being marinated and cooked in a variety of Mexican seasonings. Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and other dishes can be made with the meat as a filler or as the main course.
Carne Asada can be both a food and an event in Mexico and other countries. The meat has become synonymous with barbeques, celebrations, and parties in northern Mexico due to how frequently people use it there.
Since the beginning of time, Mexican cuisine has included chicken, or pollo. Compared to many other white meats, it is not only simple to prepare but also really flavorful. In contrast to carne asada, chicken is prepared with delicate flavors that bring out the best in the meat.
Surprisingly, the bird has little cultural significance in Mexico, but it had a significant impact on Spanish poultry farms when they arrived. The small birds we now refer to as chickens were discovered by the Spanish conquistadors when they arrived in Mexico. The bird found its way into almost every Spanish farm when they returned home. Even the oldest chicken bones ever discovered were found in Mexico, dating back nearly 1800 years.
Birria, also known as shredded beef, is a specialty of the Jalisco state in Mexico. If you’ve ever had birria elsewhere, it might have been served as pork or mutton. Backyard Taco uses shredded beef. Instead of being simply grilled, it is actually cooked as a thick stew or sauce that is frequently used as a taco, burrito, or quesadilla filling as well as on its own.
Birria is frequently served in restaurants or on street carts in Mexican culture. Both the Tapatos (people of Guadalajara) and the Jaliscienses (people of the state of Jalisco) view this dish as an integral part of their respective cultures.
One of the staple dishes in any Mexican restaurant is al pastor, or pork. The pork shoulder roast is prepared using Lebanese techniques, as we previously explained. It still has relevance to Mexican culture despite this. In actuality, al pastor shares a cultural identity with carne asada with the Mexican people.
Any of these meats are available for purchase on our menu, so you can try them for yourself. We have authentic Mexican dishes on our menu, and you can order them with any type of meat you like. You can personalize your plate to fit the experience you want to have, whether it’s Carne Asada, Birria, Al Pastor, or Chicken.
Mexico is a generous and culturally diverse nation that values community. To give our customers exactly the kind of experience you would want in Mexico, we developed the Backyard Taco menu and included cultural representation in our restaurants. Therefore, if you haven’t already, we strongly advise that you try our Al Pastor!
We want you to feel at home and unafraid to try the different kinds of meats that contain so much cultural history.
Al Pastor At Backyard Taco
Naturally, each Mexican restaurant in Arizona uses its own unique recipes. Here at Backyard Taco, we use pork that has been marinated with pineapple, chilies, and spices like garlic and clove to make our al pastor. You may also enjoy your choice of a corn or flour tortilla, toppings of diced red onion, and cilantro, depending on what menu item you order with the meat. For those seeking a lower carb option, we can also turn our burritos into a low carb bowl, which is filled with all the delicious ingredients inside the burrito but without the tortilla, making it a tasty, filling meal all by itself.
We are proud of our Mexican heritage and how it has shaped the way we cook and prepare food.
We’re pleased to introduce America to Mexican culture’s love of simple, fresh food, which is one of the most significant aspects of Mexican culture. Whether it’s a quick lunch with coworkers at one of our four locations or a family dinner and date night with games and fun on our patio, you’re sure to have a great experience when you visit our backyard. Our goal is to continue to provide an authentic Mexican experience for our guests.
Come by and try our Al Pastor today if you’re looking for a true taste of Mexico!
How Tacos Al Pastor Is Made • Tasty
FAQ
What is al pastor meat made of?
Typically, boneless pork shoulder, a triangular cut from the pig’s upper leg, is used to make the Al Pastor meat. A layer of fat and the skin from the pork shoulder are frequently sold by butchers. Cooking the al pastor taco on a rotating spit is required.
Is al pastor the same as carne asada?
Mexican cuisine is known for dishes with flavorful traditional meats. Tacos can be made with chicken (pollo), beef (carne asada), pork (al pastor), or any combination of the three.
What is al pastor vs carnitas?
Although both dishes use pork, there are significant differences in the cooking methods and flavors between carnitas and al pastor. Carnitas are usually braised in liquid or fat. Pineapple is added to the marinated, grilled al pastor to give it a tangy flavor.
What flavor is al pastor?
You will initially taste the complexity of the chili peppers, which are smoky and only mildly hot. After that, you’re hit with spices like cumin and oregano, then you get a hint of achiote and onion, and some pineapple sweetness.