Tacos al Pastor is by far my favorite type of taco. Sadly, I didn’t know about this delicious tasting taco until a year and a half ago. While I was in culinary school, I had a Taste of Mexico class. It was taught by one of the best Mexican Chef’s in Chicago, Chef Carlos Gaytan. He LOVES Tacos al Pastor, so he was excited to share with the class his recipe. My team of 3 made his recipe, and when it came to taste test time, I was completely blown away. The pork was so spicy and tender, however, there was a lot of sweetness from the pineapple. If I could fall in love with a taco, this would be the one.
If you’re like me and you don’t have the time to tend to roasting pork for hours, I offer you a cheat method to make Tacos al Pastor in your home. Get out that crock pot and put it to work for you. I cooked a pork tenderloin in a slow cooker for 6 hours on low and when it was time for dinner, I couldn’t believe how flavorful this recipe came out. Sometimes cheating does win 
Crock Pot Tacos al Pastor
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 lb pork tenderloin
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 20oz can crushed pineapple, with juice
- Chipotle peppers in Adobo, up to 6 whole peppers
- 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 lime, juices
- Corn tortillas
Directions:
- Place the first 11 ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low. Please note, you can go easy on the chipotle peppers if you aren’t into spice. They do pack a lot of punch, so if you want a hint of spice, you can put in 2 or 3 and still get the flavor. Do not chop them up, just put the peppers in whole so you can fish them out.
- Shred pork in the slow cooker. Combine the chopped pineapple, cilantro, onions and lime juice to make salsa. Warm the tortillas. On the tortilla, put the shredded pork and top with salsa.
Oh my, I am seriously drooling right now and my stomach is rumbling! I love crockpot meals and tacos, so this is a perfect fit! Too bad I will have to omit the pineapple, since my daughter is allergic. I bet it’s still going to be fantastic!
Thanks Rachel! Too bad your daughter is allergic to pineapples
Is she allergic to oranges? Maybe you could up the orange juice amount and make a mandarin orange salsa instead. Any kind of citrus is great as a tenderizer for meat.
Giving it a try for Crockpot Monday. Couldn’t find chipotle peppers though.
They’re usually in the ethnic isle at the grocery store.
Would it be okay to marinade the pork overnight?
Sure! I don’t see why not! If anything, it would provide even more flavor.
I don’t know what happened with mine, but mine has a huge taste of pineapple. I think a 20oz can is far too much.
Hi Frank, Al Pastor Tacos are known for cooking in pineapple juice and the actual pineapple. I’m a lover of citrus and love that fresh flavor, so feel free to make an adjustment that fits your taste.
Yeah, I get Al Pastor from neighborhood Mexican joints in LA and never have I tasted a hint of Pineapple. So I thought maybe the taste cooked off so I was surprised by the amount of pineapple taste at the end.
This is in my crock pot right now, can’t wait to eat! I used pork shoulder instead of loin, hopefully it turns out well.
Perfect taco for Cinco de Mayo!! I hope you enjoy them!!
Cooking now. If this tastes half as good as it smells, I’ll be one happy camper!
I think that’s my FAVORITE part about crock pot cooking. You can smell it all day long! Enjoy!!
Great Idea, thanks!