Al pastor (from Spanish, "shepherd style"), also known as tacos al pastor, is a taco made with spit-grilled pork. Cooking method is based on the lamb shawarma brought by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico, al pastor features a flavor palate that uses traditional Mexican marinate adobada.

In some places of northern Mexico, such as Nuevo León, Durango and Chihuahua, these are usually called tacos de trompo if served on corn tortillas, and gringas if they are served with cheese on flour tortillas.

You see that vertical spit turning and slow-roasting a huge chunk of pork? You're at a taco stand specializing in al pastor where meat is slow-cooked on a trompo (aka a spit).

Al pastor translates to “like the shepherd,” in reference to the Lebanese immigrants who arrived in Mexico in the early 20th century. They brought shawarma with them and it eventually evolved into tacos árabes (a dish in Puebla where spit-roasted, seasoned lamb is served on a pita) and even further into al pastor.

Al pastor tacos are made by marinating meat (historically lamb but often pork nowadays) with Mexican-meets-Middle Eastern flavors like charred onions, garlic, achiote paste, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. After the pork butt is marinated overnight, it's layered onto the vertical spit and cooked for hours until the meat is tender, flame-licked, and caramelized.

How to know where to go for the best al pastor tacos? First of all, a legit al pastor joint only does al pastor and does it excellently. Most Mexicans say that the larger the trompo the better the spot (the rationale being the amount of meat they cook is an indicator of demand at a given taco stand). Oh and know that al pastor is major a nighttime taco since the trompo turns and cooks for hours before its ready (also because it’s a phenomenal cap to a night out on the town)!

Finally, in some parts of Mexico, like where we travel in Northern Baja California, al pastor is more commonly called adobada.

A similar dish is called tacos árabes, which originated in Puebla in the 1930s from Arab Mexicans cuisine. Tacos árabes use shawarma-style meat carved from a spit, but are served in a pita-style bread called pan árabe. These tacos have been brought by Mexican immigrants to the United States in the past few years and have become popular in cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles, two of the largest Mexican/Mexican-American population centers in the United States.

Although cuts of meat can vary, it is traditionally sourced from beef navel plate (trapezius muscle) a durable cousin of the Brisket. After seasoning in a marinade for 24hrs, the meat is slow cooked in convex comal bathed in its own juices on low heat until succulent and tender. The corn tortillas are heated on the same comal and absorb a nice dash of ambient flavor. The meat is chopped and flash seared to just prior to being served delivering an amazing texture and aroma. These delicious street tacos are nicely paired with a variety of toppings but are traditionally served with cilantro, chopped onion, and green avocado salsa. As a street taco, these delicacies are smaller than the standard taco so order wisely if you're hungry.

When prepared properly this is a taco people talk about - it is a culinary reference point upon which all other tacos encounters will be compared. It is simply delicious