With all of that history, El Tizoncito’s claim to being the birthplace of al pastor might seem a bit thin, but here goes. Eventually the lamb was swapped for pork, more seasoning was added, and tacos al pastor were born.įor tacos al pastor, try El Tizoncito in Mexico City. In the Mexican state of Puebla they were made of lamb and known as “tacos arabes.” They were more lightly seasoned than al pastor and were served on flour tortillas. The story starts with Lebanese immigrants who brought shawarma to Mexico early in the 20th century. So who thought up all this deliciousness? The spits are positioned to be visible from the street, assuring hungry passers-by that these tacos are prepared the old-fashioned way, not sizzled on a grill in the city center, spits of al pastor meat the size of steamer trunks are proudly displayed. Taquerias serving al pastor are found all over Mexico, and in the capital city they’re ubiquitous, the ultimate purveyors of street food. In fact, tacos al pastor are a good reason to learn to count to 10 in Spanish. One of these beauties is nothing more than a light snack. Most often it’s served up on a fresh corn tortilla, not much bigger than the palm of your hand, and topped with a few essentials: Chopped raw onion, fresh cilantro, a healthy sliver of pineapple, maybe a squeeze of a tiny Mexican lime, maybe a dribble of salsa. Traditionally the spit is topped by a peeled pineapple, so its juices will seep down along with the pork juice and fat, flavoring and tenderizing the meat as the whole thing cooks.Ī grill tender shaves the meat off of the spit, a little at a time, producing shreds of tender, savory meat with crisp, slightly burned edges. And then-the crucial step-the marinated pork slices are impaled on a spit (known as a trompo, Spanish for a spinning top) and roasted in front of a vertical broiler, similar to those used for shawarma and gyros. The meat is sliced thin and marinated in chiles and achiote, giving it an orange cast and a tangy but not overwhelmingly spicy flavor. The name means “shepherd style” but there is no lamb or goat involved, only pork. Tacos al pastor are among the simple glories of Mexican cuisine.

Though our “discovery” WAS a bit like Columbus’, in that plenty of people already knew about El Tizoncito, a pleasant street-corner taqueria in Mexico City’s Condesa neighborhood it was only news to us.įirst, a little background on why this was such an epiphany. OK, lumping the last one with the first two is a stretch. And my husband and I discovered the birthplace of tacos al pastor while looking for a coffee shop in Mexico City.

Pastor tacos in english