Here's What It Means When Meat Is Prepared 'Al Pastor'

If you've ever checked out the menu at your local Mexican restaurant, you might have noticed several options for how your taco meat can be prepared. Al pastor, birria, carne asada — they all refer to different ways to prepare meat. Al pastor, a method largely associated with the visual of shaving meat as it rotates around a heat source, is a method of roasting pork that Mexicans borrowed from Lebanon after Lebanese immigrants settled in the North American country more than 100 years ago. Essentially, the pork is roasted on a spit, where it rotates as it cooks, allowing the edges to crisp — from there, it's shaved off and served in tacos or other dishes.

Mexican al pastor is traditionally made with pork, and that's likely how you'll find it at most Mexican restaurants, though you can technically make it with other meat, too. If the method sounds similar to shawarma, that's because it is a true adaptation of Lebanese spit-roasted lamb.

Back in 1878, Lebanese citizens began immigrating to Mexico due to difficulties within their own country; they settled in Yucatán and Veracruz and brought their cooking styles with them. Eventually, Mexicans began adopting some of those Lebanese techniques, and spit-roasting turned into a popular way to cook pork.

Before the pork is added to the spit, it's marinated in a number of juices, spices, and other ingredients, including pineapple juice, guajillo chiles, and ancho chiles.  These chiles are popular in other Mexican dishes as well, including the best birria tacos. The length of time for marinating the pork varies, with some letting it sit for several hours and others keeping it for several days before cooking.

In addition to the pork itself, there are two other main ingredients often added to al pastor: pineapple and onion. A pineapple and onion are usually stuck atop the pork. Some say it's for flavor while others say it's for easy access to the add-ons when making tacos — but either way, you'll see them more often than not.

Tacos al pastor is likely the most common way you'll see al pastor served. Mexican street tacos are most often topped with onions and cilantro. The cheese is typically omitted, though queso fresco or Cotija, which are similar cheeses with slightly different tastes, are sometimes used.

Pork al pastor is also common in tortas; tortas are Mexican sandwiches made with bolillo bread or French bread. They're usually stuffed with some form of meat (not limited to just pork) and topped with plenty of different spices or vegetables, such as avocado and jalapeños. 

Pork al pastor can essentially be a part of any Mexican dish, including fajitas, burritos, and enchiladas. The shredded pork is a common addition to nachos, too. And if you happen to have leftovers of this tasty, marinated pork, just know they will not keep longer than four days in the refrigerator — though we're pretty sure you'll want to dig in long before that.