Al Pastor Taco Seasoning

Sweet with the smell of onions and citrusy coriander cloaked in a touch of fruit, our Al Pastor Taco Seasoning has a deeply grounded flavor that belies its lithe fragrance. Rich cherry, raisin, and chocolate flavors from the chile peppers step forward with the sweet and delicate flavor of annatto to wave hello, before being pulled back behind a pungent wall of garlic and rugged cumin. Smoke and peppery oregano come in right behind the cumin so the flavor continues forward in an unrelenting push, slowly fading to a gentle burn from the chiles and the herbaceous bitterness of oregano. Our Al Pastor Taco Seasoning is blended in small batches in our facility for freshness and flavor.

Al Pastor tacos are unquestionably a Mexican creation, but their origin was heavily influenced by the influx of Lebanese immigrants into Mexico in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During that window, approximately 100,000 Lebanese people emigrated to Mexico, bringing their culture, their cuisines, and the vertical spits that are traditionally used to cook the lamb dish shawarma. The immigrants settled into their new homes, started restaurants, married, had children…and these children began adapting the food that went on this spit, called a trompo, to food from Mexican kitchens. Lamb was swapped out for pork, they selected guajillo and ancho chiles, and they marinated the meat instead of doing a simple salt and pepper seasoning. The thin slices of marinated pork are layered on the spit with onions and peppers and cooked on an open flame. Al pastor meat is also layered with pineapple on the spit, and served with wedges in the taco. Where the pineapple comes from, though, remains a delicious culinary mystery.

Tips From Our Kitchen

You don’t need a vertical spit to successfully cook with our Al Pastor Taco Seasoning. Mix in with your favorite taco meat—including soy crumbles, if you’re meatless—and brown in some oil, with diced peppers and onions. Toss over strips of chicken or steak and grill for fajitas. Use as a dry rub for your favorite meat; we recommend using 1 tablespoon of Al Pastor seasoning per pound. Or make a marinade by combining with vinegar, broth or water, and pureed pineapple and onion. Marinate for 2 hours if cooking chicken or fish, 4 hours or longer if you use pork or beef. Add Al Pastor Taco Seasoning to cornbread. Toss over sliced zucchini or summer squash and roast, and add the roasted vegetables to a Mexican-style pasta with poblanos, corn, and cilantro.

Blended from garlic, cumin, onion, coriander, chipotle, oregano, ancho, guajillo, salt, and annatto.

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