Al pastor

Al pastor(fromSpanish, "herdsman style"),tacos al pastor, ortacos de trompois a preparation ofspit-grilledslices ofporkoriginating in the Central Mexican region ofPueblaandMexico City, where they remain most prominent; today, though, it is a common menu item found intaqueríasthroughout Mexico. The method of preparing and cookingal pastoris based on thelambshawarmabrought byLebanese immigrants to the region.Al pastorfeatures a flavor palate that uses traditional Mexicanadobada(marinade). It is a popularstreet foodthat has spread to the United States. In some places ofnorthern MexicoandcoastalMexico, such as inBaja California,taco al pastoris known astaco de trompoortaco de adobada.
A variety of the dish uses a combination of Middle Eastern spices and indigenous central Mexican ingredients and is calledtacos árabes.
The name “al pastor”, which literally translates to “herdsman”,“cowherd” or “shepherd”style, comes from «Asado al Pastor», which can be translated as “spit roast” or “spit barbecue” over an open fire.TheAsado al Pastor, also known as “asado del pastor”, “carbonada” and “asado a la estaca”, was one of the styles for roasting or “barbecuing” meats in the Mexican countryside, the other one beingbarbacoa. Whole animals, commonly veal, bull, cow, or mutton, or pieces of meat, were skewered with a “spit” or “estaca” (stake) and placed over an open fire to be roasted.
In the Mexican cookbookDiccionario de Cocina o El Nuevo Cocinero Mexicano en Forma de Diccionario(1845), Manuel Galvan Rivera explains that there are different classes or types of asados (roasts or barbecues) in Mexican cuisine:
Galvan Rivera also explains that “carbonada” (which can be translated as “over coal”) was another name for an “Asado del Pastor”:
Theasado al pastorwas widely prepared in Mexico at countryside festivities, such asrodeos(cattle roundups),herraderos(cattle branding celebrations),jaripeosand bull-fights,patron saintfestivities of thehacienda, or family picnics.19th century Mexican writer Domingo Revilla wrote in 1844 and 1845, respectively, that the “banquet” at theherraderoswas reduced toasados al pastorandbarbacoaof whole calves (veal), bull or mutton,and explained thatasados al pastorwere more common inTierra Adentroor theBajíoregion, western Mexico, and beyond, whilebarbacoawas more common in theMezquitalandApanvalleys and surrounding areas in central Mexico.
During the 19th century, variations of a vertically grilled meat dishdoner, now known by several names, started to spread throughout theOttoman Empire. The Levantine version ofdoner, calledshawarma, was brought to Mexico in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by a wave ofLebanese immigrants, mainly Christians who have no religious dietary restrictions on eating pork.
In the 1920s in the state of Puebla, lamb meat was replaced by pork. The Mexican-born progeny of Lebanese immigrants also began opening their own restaurants.
Later, in Mexico City, they began to marinate withadoboand use corn tortillas, which resulted in the al pastor taco. It is unknown when they began to be prepared as we know them today; however, some agree that it was in the 1960s when they became popular.
Pork is marinated in a combination of driedchilies,spices,pineapple, and typicallyachiotepaste, then slowly cooked with charcoal or gas flame on a verticalrotisseriecalled atrompo(lit.'spinning top'), the meat is shaved off as the outside is browned, and made into tacos.Guajillo chile,garlic,cumin,clove,bay leaf, andvinegarare common ingredients, withcinnamon, driedMexican oregano,coriander, andblack peppercornsfound in many variants.Meat is thinly sliced off the spit with a large knife into a smallcorn tortillaand served with finely choppedonions,cilantro, and diced pineapple. A wedge oflemonorlimeand asalsaare optional condiments. This meat is also a common ingredient ingringas,alambres,huaraches,tortas,burritos, andpizza.
In some places of northern Mexico, such asNuevo León,DurangoandChihuahua, these are usually calledtacos de trompoif served oncorn tortillas, andgringasif they are served with cheese onflour tortillas.
A similar dish is calledtacos árabes(lit.'Arabic tacos'), which originated inPueblain the 1930s fromArab-Mexicancuisine.Tacos árabesuse shawarma-style meat carved from a spit, but are served in apita-style bread calledpan árabe(lit.'Arabic bread'). These tacos have been brought byMexican immigrants to the United Statesin 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.
A chicken version marinated in theal pastorstyle was brought back to the Middle East in the early 2000s, and sold as "shawarma mexici". It is typically served in the Middle Eastern style, wrapped with garlic mayonnaise,dill pickle, andfrench friesin a thinflatbread.