There's nothing quite like the smell of achiote-marinated pork hitting a screaming-hot grill grate, and these Pork Tenderloin Tacos al Pastor lean all the way into it. I'm marinating thin-sliced tenderloin in a bold blend of achiote paste, chipotles, and adobo, then searing it hard alongside caramelized pineapple and red onion. Pile it into warm corn tortillas, spoon on a bright cilantro date relish, and you've got the kind of backyard taco night that has everybody crowding the cutting board before you've finished slicing.
Pork Tenderloin Tacos al Pastor
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
Mexican
Servings
4
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
811
The magic here is in the contrast: smoky, charred pork against sweet grilled pineapple, with a cilantro date relish that brings an unexpected jammy sweetness and a squeeze of fresh lime to tie it all together. The achiote and chipotle marinade does the heavy lifting on flavor, while a quick sear over direct heat builds that crusty, caramelized edge you only get off live fire. It's a taco that tastes like it came from a street cart, built right in your own backyard.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, sliced thin (1/4 inch)
- 1/2 of a small pineapple, sliced thin (1/4” rounds)
- 1 red onion, sliced thin (1/4 inch rounds)
-
Cattleman’s Grill 8 Second Ride Carne Asada Seasoning
- 16-24 small corn tortillas
- 1 (3.5 oz) package Achiote paste
- 4 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 1/4 cup adobo sauce from the can
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
-
1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup dates, pitted, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 bottle beer of choice
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- juice of 1/2 a lime
For the marinade:
Cilantro Date Relish:
Directions
Marinate the pork
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender along with 1/2 cup water, and blend until smooth.
Pour half the marinade into a zip-top bag or sealable container, and reserve the rest for another day. Add the sliced pork, massage the marinade into the meat, and refrigerate for one hour.
Start the cilantro relish
Place the diced dates and orange juice in a pint mason jar (or any container larger than 1.5 cups), then pour in enough beer to cover the dates. Refrigerate for one hour while you enjoy the rest of that beer.
Strain off and discard the liquid from the dates. Toss the dates together with the cilantro and lime juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
Grill Everything
Preheat your cooker to 450°F. Brush the onions and pineapple rounds with oil and season them with Cattleman's Grill 8 Second Ride. Grill over direct heat until browned, then slide them to a cooler indirect spot to finish softening.
Grill the pork over direct heat, flipping once to brown both sides, until it's cooked through to an internal temperature of 140°F.
Assemble
Transfer the pork, onions, and pineapple to a cutting board, dice everything up, and serve immediately in warm corn tortillas with the cilantro date relish.
Recipe Note
What You'll Love
You'll love how these tacos deliver big, layered flavor without a ton of fuss — the marinade does most of the work, and the grill brings everything to life with char and caramelization. The pork stays juicy and tender, the grilled pineapple and onion add sweet smoky depth, and that cilantro date relish is the surprise star that keeps every bite bright and interesting. It's an easy crowd-pleaser that feels special enough for a weekend cookout but quick enough to pull off on a weeknight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cut of pork instead of tenderloin?
You can. Tenderloin keeps things lean and quick-cooking, but thin-sliced pork shoulder or pork loin both work well with this achiote marinade. Just keep the slices around 1/4 inch so they sear fast and cook through evenly over direct heat.
How spicy is the al pastor marinade?
It carries a moderate, smoky heat from the four chipotle chiles and adobo sauce. If you want it milder, drop down to two chiles and a splash less adobo; if you like it hotter, leave the seeds in or add an extra chile to the blender.
What's the role of the beer in the cilantro date relish?
The beer soaks into the diced dates for about an hour, softening them and adding a subtle malty depth before it's strained off and discarded. It plumps the dates so they turn jammy and tender, balancing the bright cilantro and lime in the finished relish.
What internal temperature should the pork reach?
Grill the pork over direct heat, flipping once, until it hits an internal temperature of 140°F. Letting it rest briefly before dicing helps keep the thin slices juicy when you build your tacos.
Can I cook this in the indoors?
We rate this a 2 out of 5 for cooking indoors. Can be done inside, but loses key flavor or texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 19.34 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 811
- Carbs
- 80 grams
- Protein
- 47 grams
- Fat
- 33 grams
- Sodium
- 1921 milligrams
