Al Pastor with Girls Gone Grillin' Style (Upright Skewer)
This recipe recreates traditional trompo-style Al Pastor on a grill or smoker using an upright skewer, with a bold twist from Girls Gone Grillin’ Hot Hens seasoning for extra chili heat and flavor.
Ingredients
Meat
3–4 lbs pork shoulder, sliced thin (¼ inch)
Marinade
3 dried guajillo chiles
2 dried ancho chiles
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp achiote paste
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup pineapple juice
3 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1–1½ tbsp Girls Gone Grillin’ Hot Hens seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil
For the Skewer
1 fresh pineapple (top and bottom trimmed flat)
1 large onion, sliced thick
For Serving
Corn tortillas
Diced onion
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
Salsa Verde
Make the Marinade
Remove stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chiles.
Soak in hot water for 10 minutes until softened.
Add to a blender with:
garlic
achiote paste
orange juice
pineapple juice
vinegar
brown sugar
cumin
oregano
salt & pepper
Hot Hens seasoning
olive oil
Blend until smooth.
Marinate the Pork
Place sliced pork in a bowl or large bag.
Pour marinade over the pork and mix thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
Build the Trompo Skewer
Place the bottom of the pineapple on a sturdy pan or grill-safe base.
Push a long metal skewer through the center.
Stack in this order:
onion slice
layers of marinated pork
Pack the pork tightly to create a tall stack.
Finish with the top of the pineapple.
Cook
Preheat grill or smoker to 300°F using indirect heat.
Place the upright skewer on the grill.
Cook 1½–2 hours until outer edges caramelize and pork reaches 145–150°F.
For authentic street-style:
Slice off the crispy outer meat as it cooks and return the skewer to the grill.
Serve
Shave thin slices of pork from the stack.
Chop some grilled pineapple into the meat.
Load into warm corn tortillas.
Top with:
diced onion
cilantro
fresh lime
salsa
Girls Gone Grillin’ Tip:
Before stacking the pork, give each slice a light extra dusting of Hot Hens seasoning for a bold, spicy crust that really pops in tacos.
