It’s summertime, which means I’m outside cooking, grilling, smoking meat, swatting mosquitoes with paper plates like a MLB player, okay? My oven is shut down until September, honey.
We’ve had family-friends over most weekends lately, and this smoky, tangy adobo-style al pastor marinade has been on repeat. It's been on grilled chicken, pulled pork, you name it. So good!
This isn’t one of those flat sugary sweet blends, this is a balanced al pastor marinade that clings to pork, chicken, shrimp, veggies you name it, and brings that taco truck type of flavor home.
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Smoky, Flavor-Packed, Easy Al Pastor Marinade
Al Pastor Marinade is that girl! When I tell you this from-scratch al pastor marinade has been in heavy rotation around here I mean it.
I’ve made batch after batch adjusting the chiles, playing with the acid, making sure the sweetness didn’t take over, until I landed on a mix that brings all the bold, smoky, tangy goodness you want from a real adobo-style pork marinade.
We’re working with ancho, chipotle, and guajillo chiles for smoky warmth, a spoonful of homemade achiote paste for that gorgeous red color and earthy flavor, pineapple juice for natural sweetness, and a splash of apple cider vinegar to brighten everything up.
Sounds a little familiar? That's the secret: it's actually adobo sauce with pineapple juice!
Why You'll Love This Al Pastor Marinade Recipe
- We’re using the good stuff. Real dried guajillo chiles. Homemade achiote paste. Fresh garlic. It's easy to do and it's divine, honey!
- It brings the flavor, for real! Not flat. Not too sweet. Not “I guess this is fine” like those store-bought marinades. We’re talking bold, smoky, tangy, and just spicy enough to make your al pastor tacos have that street taco flavor.
- It’s blender-friendly and freezer-friendly. Toss it all in a blender, pour it over your protein, and freeze extra for later.
Al Pastor Marinade Ingredients
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chilies - I used fruity guajillo and ancho dried chiles for that warmth, and a few chipotles from a can I had leftover from another recipe. I love the chipotles here because they add a little more heat and smokiness.
- A lot of Garlic - Like... a lot. This isn’t the time to be shy. The garlic brings heat, savoriness, and backbone to the whole thing. I throw in a big handful of cloves and keep it moving.
- Spices and Herbs - these are our MVPs here: cumin seeds, black pepper and kosher salt, dried mexican oregano, whole annatto seeds, and coriander seeds. I used whole ones that I blitzed until fine in my spice grinder for more flavor.
- Pineapple Juice - now, this is what gives it that 'al pastor' flavor profile, if you will. I like using fresh pineapple and blending it with a bit of water, but bottled works too. The sweetness balances the heat, and the enzymes help tenderize the meat so everything stays juicy.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - tangy and acidic, it pulls all the flavors together and keeps the marinade from tasting too sweet.
How to Make Al Pastor Marinade
Step 1 | Grind your spices. This can be done in a food processor, a high-powered blender, a coffee bean/spice grinder, or a good ole mortar and pestle. We want them nice and finely blitzed.
Step 2 | Rehydrate the dried chilies. Soak the chilies in hot water until they're softened, for about 10-15 minutes.
Step 3 | Blend everything up until smooth. That's it!
Step 4 | Use the marinade on pork and chicken, on veggies you wanna grill, even a good skirt steak for carne asada!
Variations
- Use achiote paste instead of annatto seeds. If you can’t find annatto seeds, a spoonful of achiote paste (the kind that comes in a little block or pouch) works just fine. It’ll add that earthy flavor and rich red color.
- Orange Juice instead of Pineapple. Swap the pineapple for orange juice (which we use to make classic achiote paste!). While it won't give that al pastor pineapple vibe, it will give a sweet-sour citrusy flavor.
- Switch up the chiles. Don’t have guajillo or ancho? Pasilla or New Mexico chiles work in a pinch. Want more heat? Add a chile de árbol or an extra chipotle, but taste as you go!
Chef's Tips for Perfect al Pastor
- Don't skip the chile stems and seeds check. After soaking your dried chiles, make sure to pull out any tough stems and most of the seeds. A few seeds are fine, but too many can make the marinade bitter and gritty.
- If your blender’s struggling, add a splash of pineapple juice or warm water to help loosen things up. You want a marinade that’s pourable and coats the back of a spoon—not chunky or paste-like.
- Use a mesh strainer for the smoothest texture. After blending, you can pour the marinade through a fine mesh sieve if you really want that smooth, glossy finish.
- Marinate in a non-reactive container. Use glass, ceramic, or food-safe plastic—not metal. The acid from the vinegar and pineapple juice can mess with the flavor if it reacts with aluminum or stainless steel.
- Be mindful of the pineapple. The natural enzymes in pineapple are great for tenderizing but if you’re using a really thin or quick-cooking protein (like shrimp or chicken tenders), don’t marinate more than a few hours or it can turn mushy.
Storage & Freezing
- In the fridge: Store the marinade in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It actually gets better after a day or two once the flavors have had time to settle in.
- In the freezer: Pour it into a zip-top bag or freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. You can also freeze it with the meat already marinating, just thaw in the fridge overnight and cook like usual.
- Want to turn it into dinner? Use this marinade to prep my Braised Al Pastor Tacos or Spicy Grilled Chicken Adobo Tacos!
Equipment I Used
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Easy Al Pastor Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon annatto seeds, or 1 tablespoon achiote paste
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1-3 chipotles in adobo, optional
- 6-8 garlic cloves
- ¾ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup neutral oil, like avocado or vegetable
Instructions
- Place the dried chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 15 minutes, until softened.4 dried guajillo chiles, 2 dried ancho chiles
- While the chiles soak, add the cumin, coriander, oregano, black peppercorns, kosher salt, and annatto seeds to a spice grinder, or high powered blender, or mortar and pestle. Grind until fine. If using achiote paste, skip this step and just add it to the blender later.1 tablespoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon annatto seeds, 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Drain the soaked chiles and add them to a blender along with the chipotles, garlic, ground spices,, salt, pineapple juice, vinegar, and oil. Blend until smooth. Add a splash of water or more pineapple juice if needed to loosen it up.1-3 chipotles in adobo, 6-8 garlic cloves, ¾ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup neutral oil
- Give it a taste; it should be tangy, smoky, a little sweet, and well-seasoned. Add more salt or chipotle peppers, if needed. Let it sit for 10 minutes before using to let the flavors settle.
Recipe Notes
Storage & Freezing
- In the fridge: Store the marinade in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It actually gets better after a day or two once the flavors have had time to settle in.
- In the freezer: Pour it into a zip-top bag or freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. You can also freeze it with the meat already marinating, just thaw in the fridge overnight and cook like usual.
- Want to turn it into dinner? Use this marinade to prep my Braised Al Pastor Tacos or Spicy Grilled Chicken Adobo Tacos!
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