In previous posts, we have talked about the history of tacos al pastor. But do tacos al pastor have pineapple? In this post, we answer this and other questions about tacos al pastor and pineapple.
Do Tacos al Pastor Have Pineapple?
If you are wondering if tacos al pastor have pineapple, the answer is “It depends.”
Let’s say that in most cases, pineapple is a standard option when you order tacos al pastor in Mexico
Your typical taquería has a nice chunk of pineapple beside or atop the rotating spindle where they cook the marinated pork meat for al pastor tacos. While they shave the meat off the block of meat (known as trompo), taqueros cut slices of pineapple and put them in the tacos.
When you order your al pastor tacos, you can ask to have them with or without pineapple.
This is understandable because while the salty-sweet combination is exciting, not everyone loves it.
However, there are other ways to enjoy this delicious pairing without having to have an actual slice of pineapple in your tacos. For example, at El Pollo Norteno, pineapple is one of the ingredients of our al pastor marinade.
Why Do Tacos al Pastor Have Pineapple?
Some people have come up with fancy explanations about the origins of pineapple in tacos al pastor.
For example, some say that it makes sense to put pineapple in your tacos because pineapple and pineapple juice contain bromelain, an enzyme linked to improved digestion.
The truth is that it’s really unlikely that Mexican taqueros had bromelain in mind when they added pineapple to al pastor tacos.
A more plausible explanation is that someone decided to add pineapple to their tacos for a simpler reason: because it tastes good.
We don’t know for sure who was the first person to put pineapple in their al pastor tacos.
We know, however, that by 1966 pineapple in tacos al pastor was already a thing. That was the year when El Tizoncito, a Mexico City taquería famous for its tacos al pastor, opened its doors to offer hungry patrons tacos al pastor where pineapple was already an option.
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