Pork Adobado Tacos with Charred Pineapple

The pork here is slathered in an addictive marinade that includes chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, vinegar, oregano and many other spices. When you’re eating it, it’s like you drift off into a spicy, sweet, smoky and tangy coma… blanketed by a soft corn tortilla.

I had a delicious pork adobado taco with pineapple at a Seattle taqueria called Tacos Chukis that inspired this recipe. This one is an absolute winner and features a crack-like marinade that includes chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, vinegar, oregano and many other spices.

The pork is pan-fried until caramelized, and piled into corn tortillas with charred pineapple. The marinade is smoky, spicy, and slightly sweet, with chipotles, red chili flakes, and a touch of cinnamon. The secret here is that the meat gets cooked twice: once to sear it, then again with extra marinade to build up those crispy, saucy edges.The pineapple balances the heat and adds sweetness without making things cloying. Top with cilantro, diced onion, and salsa verde, and you have tacos that hit every note.

“Adobado” translated in Spanish means “marinated” and it is generally pork marinated in a “red” chili sauce with vinegar and oregano, but it can refer to different types of meat and to marinades closer to Al pastor. I think what truly makes this marinade though is the chipotle in adobo sauce.

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What You’ll Need:

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For the Adobado Marinade

3 tablespoons canned chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped (include the sauce)
1 heaping tablespoon red chili flakes
½ onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash of cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

For the Tacos

1 pound pork butt, thinly sliced
6 corn tortillas
Pineapple, sliced into half sections or cut into chunks

Toppings

Fresh cilantro, chopped
White onion, diced
Salsa verde

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How to Make Pork Adobado Pineapple Tacos

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Combine all the marinade ingredients (everything except the pork and toppings) in a blender. Blend until bright red and smooth. Taste and adjust for spice and seasoning.

Pour the marinade over the sliced pork and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, or overnight at minimum.

When ready to cook, remove the pork from the marinade and pat off excess liquid (reserve the marinade). Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and sear the pork for a few minutes on each side until caramelized. Remove from the pan and chop into bite-sized pieces.

Here’s the important part: Return the chopped pork to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved marinade and toss everything together until the meat is well coated and the sauce has caramelized onto the pork. Remove from the pan.

In the same pan, sauté the pineapple until lightly charred on both sides.

Warm the corn tortillas on a griddle. Fill each tortilla with the caramelized pork, then top with diced onion, cilantro, and pineapple. Add a drizzle of salsa verde.

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Recipe Notes

Don’t skip the second caramelization step. This is what creates those crispy, flavorful edges that make these tacos special.

Pork butt (also called pork shoulder) works best here because of its fat content. The meat stays juicy even after two rounds of cooking.

If you can’t marinate for 24 hours, aim for at least 2. The longer marination deepens the flavor significantly.

Adjust the heat level by using more or fewer chipotles and chili flakes. Start conservative if you’re sensitive to spice.

Fresh pineapple is best, but in a pinch, canned can be used.

These tacos are best served immediately while the pork is hot and the tortillas are warm.

Leftover pork keeps well in the fridge for 3 days and reheats beautifully in a hot pan.

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