To taco’ bout Mexican food is to talk about tacos. A study made by Mexican Bureau for Strategic Communication on 2019 revealed a lot of things about what Mexicans think about Mexican food. First of all, they learned the obvious: Of all types of Mexican food, tacos are the all-time favorites.
Over 90% of the Mexicans not only consider tacos the most practical, delicious, and convenient meal, tacos are considered the biggest symbol of Mexican culture.
But the most important fact that we learned from this study is the answer to the good ol’ question: What kind of taco is the King?
Well, I’m guessing you already read the title of this post so no point in trying to add any mystery to it, so yeah, over 21% of Mexican foodies have crowned the “Trompo” of Taco al Pastor as the ruler of the streets! So let’s get a closer look at this majestic dish that represents a whole nation.
NOT OF MEXICAN ORIGIN
Yes, but this can also be said of all Mexican things. Mexico is a world of mixtures, the European world meeting the Mesoamerican cultures, and all that jazz.
Everyone and everything in Mexico has at least one European ancestor, and that is also true for our beloved King pastor.
source: definicionabc.com
In 1453 Constantinople fell, and the rise of the Ottoman Empire began. An empire that lasted throughout centuries until just 100 years ago, when in 1922, after the first Great War, the Turkish nationalists abolished the sultanate. This conflict resulted in a huge migration of Lebanese and Middle Eastern people to Mexican territory, coming in through Veracruz to establish themselves in Puebla.
As with every migration, along came new flavors and customs that merged with the existing ones and that is the case of the Lebanese Shawarma, the Turkish Döner Kebab, and the Greek Gyro, all of Ottoman descent, which populated the streets of Puebla during the 1920’s and quickly evolved into a taco, when their pita bread was replaced by our tortillas.
source: elpais.com
The last step of its evolution was when they switched Lamb for Pork. There’s no actual proof of why this change happened, but the most logical explanation is that Mexico produces (and consumes) more of the latter, thus making it cheaper than the former, and making the overall price of the taco accessible to the average Mexican. However the name Taco al Pastor probably came before this, given the fact that “pastor” means “shepherd” and as the Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb, it’d make sense that the Shepherd’s Taco (Taco de Pastor) was also made with lamb.
THE ALMIGHTY TROMPO
source: masdemx.com
The “Trompo” is a stack of marinated pork steaks piled up over a rotating skewer that slowly cooks next to a vertical furnace. To achieve a perfect trompo you need an intricate overlap of thin layers of lean meat along with fattier, juicier cuts to add flavor to the whole thing.
We call it trompo because as it gets shaved it starts to resemble a spinning top toy which is “trompo” in Spanish.
source: pics.me.me
Actually, in the northern states, the name “Taco al Pastor” is not very common, over there they usually refer to the King as “Taco de Trompo”, ironically, some people say that the name “Taco al Pastor” is not because its original source of protein, but rather because the way of cooking meat in a vertical skewer was traditionally done by shepherds… But then again what were those shepherds cooking if not lamb?
DISCLAIMER: The trompo, while being the traditional way, is not the only way to cook tacos al pastor, a lot of taquerías do their Pastor directly on the grill or a skillet, and who’s to say they’re wrong? You can even prepare Tacos al Pastor at home!
MANY SHADES OF PORK – THE MARINATE
source: cardamomo.news
The marinate or adobo is what gives the trompo its color and flavor. The more time you spend exploring this wondrous Country and its food, you’ll begin to notice many different shades of trompos and many different flavors, and the reason for that is that there is not just ONE recipe for tacos al pastor, there are hundreds or maybe even thousands of versions of this dish. In some areas like Puebla you’ll find a lot of trompos heavily spiced with eastern flavors, whereas in the Yucatán Peninsula you’ll find a lot of them with an orange-red glow because of the Axiote or even black ones made with Recado Negro!
source: eluniversal.com.mx
All is fair in love and tacos, so the best thing about this is that you get to pick your favorite trompo and worship it as you do with your favorite sports team. Do you wanna re-invent Pastor? By all means, go ahead and let us know how it went!
TO PINEAPPLE OR NOT TO PINEAPPLE?
source: cocinavital.mx
Little is known about the obscure origin of pineapple in savory dishes such as Pizza or Tacos al Pastor, but it will always, ALWAYS, be one of the most polarizing arguments of all times.
Must tacos al pastor have pineapple on them? I’m afraid the majority says yes, however, there are some taquerias that don’t even offer that option so remember, it’s only that, an option, that means that if you are on the “nay saying” side of this argument, just do as I do, and ask for your tacos “sin piña por favor”
Now, Salsa Verde o Salsa Roja? Try them both, separate and together. To me, the best kind of salsa to go with tacos al pastor is “Tamarind with Chipotle”
THE REST OF THE BEST
I started this post talking about an actual study about Mexico’s favorite tacos, so just in case the King did not make you salivate enough already, here are the next 4 top contenders for the crown:
#2 TACOS DE ASADA
Very common in the north of Mexico, commonly served in flour tortillas and mostly made out of grilled beef.
source: cocina-casera.com
#3 TACOS DE BISTEC
Very similar to the Asada tacos, these consist of Beef Steak (That’s where the word Bistec comes from) chopped in pieces and grilled with onions or without them.
source:cocinavital.mx
#4 TACOS DE SUADERO
Mexico City’s finest and my own personal favorite and worthy of a blog post of their own.
source:animalgourmet.com
#5 TACOS DE CARNITAS
An entire pork slowly cooked in a pot of its own fat. Sounds delicious? It is.
source:recetasdex.es
Well there you have it, my foodies, five strong reasons to come to Mexico and eat tacos all day!
I dunno about you, but I’m definitely having tacos for dinner right now!
See you soon!
Your friendly taconnoseur.
The Juan and Only.
