Carnitas vs Al Pastor
Carnitas tacos are pork confit: simmered for hours in its own lard, then crisped; al pastor tacos are pork stacked on a vertical spit (trompo) and shaved to order. Same corn tortilla, different meat and different technique, so they taste and eat nothing alike. Order carnitas when you want onion and a richer bite, al pastor when you want the lighter one.
The difference is the cut: Carnitas uses shoulder, belly, ribs, leg , often mixed, Al Pastor uses marinated pork shoulder, thinly shaved.
What are carnitas? · What are al pastor?
Questions
What is on a carnitas taco?
Pork shoulder simmered slowly in its own fat until tender, then crisped, chopped or shredded onto a corn tortilla with white onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime and salsa. Sometimes a little pickled onion or a slice of pineapple.
What is the difference between carnitas and asada tacos?
Carnitas is pork, slow-cooked in fat and then crisped. Carne asada is beef (skirt or flank steak) marinated and grilled hot and fast, then chopped. Carnitas is soft and rich; asada is charred and beefy.
How are carnitas traditionally cooked?
In a wide copper pot (cazo) over a flame, the pork submerged in lard with a little milk, orange, bay and salt, cooked low for a couple of hours until it falls apart, then the heat is raised to crisp the outside. It comes from Michoacán.
What does carnitas mean?
"Little meats", a reference to the small pieces the crisped pork is chopped into.
What are tacos al pastor made of?
Thin-sliced pork shoulder marinated in a red paste of dried chiles, achiote (annatto), vinegar, pineapple juice and spices, stacked on a vertical spit called a trompo, roasted, and shaved off as the outer layer chars. Served on small corn tortillas with a little of the charred pork, chopped onion, cilantro, a piece of pineapple and salsa.
Last updated August 31, 2026. Venue details refresh with each data import.