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Chilorio Tacos

Name: Chilorio Tacos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 0.5 tsp Ground cumin; 4 Ancho chiles; 1 tsp Salt; 5 cloves Garlic cloves; 200 g Refried beans; 1 tsp Dried oregano; 0.5 White onion, chopped; 500 g Pork shoulder, boneless; 2 tbsp Lard; 3 Guajillo chiles; 12 Flour tortillas; 2 tbsp White vinegar

55 min (15 prep + 40 cook) Easy 4 servings Sinaloa

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 29, 2026 · Updated: May 12, 2026

Sinaloan chilorio tacos in flour tortilla, with pork in concentrated red chile.

About this recipe

Chilorio tacos are a Sinaloan speciality made with shredded pork, marinated and stewed in a paste of dried red chiles - ancho, guajillo and mulato - with garlic, oregano and vinegar. The result is an intensely flavourful meat of deep red colour and soft texture, served in wheat flour tortillas, the preferred choice in Sinaloa. Chilorio, considered a traditional preserve, has a concentrated and addictive flavour that sets it apart from any other stew.

History & Origin

Chilorio is one of the culinary emblems of Sinaloa, a northern Mexican state known for its cattle, fishing and robust cuisine. Its origins lie in meat preservation techniques developed by the region's inhabitants before modern refrigeration: cooked pork was covered with a thick paste of red chiles, vinegar and spices to preserve it for days or weeks. This preservation tradition has roots in Spanish colonial cooking, when vinegar was the preservative par excellence, combined with the indigenous deep knowledge of dried chiles as natural antibacterial agents. Sinaloan chilorio is made specifically with ancho and guajillo chiles, which provide an intense red colour without excessive heat, and with wild mountain oregano that grows in the hills of Sinaloa and has a more intense aroma than commercial oregano. In the markets of Culiacán, Los Mochis and Mazatlán, chilorio is sold in large clay pots, and families keep it in glass jars to have on hand throughout the week. It is eaten in flour tortillas - not corn, since Sinaloa has been wheat-growing country since colonial times - with refried beans, chopped onion and green chile. It is the food of the Sinaloan cowboy: hearty, flavourful and deep.

Estimated cost

$8.60

Total cost

$2.15

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

420

Calories

28g

Protein

28g

Carbohydrates

22g

Fat

Fiber

640mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Cook the pork in salted water with half an onion and 2 garlic cloves for 30 minutes until tender. Allow to cool and shred.
2
Deseed and devein the ancho and guajillo chiles. Lightly toast on a dry griddle and soak in hot water for 20 minutes.
3
Blend the soaked chiles with the garlic, oregano, cumin, vinegar and a little of the soaking water until you have a smooth paste.
4
In a skillet with lard or oil, fry the chile paste over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly so it does not burn.
💡 The paste must be fried well to concentrate the flavour.
5
Add the shredded meat and mix well. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat absorbs the chile and is well seasoned. Adjust salt.
6
Warm the flour tortillas on a griddle. Serve the chilorio in the tortillas with refried beans, chopped onion and salsa of your choice.