Al Pastor So Good, Guy Crossed the Border to Flavortown
“I am crossing the border,” Guy Fieri declared after biting into the al pastor taco at Taco Gordo in Burlington, Vermont. “That is a dynamite taco.”
High praise from a man who’s eaten tacos coast to coast, but owner Charlie Sizemore has been earning that kind of reaction since he first rolled out his taco cart in 2014. What started as a mobile operation eventually grew into a brick-and-mortar spot that one local described as “the best Mexican food this close to the Canadian border.” For a California transplant bringing West Coast-style Mexican food to New England, that’s exactly the point.
Building the Al Pastor From Scratch
The star of this segment was Taco Gordo’s house-made al pastor, and Charlie walked Guy through every step of the process. It starts with a blend of dried spices and chilies—guajillos, chipotles, peppercorns, cloves, cumin, and a touch of cinnamon. But what really impressed Guy was the addition of annatto seed.
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“I’m impressed with the annatto seed,” Guy noted. Charlie explained that it gives the meat “that beautiful red hue.” The spices get toasted to bring out their flavor, then soaked to create a steeping liquid that becomes the backbone of the marinade.
The chilies go into a blender with apple cider vinegar, raw black garlic, the toasted spice mix, oregano, sugar, salt, and more of that steeping liquid. Boneless pork butt gets sliced cold, then stacked on the spit with the marinade worked in between layers. And yes—pineapple goes on top. “Super important,” Charlie emphasized.
If you’re a fan of watching Guy dig into Heat Things Up dishes with serious char and marinade depth, this one delivers.
The Salsa Roja That Ties It Together
No great taco stands alone, and the salsa Roja at Taco Gordo proved it. Charlie built it with guajillos, a couple of chipotles, roasted tomatoes, toasted garlic, ground cumin, oregano, sugar, salt, apple cider vinegar, and a little of that steeping liquid from the al pastor spice blend.
“Love the toasting of the garlic, a little kiss of the sugar—well done,” Guy said after tasting it.
The Verdict
The finished taco came together with fresh tortillas cooked in a little lard, sliced al pastor carved straight from the spit, onion, cilantro, a drizzle of that smoky salsa Roja, and a piece of caramelized pineapple on top.
Guy didn’t hold back: “This is probably one of the closest I’ve been to having authentic al pastor outside of Mexico.” He praised the tender pork, the char, the way the marinade came through, and called the tortilla “great.” The pineapple on top? “Key.”
One local summed up the Taco Gordo experience perfectly: “I love the al pastor, the way they roast it on the spit, the pineapple—you can’t get a better taco. It’s just like a religious experience.”
For fans who love watching Guy discover regional gems that punch above their weight—like Killer Barbecue in Des Moines—Taco Gordo fits right in. Charlie Sizemore learned to cook through what he calls “a misspent youth” (also the name of his former band), and that unconventional path led him to create something special in an unlikely place.
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