A 'deconstructed tamale' cooked as a creamy pot of corn polenta studded with chunks of mojo-marinated pork in a tomato sofrito — all the flavor of a Cuban tamale without wrapping a single husk. (The traditional version is made with fresh corn grated off the cob for a pudding-soft texture, though many home and shortcut versions use dried cornmeal or canned cream-style corn.)
When Cuban cooks craved tamales but not the laborious husk-wrapping and tying, they poured the same ground-corn batter and seasoned pork straight into a cazuela (clay pot) to cook as a thick porridge, stirred until smooth. The shortcut became a beloved comfort dish in its own right, eaten across the island and especially around holidays and celebrations, when whole families would otherwise spend hours wrapping and tying tamales.
Spoon-soft and intensely corny, the polenta carries a sweet, almost custardy richness. Hidden within are savory nuggets of pork — marinated in sour-orange mojo with garlic, cumin, and oregano, then bound in tomato sofrito — giving each bite a satisfying meaty chew against the soft corn.
Constant stirring over low heat gelatinizes the corn starch evenly into a creamy, lump-free body; with fresh grated corn, the kernels' own starchy 'milk' makes it especially soft and sweet. The pork, tenderized by its acidic sour-orange marinade and a slow simmer, melts into the soft corn base along with the sofrito.
Variations
made with fresh corn (traditional) or dried cornmeal / cream-style corn (shortcut), vegetarian without pork, with added raisins, spicier with hot pepper, served with extra sofrito on top
On the Palate
Where Tamal en Cazuela sits in the Cuban flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
8 steps · 30 min
- 120 min
Marinate diced pork in lime, garlic, oregano and cumin.
- 210 min
Brown the pork, then build a sofrito of onion, pepper and garlic.
- 330 min
Add tomato sauce and a splash of wine; simmer the pork until tender.
Watch outSimmer the pork until a fork twists it apart easily before the corn goes in — it won't get any more tender once locked in the thick batter.
- 415 min
Grate fresh corn (or blend with cornmeal) into a smooth batter.
- 55 min
Stir the corn batter into the pot with a little broth.
- 620 min
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly so it doesn't scorch.
Watch outOnce the corn batter's in, keep stirring and scraping the bottom without stopping; a moment's pause and it catches and tastes burnt.
- 710 min
Continue until the mixture thickens to a creamy polenta.
Watch outIt's ready when it thickens enough to hold the trail of the spoon like soft polenta — thin and runny means it needs more time.
- 85 min
Season with salt and serve hot in bowls.
