Tamal de Cazuela

Tamal de cazuela is an easy way to enjoy all the flavors of your favorite tamal without all the extra work! I am as traditional as they come, but now and then it’s fun to color outside the lines. Honestly there is nothing like unwrapping a fresh steamed tamal. Peeling the extra masa off of the corn husk and enjoying it as it were some special treat, lol! This faster version of tamales is nothing new, but it’s been a minute since I had prepared this dish.

When I am unsure about a recipe, I reach out to my fellow Mexican food bloggers.

What is traditional Mexican dishes to one person may not be for me. I didn’t grow up with tamal de cazuela. Mom prepared traditional chile colorado pork tamales estilo Nuevo Leon. That means they were smaller than the large tamales you see nowadays. It was great because I could eat 4 tamales instead of just two, lol! So I didn’t feel horrible if I enjoyed four tamales. The first few occasions where I prepared tamal de cazuela The masa layers were too thick and I didn’t enjoy it.

What did I learn since those years?

I reached out to my dear friend, Mely Martinez at Mexico in My Kitchen and explained my thoughts on the dish I had prepared. She suggested adding a thinner masa layer and she was right! It made all of the difference in the world. I am not lucky enough to find fresh corn masa on a regular basis, so I rely on good quality organic yellow masa harina from Masienda. The masa harina yields a corn rich, flavorful and tender masa layer that is moist.

Nowadays you can find many traditional food ingredients online!

Thank goodness for that! Back in the day, I struggled to find ingredients in small town upstate. I would ship ingredients home every time I would visit home in Texas or California.

Don’t rush, soak those cornhusks for a few hours ahead!

I experienced a light bulb moment several years back when I was in a rush and mixed all my masa ingredients cold! It fluffed up like a cloud, fast!

Chile Colorado! Asado de Puerco! They are one in the same and the same ingredients mom used(minus the potatoes) for the pork tamales.

No Mexican olla de barro(clayware), no worries! Pick your favorite ovenproof baking dish for this recipe.

Let me just tell how delicious those charred corn husk made that masa layer!

Revealing the masa when I peeled the corn husks away was so exciting, ha, ha, ha!

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

LET’S GET TO THE RECIPE! ENJOY! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!! Sonia, La Piña!

Rajas Con Queso Tamal de Cazuela

All the feels of rajas con queso tamales baked in a Mexican cazuela! Easy and delicious!

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 4 Servings

Equipment

• One 8 inch(at the base) Mexican cazuela (Mexican clayware pots)
• heatproof baking dish, 13×9

Ingredients

Masa

• ¾ c natural rendered pork lard coconut oil vegetable shortening or unsalted butter
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
• 2 c masa harina I used Masienda yellow corn variety
• 2 c cool pork chicken beef or vegetable broth

You Also Need

• 1- 8 inch at the base cazuela (Clayware pots) with lid
• Avocado oil
• 1/2 lb. corn husk softened for 1-2 hours in boiling water
• 6 ounces shredded queso quesadilla
• 2 large fresh jalapenos sliced into thin strips
• 6 ounces shredded queso Oaxaca
• 1/3 c pickled jalapeños finely diced
• 6 ounces queso panela sliced thin
• 6 c water for the oven
• Your favorite salsa for garnish

Instructions

• Whip the lard in the stand mixer for 3 minutes. Mix in the salt and baking powder for 1 more minute. Gradually mix in the masa harina. Gradually mix in the cool broth. When ready, mix on medium/high for 7-8 minutes or until the masa looks light and fluffy. Taste for salt. Season to taste and mix for 2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and chill until you are ready to assemble.
• When ready, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large heatproof baking dish pour in 6 cups of water. Place the baking dish with water on the bottom rack while the oven preheats.
• Brush the inside of the cazuela with oil. Overlap a layer of softened corn husks across the bottom. Add some husks around the edges of the cazuela so the top pointed part hangs over the edge. Rub some oil on the palms of your hands as needed. Take half of the masa and form gordita shaped sections of masa with your hands. You don’t them too thick. Place evenly on top of the softened corn husk. Then use your fingers to even the masa out to cover the bottom on top of corn husks. Layer with queso quesadilla, fresh jalapeños, queso Oaxaca, pickled jalapeños and then queso panela.
• When ready repeat forming the top masa layer to cover the filling and to fit the width of the cazuela. Again, rub some oil on the palms of your hands and smooth out the masa. Fold the tops of the corn husks down to cover the exposed masa layer on top. Cover with the lid and transfer to the oven on the top rack.
• Bake covered for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven. Remove lid. Cut away the tops of the husks that were folded over. Return to the oven and continue baking for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes.
• When ready, carefully transfer the tamal de cazuela onto a serving plate or platter. Slice to desired size and enjoy with your favorite salsa, crema and crumbled queso.

Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

Tamal de Cazuela

Traditional and authentic flavors of tamales baked in a cazuela!

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 Servings

Equipment

• 2 nine inch Mexican cazuelas or 1 large 12 inch cazuela (Mexican clayware pots)
• heatproof baking dish, 13×9

Ingredients

Masa

• ¾ c natural rendered pork lard coconut oil, vegetable shortening or unsalted butter
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
• 2 c masa harina, I used Masienda yellow corn variety
• 2 c cool pork chicken, beef or vegetable broth

You Also Need

• 1 12 inch(at the base) cazuela or 2 (9 inch) cazuelas. Mexican ollas de barro (Clayware pots) with lid
• Avocado oil
• 1/2 lb corn husk softened for 1-2 hours in boiling water
• 4 c of your favorite meat or vegetarian filling. See pork tamales on my blog or use your favorite recipe.
• 6 c water for the oven

Garnish

• Your favorite salsa
• Mexican crema agria

Instructions

• To speed up the process and have the tamal ready in a timely manner, I would suggest preparing your favorite tamal filling the day before. See links for tamal filling recipe ideas.
• Whip the lard in the stand mixer for 3 minutes. Mix in the salt and baking powder for 1 more minute. Gradually mix in the masa harina. Gradually mix in the cool broth. When ready, mix on medium/high for 7-8 minutes or until the masa looks light and fluffy. Do th float test. Taste for salt. Season to taste and mix for 2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and chill until you are ready to assemble.
• When ready, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large heatproof baking dish pour in 6 cups of water. Place in the the oven on the bottom rack or if it will fit on the top, place on the top rack to one side.
• For Larger Cazulea: Brush the bottom and sides of the cazuela with oil. If using two smaller ones, oil both. Overlap a layer of softened corn husks across the bottom. Rub some oil on the palms of your hands as needed. Take half of the masa and form to large discs with your hands. Place evenly on top of the softened corn husk. Then use your fingers to spread masa out to cover the bottom of the cazuela. Add the 4 cups of filling and spread out evenly. With the remaining corn husk, with the flat edge on the bottom insert them into the inner edges of the cazuela. Go to NOTES for baking times.
• When ready repeat forming the top masa layer to cover the filling and to fit the width of the cazuela. Again, rub some oil on the palms of your hands and smooth out the masa. Fold the tops of the corn husks down to cover the exposed masa layer on top. Cover with the lid and transfer to the oven on the top rack. If preparing two smaller 9-inch cazuelas, divide the ingredients accordingly and bake as instructed.
• Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven. Remove lid. Remove all the corn husks that were inserted in the edges. Return to the oven and continue baking for 15 minutes. Remove form oven and let sit for 15 minutes.
• When ready, carefully flip the tamal de cazuela over onto a serving plate or platter. Carefully remove the remaining corn husks. Slice to desired size and enjoy with your favorite salsa, crema and crumbled queso.

Notes

The larger cazuela will require a little more time to bake. Bake covered for 1 hour, then uncover, remove husks on the outer edges. Return to oven uncovered and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it sit covered for 20 minutes before you slice it. 

 

Some of my favorite tamales!

Chicken Mole Tamales https://pinaenlacocina.com/chicken-mole-tamal-featuring-masienda/

Rajas Con Queso https://pinaenlacocina.com/tamales-de-rajas-con-queso/

Shredded Beef https://pinaenlacocina.com/shredded-beef-tamal/

Chicharron Prensado  https://pinaenlacocina.com/chicharron-prensado-pressed-pork-chicharron/

Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

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