Tamal de Cazuela
A rustic baked casserole of masa, slow-cooked pork, and chile sauce—no rolling required. Comfort food that looks restaurant-worthy but tastes like home.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 598
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 whole white onion, halved
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 whole dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cups masa harina (corn flour for tamales)
- ¾ cup lard or vegetable shortening, softened
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 1
Add the 2 pounds of pork chunks, 4 cups broth, halved onion, and 1 teaspoon salt to a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, about 8 minutes, until you see rolling bubbles.
- 2
Reduce heat to medium-low, leaving the lid on, and simmer until the pork shreds easily with a fork when pressed against the pot side, about 45 minutes.
- 3
Remove the pot from heat and carefully lift out the pork with a slotted spoon into a bowl, leaving the broth in the pot. Discard the onion.
- 4
Shred the cooled pork into bite-sized pieces using two forks—pull them apart in opposite directions until no large chunks remain.
- 5
Place the 6 prepared guajillo chiles, 3 garlic cloves, and 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds in a blender. Pour in 1 cup of the reserved pork broth and blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 90 seconds.
- 6
Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing it through with the back of a spoon to remove any chile skin pieces, leaving a smooth sauce.
- 7
Stir the shredded pork into the strained chile sauce until all pieces are evenly coated.
- 8
Set the oven to 350°F and wait for the indicator light or beep to confirm it is fully heated, about 10 minutes.
- 9
Add the 0.75 cup softened lard to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until it looks pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes—it should look like whipped butter.
- 10
In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 cups masa harina, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 0.5 teaspoon salt until no lumps remain.
- 11
Add the masa mixture to the beaten lard and stir with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick, smooth dough that holds together when pinched.
- 12
Spread half of the masa dough evenly across the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, using the back of a wet spatula to smooth it into an even layer.
- 13
Pour the pork and chile sauce over the masa layer, spreading it in an even layer to the edges.
- 14
Drop spoonfuls of the remaining masa dough over the pork layer—you do not need to cover it completely; scattered mounds are traditional and look better.
- 15
Bake uncovered at 350°F until the masa on top is set and the edges are lightly golden, about 30 minutes.
- 16
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving, so the dish sets slightly and becomes easier to scoop.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot with lid
- slotted spoon
- two forks
- blender
- fine-mesh strainer
- large mixing bowl
- separate medium bowl
- whisk
- wooden spoon
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- wet spatula
- electric mixer (optional but helpful)
- oven
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