Cuban Tamales (3 Easy Ways)

Cuban tamales made with corn and seasoned pork, cooked three ways: oven muffins, a tamal en cazuela-style casserole or wrapped in husks.

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 1 55

Total Time 2 40

Servings 12 servings

Course Mains

Cuisine Cuban

Keyword cuban tamales, oven tamales, pork and corn tamales, tamal en cazuela, tamales cubanos

Ingredients

For the pork

2-3 lb pork cut into small pieces
6 slices thick-cut bacon cut into small pieces
1 large yellow onion diced
1 large green bell pepper diced
1 large red bell pepper diced
4-6 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp salt for the pork
2-3 packet Sazón Goya con achiote

For the corn mixture

5-6 cans sweet whole kernel corn drained, liquid saved separately
1 can cream-style corn
3 ears fresh corn kernels only
2 tbsp salt for the corn mixture
1/2 package cornmeal coarse or fine, optional; keep extra for adjusting

For traditional tamales (optional)

1 package dried corn husks fresh or dried, or use foil tamale bags

Instructions

Make the pork filling

Season the pork with 2 tablespoons of the salt, the black pepper and the cayenne.
In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until it renders its fat, about 5 minutes. Add the pork and brown it on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the onion, green and red peppers, garlic and Sazón. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and the pork is cooked through and tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Make the corn mixture

Drain the canned corn, saving the liquid in a separate container. Cut the kernels off the fresh corn cobs.
Blend the canned corn, fresh corn and cream corn in batches until mostly smooth and thick. Add a little of the saved corn liquid only if the blender needs it.
Stir the corn into the pork filling with the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt. If the mixture is loose, stir in cornmeal a little at a time until it's thick and spoonable.

Oven tamales: muffin style or casserole

Heat the oven to 350°F. Spoon the mixture into muffin cups or a baking dish; lining with husks is optional. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Set the pan inside a larger pan and pour hot water into the larger pan to make a water bath, so the tamales don't dry out or burn on the bottom.
Muffin style: bake covered for 55 minutes, then uncover and bake 30 minutes more. Casserole: bake covered for 60 minutes, then uncover and bake 60 minutes more. Check the water every 30 minutes and carefully add more hot water as it evaporates.
Insert a knife in the center to test. The center may still feel creamy, but it's done when cooked through; it firms up as it cools.

Traditional tamales: wrapped and boiled

Fill the corn husks or foil tamale bags with the mixture, fold and tie them closed, as shown in the video.
Stand the tamales upright in a large pot with about 3 inches of water. Cover and cook for at least 50 minutes, checking every 5 to 8 minutes and adding water as it evaporates so the level stays the same.
Let the tamales rest a few minutes before serving; they firm up as they cool.

Notes

All-fresh-corn version: skip the canned corn, cream corn and cornmeal and use only kernels cut from fresh cobs, following the same steps. It's closer to the original, but you'll need more ears of corn. The traditional wrapped tamales are shown step by step in the video.