Pasteles al Caldero

If you love Pasteles then this recipe is certainly going to become a favorite! Pasteles al Caldero (Pasteles in a Pot) is all the delicious flavors of a Pastel, without all the work! Don’t forget the hot sauce!

First things first! What is a Pastel?

If you are not familiar with pasteles, they sort of resemble a tamal, but taste very different.

Where a tamal is made of a corn masa, the masa of a pastel is made of green plantains, green bananas, yautia (taro root) and pumpkin.

Once the “masa de pasteles” is prepared, it is then filled with a savory and highly flavorful pork mixture. The pastel is then wrapped in plantain leaves and boiled in water for 45 minutes to an hour to fully cook.

Just like mofongo is a quintessential dish of Puerto Rico, so are pasteles.

A true Puerto Rican Christmas is not Christmas if pasteles are not part of our dinner table.

For my fellow foodies that love and miss having pasteles whenever the mood strikes, here is a delicious alternative! Enjoy all the flavors of Puerto Rican Pasteles, in a stew!

Ingredients 

• 5-6 green plantains, peeled and grated
• 1 pound boneless pork, rinsed and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 envelopes of Sazón with Culantro and Achiote (found in the Latin section of supermarket or online)
• 2 envelopes of powdered chicken bouillon or 2 cubes
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoon sofrito
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 tablespoon pimiento stuffed olives, cut in half
• half a can or full can of chick peas (optional) if using, drain water from can
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 cups of water

Marinade for Pork

• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon dry oregano
• 1 teaspoon adobo

Optional: Handful of fresh chopped cilantro and hot sauce to serve.

How to Make Pasteles al Caldero

Make Pork Marinade

1. Add garlic, oregano and adobo to a mortar and pestle. Mash finely. (Finely mince garlic if you do not have a mortar and pestle)
2. Add oil to mortar. Mix together with a fork.
3. Add garlic and adobo mixture to the cubed pork and incorporate well.
4. Let pork marinate for 15 minutes.
5. After pork has marinated, add oil to a caldero or large pot over medium heat.
6. Add pork chunks, sofrito, cumin, sazon, chicken bouillon and garlic.

1. Mix all ingredients together and cook pork for 10 minutes.
2. Add olives and potatoes.
3. Lower heat to medium low and begin working with the plantains.

1. Using a knife, cut the ends off the plantains and peel.
2. Grate all the plantains using the finest side of the grater.

NOTE: I was moving quickly when I grated my plantains and didn’t realize I used a different side on my grater than I intended to use, so my plantains looked finely shredded instead of a plantain puree, which is what we want. Of course it still was delicious, it just took my stew a little longer to cook. You want to use the finest side of grater so the plantains are grated more into a puree. (Please follow image to note which side to use and not to use)

1. Add the grated plantain puree and 8 cups of water to pot.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Raise heat to medium and cook pasteles al caldero for 40 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes so the plantain doesn’t stick to bottom of pot or clump up.

Pasteles al Caldero are done.

Serve immediately in bowls.

Optional: Top with freshly chopped cilantro and hot sauce.

What to Serve with Pasteles al Caldero

This is a meal all on its own but even better with a side of arroz blanco (Puerto Rican white rice) and avocado slices.

For more delicious Puerto Rican Dishes, you will also love these:

Arroz con Gandules (Pigeon Peas and Rice)

Puerto Rican Rice and Beans

Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

For a full list of all Puerto Rican dishes, click Puerto Rican Recipes

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