Carne para Pasteles (Pork Filling)

5 from 2 votes

Carne para Pasteles is a savory delicious pork filling used in Puerto Rican pasteles de masa, pasteles de yuca and empanadas de yuca.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Pasteles Filling, Seasoning, Condiment

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings: servings

Calories: 70kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Ingredients

3 lbs pork shoulder or boston butt rinsed and cut into ½ inch cubes.
1 cup smoked ham cubed (optional)
3 tablespoon garlic puree or whole cloves minced
adobo sprinkled
garlic powder sprinkled
⅛ teaspoon cumin
1 packet sazon with annatto
2 tablespoon oregano
½ tsp pepper
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 packet ham bouillon optional
1-2 bay leaves
4 tablespoon sofrito
½ cup tomato sauce
1 potato cubed
1 can chickpeas drained
¾ cup olives plus ¼ cup of the brine
2 whole pimiento peppers (pimientos morrones)
7 tablespoon achiote oil
handful cilantro rinsed and roughly chopped
2 cups water

Instructions

Rinse the pork and then cut into ½ inch cubes.
Add the pork to a mixing bowl and top with a generous amount of adobo and garlic powder.
Incorporate the seasoning well and allow the pork to sit for a few minutes.
In a caldero or other large pot, add the achiote oil and heat over medium heat.
Add the pork and cook for a few minutes just until some of the pieces start to turn color.
Add the oregano, bouillon, pepper, cumin, garlic, bay leaves, olives plus ¼ cup of the brine, sazon, sofrito, tomato sauce, pimiento peppers and the water. Stir.
Cook for 40 minutes.
Add the potatoes, chickpeas, cilantro and stir. Cook for an additional 20, 30 minutes or until the pork is fork tender.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

Broth - If you observe the broth in the meat begins to reduce, simply add more water to the meat as you will need a few cups of broth for the pasteles masa.

Oil - Do not skim the extra oil that forms on the top of the meat. This oil is used in the preparation of pasteles as well.

Smoked Ham Steak, ham bouillon - Adding cubed ham or bouillon to the meat is optional, please note I didn't use it in this recipe.

Salt - Please note, that I didn't use salt in this recipe as I find that between the seasoned pork, sazon, and chicken bouillon, it is not needed. However, this is a personal preference, taste the pork at the end of the cooking process and add salt if desired.

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