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Puerto Rican Pasteles De Yuca

A classic Puerto Rican holiday dish, this is an alternate version of the more traditional pastel that features a mix of root vegetables.
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 4 hours
Servings 12
Author Delish D'Lites

Ingredients

The Meat

  • 2 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless pork picnic shoulder or Boston butt
  • 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
  • 2 packets sazon seasoning with culantro y achiote
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup pimento stuffed olives
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup sofrito
  • 1 tablespoon tomate paste

The Masa

  • 4 pounds frozen grated yuca thawed
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 packets sazon seasoning with culantro and achiote
  • 1 package frozen banana leaves hojas de platano, defrosted
  • Parchment paper for wrapping
  • Butchers twine for tying

Instructions

  1. Cube up the chicken or pork until small cubes, about one inch in size.
  2. Season the meat with adobo, sazon, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Drizzle one teaspoon of olive oil over the meat, then stir up the mixture to get everything well coated with the spices.
  3. Add the remaining two teaspoons of olive oil to a sauce pan, and heat to medium heat. Once the oil is warm, add in the sofrito and stir for 30 seconds. Add the meat, bay leaves and tomato paste. Stir the mixture to combine.
  4. Add in the olives, chicken bouillon cube and chicken broth.
  5. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for one hour.
  6. Mix the sazon oil into the masa thoroughly.
  7. Cut the banana leaves into about 8-9 inches in length. Remove the hard rib located on one side of the leaf.
  8. Cut the parchment paper into 12 inch squares.
  9. To build the pasteles, smear about 1 tablespoon of liquid from the stewed meat onto the banana leaf.
  10. Then, spread 1/2 cup of masa into the middle of the banana leaf. Place 1/4 cup of filling into the center of the masa, making sure to drain any excess liquid.
  11. Fold into parcels. Stack two pasteles together, with the tucked ends facing inwards. Tie the pasteles together using butchers twine.
  12. If storing, place them in a gallon sized freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
  13. If cooking them, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then boil for 45 minutes to an hour. If you're cooking them from a frozen state, cook for 75-90 minutes.
  14. Drain the cooked pasteles de yuca, cut the strings, and unwrap to enjoy. Serve hot.