Description
A flavorful and hearty Carnitas Tamale Pie featuring tender shredded pork shoulder cooked in a zesty marinade, layered over a moist jalapeño cornbread base, and topped with melted cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. This Mexican-inspired casserole blends savory carnitas with creamy, spicy cornbread crowned with fresh herbs and salsa verde for an irresistible family-friendly dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pork Carnitas
- 2 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless pork shoulder, cut into 1” pieces
- 3 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 scallions, sliced, plus more for serving
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves or 4 tsp. dried oregano
- Juice of 1 orange
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 cup salsa verde, plus more for serving
For the Cornbread Base
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapeños
- 1/2 cup creamed corn
- 1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
- 1 (8.5-oz.) box Jiffy corn muffin mix
- Cooking spray
For Topping and Garnish
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Finely chopped tomatoes
Instructions
- Marinate Pork: Season the pork shoulder pieces with kosher salt and place them into a large resealable plastic bag. In a food processor or blender, combine sliced scallions, peeled garlic cloves, fresh or dried oregano, orange juice, lime juice, and ground cumin. Blend until smooth. Pour this marinade over the pork in the bag, seal it securely, and massage the marinade into the meat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours for best flavor infusion.
- Cook Pork in Pressure Cooker: Transfer the marinated pork and all marinade into a pressure cooker. Add 1 cup of salsa verde to the mixture and stir gently to combine. Seal the pressure cooker lid and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. After cooking, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then perform a quick release to release any remaining pressure safely.
- Shred Pork and Strain Liquid: Move the cooked pork to a large, shallow container. Using two forks, shred the pork into small pieces. Pour the cooking liquid from the pressure cooker into a tall, narrow container such as a deli quart container. Use a ladle to carefully skim off and discard the fat layer on top. Add 1/2 cup of this defatted pork liquid back to the shredded meat and toss to combine. Discard any remaining cooking liquid.
- Prepare Cornbread Batter: Preheat your oven to 400° F and place a large cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat up. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, chopped pickled jalapeños, creamed corn, and sour cream until fully combined. Stir in the Jiffy corn muffin mix just until blended. Using an oven mitt, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and spray it evenly with cooking spray. Pour the cornbread batter into the skillet.
- Bake Cornbread Base: Place the skillet back into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Assemble Tamale Pie: Using the handle of a wooden spoon, gently poke holes all over the surface of the baked cornbread to allow for moisture absorption. Spoon the shredded pork along with any accumulated liquid evenly over the cornbread. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar and pepper Jack cheeses on top.
- Bake and Broil: Bake the assembled tamale pie for 15 minutes to melt the cheese and heat through. Then switch the oven to broil and broil the top closely for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and turns golden brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the tamale pie from the oven and top with chopped fresh cilantro, finely chopped tomatoes, extra sliced scallions, salsa verde, and dollops of sour cream as desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Marinating the pork overnight will enhance the flavor and tenderness.
- Be careful when broiling to avoid burning the cheese; watch closely during the last step.
- Leftover tamale pie can be refrigerated and reheated; it may lose some crispness but remains delicious.
- Substitute the Jiffy corn muffin mix with your favorite cornbread mix or homemade cornbread recipe if preferred.
- If you do not have a pressure cooker, slow cook the pork shoulder with the marinade and salsa verde for 6-8 hours until tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
