Masaco
Ingredients
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- 1 1/4 pounds pork belly – skin-on, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup water – for rendering pork belly
- 2 pounds yuca (cassava) – peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks (~1.5 large cassavas)
- 8 cups water – for boiling yuca
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 6 ounces queso fresco – crumbled or grated
Instructions
1. Put the pork belly and 0.5 cup water in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates and the pork renders its fat, then continue frying until the pieces are deep golden and crisp, 35–45 minutes. Transfer the cracklings to a plate and reserve 3–4 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the skillet.
2. Meanwhile, bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add the yuca chunks and simmer until very tender and easily pierced, 20–25 minutes.
3. Drain the yuca well, then return it to the hot pot over low heat for 1–2 minutes, shaking, to evaporate surface moisture. Split each piece and remove the tough fibrous core.
4. Off the heat, mash the hot yuca with 2 tablespoons of the reserved pork fat until smooth and cohesive; season with the salt. Chop the fried pork pieces into small bits and fold them into the mash along with the queso fresco until evenly distributed. If the mixture seems dry or crumbly, work in up to 1 tablespoon more reserved fat until it holds together.
5. With damp hands, form the mixture into 8 tight balls or thick patties, compressing well so they don’t crack.
6. Warm 1 tablespoon reserved fat in the skillet over medium heat. Add the masaco balls or patties and heat until lightly golden and warmed through, 2–3 minutes per side. Serve hot.
Masaco is a hearty, rustic mash from Bolivia’s eastern lowlands that blends starchy yuca with savory pork cracklings and fresh cheese. The texture is dense yet tender, with chewy nuggets of crisped pork and pockets of soft, milky queso that melt into the mash. Shaped into balls or patties and briefly warmed in a slick of pork fat, it’s deeply satisfying and naturally gluten-free, a dish built for appetite and comfort.
Rooted in everyday cooking, masaco reflects the ingredients that define lowland Bolivian kitchens: yuca (cassava), pork, and local fresh cheeses. It is closely associated with the Camba culture of Santa Cruz and Beni, where it’s eaten at breakfast or as a main meal alongside strong coffee or a simple salad. Historically, versions traveled well as a field food for ranchers and workers, and over time families developed variations using plantain instead of yuca or substituting dried beef (charque) for pork. Despite these branches, the essential idea—hot mashed starch bound with rendered fat and studded with cured or fried meat—remains a signature of the region’s table.