Traditional Pork Tamales

About This Recipe

Tamales are one of the most ancient and sacred foods of Mesoamerica — masa dough spread on corn husks, filled with pork in red mole, folded and steamed until the masa transforms from sticky and soft to a tender, slightly springy parcel that peels away from the husk cleanly. They have been made across Mexico and Central America for at least 8,000 years, prepared for Aztec ceremonies, Spanish colonial feasts and every Christmas season (Navidad) in a tradition called 'tamalada' where families gather to make hundreds together. The tamalada is as much social ritual as cooking exercise — making tamales alone is punishingly slow, but with a dozen family members spreading masa, spooning filling, folding husks and stacking the steamer pot, the work becomes a celebration. The masa must be beaten until light and airy, tested by floating a small ball in cold water. The pork filling is a slow-braise in guajillo and ancho chile sauce that develops into a deeply savory, brick-red mixture. Getting the masa right is the most critical skill. Steaming tamales is a 90-minute wait during which the kitchen fills with an irresistible corn-and-pork aroma. When the husks peel back cleanly, revealing a perfectly formed, slightly glossy tamal, it is one of the most satisfying moments in all of Mexican cooking. Serve with Mexican crema, salsa roja and a cold Mexican beer.

Ingredients

Serves 24

• 30dried corn husks(soaked in hot water 1 hour)
• 4 cupsmasa harina (Maseca)
• 1 tspbaking powder
• 2 tspsalt
• 2⅔ cupswarm pork or chicken broth
• 1 cuplard or vegetable shortening(beaten until fluffy)
• 2 lbspork shoulder(cooked and shredded)
• 5guajillo chiles(toasted and soaked)
• 3ancho chiles(toasted and soaked)
• 4 clovesgarlic
• ½white onion
• 1 tspcumin
• 1 tspMexican oregano
• 2 cupspork cooking broth(for the chile sauce)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the chile sauce

   Blend rehydrated guajillo and ancho chiles with garlic, onion, cumin, oregano and 1 cup broth until smooth. Strain through a sieve. Fry in 1 tablespoon oil 3 minutes until darkened. Add pork broth and shredded pork. Simmer 15 minutes. Season.

2. 2

   Make the masa

   Beat lard until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix masa harina, baking powder and salt. Gradually add warm broth to masa mix, then beat into the lard until combined. Beat 10 minutes until light. Test: a small ball should float in cold water.

   The float test is the traditional way to confirm the masa has enough air beaten in for a light texture.

3. 3

   Spread the masa

   Lay a soaked corn husk flat, pointed end away from you. Spread ¼ cup masa across the lower two-thirds in a 4×5-inch rectangle, about ¼-inch thick. Leave a 1-inch border on the sides and a 2-inch border at the bottom.

4. 4

   Fill and fold

   Spoon 2 tablespoons filling down the center. Fold one long side of the husk over to cover the filling, then fold the other side over. Fold up the pointed bottom flap.

   Don't overfill — the masa expands during steaming.

5. 5

   Steam

   Stand tamales upright, open ends up, in a steamer basket over boiling water. Steam 80–90 minutes, adding water as needed. Tamales are done when the masa pulls cleanly away from the husk.

Variations

• •

  Rajas con Queso Tamales: roasted poblano strips and Oaxacan cheese filling — vegetarian.

• •

  Sweet Tamales: masa sweetened with sugar, cinnamon and raisins, colored pink with red food coloring.

• •

  Oaxacan Black Bean Tamales: black bean paste with Oaxacan cheese wrapped in banana leaves.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze up to 6 months. Reheat in the husk: steam 15 minutes from cold, or microwave 2–3 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions