Tamale Recipe

Simmer the pork

Place the pork shoulder pieces in a large pot. Add 6 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the pork is very tender, about 1.5 to 2 hours. Skim foam as needed.

Toast and rehydrate chiles

While pork cooks, warm a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the ancho and guajillo chiles lightly for 10–20 seconds per side until aromatic but not burned. Transfer toasted chiles to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak 15–20 minutes until softened. Reserve chile soaking liquid.

Make chile sauce

Drain chiles, reserving 1 cup of soaking liquid. In a blender, combine drained chiles, garlic cloves, quartered onion, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 cup of the reserved soaking liquid. Blend to a smooth paste, adding more soaking liquid if necessary to reach a thick sauce consistency.

Brown and shred pork

When pork is tender, remove from pot (reserve cooking broth), let cool slightly, then shred with two forks or by hand. Optionally, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown shredded pork quickly for extra flavor, about 4–5 minutes.

Combine pork and sauce

Pour the blended chile sauce into the skillet with the shredded pork (or into a saucepan). Simmer together over low heat 10–15 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup reserved pork broth or chile soaking liquid to reach a moist but not soupy filling. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat and let cool.

Beat fat and season

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened lard (or vegetable shortening) with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt until fluffy. Beating by hand with a wooden spoon or with a mixer for 2–3 minutes will lighten the fat and help the masa be tender.

Combine dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the masa harina, remaining 1.5 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons baking powder until evenly distributed.

Incorporate broth

Gradually add the warm broth to the beaten fat a little at a time, mixing well. Add the dry masa mix alternately with more broth, mixing until a soft, spreadable dough forms. The texture should be like a softened peanut butter—spreadable but able to hold shape. If too dry, add up to 1/2 cup extra warm broth; if too wet, add 2–4 tablespoons masa harina.

Test masa readiness

To test, drop a small piece of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it’s sufficiently whipped and aerated. If it sinks, beat more (by hand or mixer) to incorporate air and/or add a little more fat.

Place the dried corn husks in a large bowl and cover with very hot water to soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour until pliable. Press them down so they stay submerged. After soaking, drain and pat dry with kitchen towels. Separate into individually pliable husks and set aside.

Set up an assembly area with a clean work surface, a bowl of masa, a bowl of filling, and the soaked husks. Choose husks about 6–8 inches wide.

Lay one husk flat with the tapered end pointing away from you. If the husk has a very rough edge, trim it so the top will fold neatly.

With a spoon or small spatula, spread about 2–3 tablespoons of masa onto the center of the husk, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides and a bit more space at the bottom. Spread masa into a rectangle about 4 inches long.

Place about 1–2 tablespoons of the pork filling in a line down the center of the masa. Do not overfill; the masa should encase the filling comfortably.

Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling so they meet in the center. Fold the tapered bottom up once. If desired, tie each tamale with a thin strip of husk or banana leaf to secure; otherwise, place seam-side down in the steamer.

Continue assembling tamales until masa or filling is used, placing finished tamales seam-side down on a tray or layered loosely in the steamer basket.

Prepare a tamalera/large steamer by adding water to just below the steamer basket. Place a layer of folded husks or a heatproof cloth on the bottom to keep tamales from sitting in water.

Arrange tamales upright (open ends up) or seam-side down in the steamer, packing them snugly but not tight. Cover the top with a damp cloth or extra husks to trap steam, then put the lid on.

Bring water to a steady simmer over medium heat. Steam the tamales for 1 to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on size and quantity. Check water level occasionally and add more hot water as needed so the pot never runs dry.

Test for doneness after about 60 minutes by carefully removing one tamale and letting it cool slightly; the masa should be firm and separate easily from the husk. If masa sticks to the husk or feels doughy, continue steaming and re-test every 10–15 minutes.

When done, remove tamales from the steamer and let rest 10 minutes before serving so they set and are easier to unwrap.

Unwrap the tamales, serve warm topped with crumbled queso, sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges as desired.

Leftover tamales can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months. Reheat by steaming for 10–15 minutes (from refrigerated) or 20–30 minutes from frozen until heated through.