Lunch Tamale Recipe

Braise pork

Place pork shoulder chunks, quartered yellow onion, 4 garlic cloves, bay leaf, 4 cups water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until pork is very tender and shreds easily, about 1.5 to 2 hours. Alternatively, cook in a pressure cooker for 50–60 minutes on high pressure, then natural release.

Shred pork

Remove pork from the braising liquid, reserving 1 to 1.5 cups of the cooking liquid. Let pork cool slightly and shred with two forks or a mixer on low. Skim and discard any large pieces of fat.

Rehydrate chiles

Remove stems and seeds from dried guajillo and ancho/pasilla chiles. Toast briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Place chiles in a bowl and pour enough hot water to cover; soak 15 minutes until softened. Reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid.

Sauté vegetables

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add quartered tomato, quartered white onion, and 3 garlic cloves and cook until softened and lightly charred in spots, about 6–8 minutes.

Blend sauce

Drain chiles (reserve soaking liquid as noted) and place in a blender with the sautéed tomato/onion/garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup reserved chile soaking liquid. Blend until very smooth, adding up to 2–3 tablespoons additional reserved broth or water if needed to reach a thick sauce consistency.

Finish sauce

Taste and adjust seasoning. If sauce is bitter, simmer briefly in a small saucepan 5 minutes to mellow flavors. Let cool slightly.

Combine with pork

Stir about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the sauce into the shredded pork until well coated. Reserve remaining sauce to serve or for a moister filling — total sauce used can be adjusted to taste but aim for a moist but not soupy filling.

Prepare lard

Place 1 cup lard or shortening in a mixing bowl. Beat with a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. This aerates the fat and helps a lighter masa texture.

Mix dry ingredients

In a separate large bowl, whisk together 3 cups masa harina, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 2 teaspoons salt until evenly distributed.

Incorporate broth

Gradually add warm broth to the masa harina, stirring with a spoon until a soft dough forms. Start with 1 1/2 cups and add up to 2 cups as needed. Dough should be moist but hold together; it should not be sticky.

Combine fat and dough

With the mixer running on low, add the masa dough to the whipped lard in batches, or add the lard to the masa and beat together until light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes. Test masa by dropping a small piece into cold water — if it floats, the dough is properly aerated. If it sinks, continue beating and/or add 1–2 tablespoons more broth until the float test passes.

Prepare husks

Soak 30 dried corn husks in warm water for 30 minutes until pliable. Rinse and pat dry. Reserve a few tablespoons of soaking liquid if husks were very starchy; otherwise discard.

Assemble tamales

Lay one husk flat with the tapered end pointing away. Spread about 3 tablespoons of masa in a 3x3 inch rectangle in the center of the husk, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the edges. Place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the pork-roja filling down the center line of masa. Fold the sides of the husk inward to enclose the masa, then fold or tuck the bottom end up to close. Repeat until ingredients are used; you should get approximately 24–30 tamales depending on size.

Steam tamales

Arrange tamales upright (open end up) in a large steamer basket with a towel over them to catch condensation. Add enough water to the steamer to maintain a steady simmer but not touch the tamales. Cover and steam over medium-low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Check water level periodically and top up as needed. After about 45–60 minutes, test one tamale: peel back a corner of the husk. The masa should separate easily from the husk and be firm and cooked through. If masa is still sticky, continue steaming and retest every 10–15 minutes.

Rest

When done, remove tamales from the steamer and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes to set. Serve warm with reserved roja sauce or salsa of choice.

Serve 2 tamales per person as a lunch portion. Garnish with extra roja sauce, pickled onions, crema, or chopped cilantro if desired.