Tamales Recipe

Soak dried corn husks in warm water for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour until pliable. Weigh them down to keep submerged. Rinse briefly and set aside in a bowl covered with a towel to stay warm and flexible.

Simmer the meat

Place the pork shoulder (or beef) in a large pot and cover with water or enough broth to submerge by about 1 inch. Add the quartered onion, 2 garlic cloves (reserve others for sauce), bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently, uncovered, until meat is fork-tender, about 1.5 to 2 hours. Alternatively, cook in a pressure cooker/Instant Pot for 45–60 minutes with natural release.

Shred the meat

Remove meat from the pot and let cool slightly. Reserve 1 to 1.5 cups of the cooking broth. Shred the meat finely with two forks or by hand. Discard bay leaves and onion solids.

Make the sauce for the meat

In a blender, combine the reserved cooking broth (about 1 cup), remaining garlic cloves, chipotle in adobo (or rehydrated dried chiles), tomato paste, cumin, oregano, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth to make a spicy sauce. Taste and adjust heat/salt.

Brown and combine

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shredded meat and sauté 2–3 minutes. Pour in the blended sauce and cook, stirring, until sauce reduces and clings to the meat, about 8–12 minutes. If mixture seems dry, add up to 1/2 cup reserved broth. Stir in chopped cilantro if using. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, beat the lard or shortening with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk masa harina, baking powder, and 2 teaspoons salt.

Gradually add the dry masa mixture to the lard, alternating with warm broth, mixing well after each addition. Continue until a soft, spreadable dough forms. If dough is too stiff, add extra broth up to 1/2 cup. Test for readiness by dropping a small piece of masa into cold water — if it floats, it's airy enough; if it sinks, continue beating and add a little more liquid.

Drain a corn husk and pat dry. Lay it smooth side down with the narrow end pointing toward you. Spread about 2 to 3 tablespoons of masa into a 3-inch-wide strip down the center, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the sides and bottom. Place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cooled meat filling in a line near the thicker end of the masa.

Fold the sides of the husk toward the center to enclose the filling, then fold up the bottom narrow end. If desired, tie with a thin strip of husk to secure. Repeat with remaining husks, masa, and filling. Keep assembled tamales upright in a single layer in a shallow pan so they don't unroll.

Set up a steamer with about 1–2 inches of simmering water. Line the bottom of the steamer with a few soaked husks or banana leaves to prevent sticking. Arrange tamales standing upright (open end up) in the steamer in a snug single layer.

Cover with a damp towel and lid. Steam over simmering (not boiling) water for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, checking water level occasionally and adding more hot water as needed. Rotate tamales halfway through for even cooking. Tamales are done when masa separates easily from the husk and is firm and fully cooked.

Turn off heat and let tamales rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with salsa, crema, or additional cilantro.