Natural Tamal El Salvador Recipe
Make Natural Tamal El Salvador Recipe in just 3h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Masa (dough)
Filling (natural Salvadoran style - pork with recado rojo & vegetables)
Assembly & steaming
Method
Masa (dough)
- 1
Prepare fat and dry mix
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with sugar and salt until light. Add the baking powder and mix briefly to combine with the butter.
- 2
Hydrate masa
Place the masa harina in a separate large bowl. Gradually add warm broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon or your hands until a soft, moist dough forms. The dough should be spreadable but not runny — when a small piece is dropped into cold water it should float (optional float test).
- 3
Combine masa and fat
Incorporate the creamed butter mixture into the hydrated masa. Mix thoroughly until the fat is evenly distributed and the dough becomes smooth and slightly fluffy. If the dough feels dry, add up to 1/4 to 1/2 cup more warm broth. If too wet, add a tablespoon of masa harina at a time. If desired, add 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil to improve pliability.
Filling (natural Salvadoran style - pork with recado rojo & vegetables)
- 4
Cook pork
Place cubed pork shoulder in a large pot with the quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves and 4 cups water (or broth). Bring to a low boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer until pork is tender, about 1 to 1¼ hours. Skim foam as needed.
- 5
- 6
Build the recado sauce
In a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat, combine the tomato sauce, recado rojo (or achiote paste), aji amarillo or pimiento paste, ground cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- 7
Add meat and vegetables
Add shredded pork, reserved cooking liquid (about 1 cup), diced carrot and potato to the sauce. Simmer gently until vegetables are tender and sauce reduces slightly, about 12–15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. If using, stir in olives and capers in the last few minutes. The filling should be moist but not soupy so it won’t make the masa soggy.
- 8
Cool the filling
Remove from heat and let the filling cool to warm (not hot) before assembling tamales so it doesn’t melt the masa or overly soften the husks.
Assembly & steaming
- 9
Soak husks
Place dried corn husks in a large heatproof bowl and cover with very hot water. Soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour until pliable. Press out excess water and pat dry. Reserve soaking liquid if needed to rehydrate during assembly.
- 10
Prepare steamer
Set up a large tamal steamer or a large pot with a steamer basket/grid. Fill the pot with about 2 inches of water (not touching the basket) and bring to a simmer. Line the bottom with a layer of soaked husks to prevent direct contact with steam and to add aroma.
- 11
Portion masa
Take a prepared husk and lay it glossy-side down. Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of masa in a roughly 5×4-inch rectangle down the center, leaving a 1-inch border at the top and bottom for folding. The thickness should be about 1/4 inch. Repeat for remaining husks.
- 12
Add filling
Place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cooled pork filling in the center of the masa. Do not overfill; leave room for masa to expand slightly during steaming.
- 13
Fold and tie
Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling, then fold the bottom up and the top down (or simply fold one end over). Secure each tamal by tying with a thin strip of husk or kitchen twine. Place seam-side down in the steamer in upright rows with space for steam circulation.
- 14
Steam tamales
Cover the top of the tamales with more husks or a clean towel and close the lid. Steam over gently simmering water for 1 to 1¼ hours, checking water level occasionally and adding hot water as needed. After about 45 minutes, rotate positions if your steamer has hot spots. Tamales are done when masa easily pulls away from the husk and feels firm and set.
- 15
Rest and serve
Turn off heat and let tamales rest in the closed steamer for 10–15 minutes. Remove ties, unwrap and serve warm with curtido (Salvadoran cabbage slaw), salsa roja, or a squeeze of lime. Leftover tamales keep refrigerated up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.