Tamal Recipe
Homemade tamal chicken or pork. Served with your choice of green or red sauce.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Masa (corn dough)
Filling (choose chicken or pork)
Sauces (choose green or red)
Assembly
Method
Masa (corn dough)
- 1
Prepare broth
If you cooked meat for the filling, reserve 4 cups of the strained cooking broth. If not available, use store-bought chicken or pork broth and heat to warm.
- 2
Beat the fat
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat the lard or shortening until light and fluffy (3–5 minutes). This incorporates air and gives tamales a lighter texture.
- 3
Combine dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together masa harina, baking powder, salt, and sugar until evenly mixed.
- 4
Hydrate masa
Gradually add about 3 cups of warm broth to the masa mixture, stirring to form a soft dough. Let rest 5 minutes, then check texture: the dough should be moist and spreadable but not watery. Add remaining broth as needed up to the full 4 cups to reach a spreadable consistency.
- 5
Incorporate fat
Fold the whipped lard into the masa in thirds, using a spatula or mixer on low, until fully incorporated and the dough is fluffy. A simple test: drop a small piece of masa into cold water — if it floats, the dough is properly aerated.
Filling (chicken or pork)
- 6
Cook meat (if not pre-cooked)
If using raw meat, place 2 lbs chicken thighs or pork shoulder in a pot, cover with water, add 1/2 onion and 2 garlic cloves, bring to a simmer, and cook until tender (chicken 25–35 minutes, pork 1.5–2 hours). Reserve at least 4 cups cooking broth for the masa and sauce. Remove meat and shred with forks.
- 7
- 8
Season and combine
Add shredded meat to the skillet. Stir in salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. If making a red-style filling, add 1 cup tomato sauce or 2–3 tablespoons blended chipotle in adobo and cook 3–5 minutes until flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Sauces (choose one)
- 9
Green sauce (salsa verde)
Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse. In a pot of boiling water, simmer tomatillos and jalapeños/serranos for 5–6 minutes until softened. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add cilantro, juice of 1 lime, 1 teaspoon salt, and one garlic clove (optional). Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt or lime. If you prefer a cooked flavor, you can fry the blended sauce briefly in 1 teaspoon oil.
- 10
Red sauce (salsa roja)
Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles, toast briefly in a dry skillet until fragrant (30–60 seconds), then soak in hot water 15–20 minutes until soft. In the same dry skillet, char tomatoes and onion halves until skin blackens in spots. Transfer tomatoes, soaked chiles (discard soaking water or reserve a little), onion, and 2 garlic cloves to a blender with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup of the chile-soaking liquid or broth. Blend to a smooth sauce. Optionally pass through a strainer and sauté the blended sauce in 1 teaspoon oil for 3–4 minutes to deepen flavor. Adjust salt.
Assembly
- 11
Prepare corn husks
Soak dried corn husks in hot water for 20–30 minutes until pliable. Rinse and pat dry. Lay a husk flat with the narrow end pointing toward you and the wide end away.
- 12
Spread masa
Using a spatula or spoon, spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of masa onto the center of each husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides and a 2-inch border at the top and bottom. Spread into a roughly 4x6 inch rectangle. The exact amount depends on husk size—aim for a thin, even layer.
- 13
Add filling
Place 1–2 tablespoons of the shredded meat filling down the center of the masa. Add 1 teaspoon of your chosen sauce on top of the meat if you like it saucy, or serve sauce on the side.
- 14
Fold and tie
Fold the sides of the husk toward the center, then fold the bottom end up. Leave the top open (or fold down). If desired, tie with a thin strip of husk or kitchen twine to secure. Repeat until all masa and filling are used.
- 15
Steam tamales
Arrange tamales upright (open ends up) in a large steamer basket with some water in the pot below, leaving space between them. Cover with a damp cloth or extra husks and place the lid on. Steam over simmering water for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, checking every 20–30 minutes to ensure water hasn't boiled dry; add more hot water if needed. Tamales are done when masa easily pulls away from the husk and is firm.
- 16
Rest and serve
Allow tamales to rest 10 minutes after steaming. Serve warm with your choice of green salsa or red salsa on the side. Unwrap the husk and eat the tamal inside.