Pork Tamale Recipe

Cook pork

Place pork shoulder chunks, quartered onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf, water and 1 tsp salt into a medium pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover and simmer until pork is very tender and easily shredded, 1½ to 2 hours. Alternatively, cook in a pressure cooker/Instant Pot on high for 45 minutes and allow natural release.

Shred and season

Remove pork to a bowl and reserve 1 cup of the cooking broth. Discard bay leaf. Shred the pork with two forks. Return shredded pork to a skillet with 2–3 tablespoons of reserved broth, add cumin, oregano and chipotle in adobo (or ancho powder). Sauté over medium heat for 5–7 minutes to concentrate flavors and reduce excess moisture. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Set aside to cool slightly.

Hydrate masa

In a large bowl combine masa harina, baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Gradually add warm broth while stirring with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. The dough should be moist but not gummy—similar to cookie dough.

Beat in fat

In a separate small bowl, beat the softened lard (or shortening) until slightly fluffy. Incorporate the lard into the masa by pressing and folding with your hands or using a mixer on low until the dough lightens in color and becomes spreadable, about 3–5 minutes. If dough feels dry, add up to 2 tablespoons more broth; if too wet, add 1–2 tbsp masa harina.

Test masa

To test readiness, drop a small piece of dough into cold water: if it floats, it's properly aerated; if it sinks, continue beating in a little more fat and test again.

Soak husks

Place dried corn husks in a large heatproof bowl and cover with hot tap water. Weigh them down and soak for 30 minutes until pliable. Drain and pat dry, keeping them covered with a damp towel to prevent drying out.

Fill husks

Lay one husk flat with the wider end at the top. Spread about 3 tablespoons (or roughly a 2–3 tablespoon-wide oval) of masa in the center, leaving a 1-inch border at the bottom and sides. Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of the pork filling onto the masa. Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling, then fold up the bottom. If needed, tie with kitchen twine or a thin strip of husk.

Repeat

Repeat until all masa and filling are used, yielding about 18–20 tamales depending on size.

Prepare steamer

Arrange a steamer basket or rack in a large pot. Pour about 1 inch of reserved broth or water into the pot (do not submerge the rack). Stand tamales upright with open ends up, packing them snugly but not overly tight.

Steam tamales

Bring water to a simmer, cover, and steam over low to medium-low heat for 1 to 1¼ hours. Check water level every 20 minutes and add boiling water as needed. After about 60 minutes, test a tamale by removing one and letting it cool briefly—if the husk peels away easily and masa is set and not doughy, they are done. If not, steam another 10–15 minutes and test again.

Rest

When cooked, remove tamales from steamer and let them rest upright for 10 minutes to firm up before serving.

Serve tamales warm alongside tacos to mop up any rendered fat. Offer chopped cilantro, lime wedges and salsa on the side. Leftover tamales can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months—reheat by steaming or microwaving covered until heated through.