Yolanda’s Tamales Recipe

Prepare masa base

In a large mixing bowl, combine masa harina, baking powder, and 2 teaspoons salt. Stir to distribute evenly.

Beat in fat

In a separate bowl, beat the lard or vegetable shortening until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes by hand or 1 minute with mixer). Gradually add warmed chicken or vegetable broth while continuing to beat, about 3/4 cup at a time, until a soft, spreadable dough forms. The masa should be fluffy and hold together; to test, drop a small piece in cold water — it should float. If too dry, add up to 1/2 cup more warm broth; if too wet, add 1/4 cup masa harina.

Adjust consistency

If masa feels dense, add 1–2 tablespoons corn oil or more warm broth to loosen. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing filling (at least 30 minutes). Chilling helps set consistency.

Poach chicken

Place chicken thighs in a medium stockpot with 8 cups water, bay leaves, 1 tablespoon salt, and quartered onion. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, cover partway, and cook 20–25 minutes until just cooked through. Remove chicken to a bowl and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking broth; discard bay leaves and onion (or reserve onion for blending if desired). Let chicken cool slightly, then shred with two forks.

Prepare chiles

While chicken cooks, wipe dried chiles, remove stems and seeds. In a small saucepan, cover chiles with hot water and soak 15–20 minutes until softened. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup soaking liquid.

Make chile sauce

In a blender, combine softened chiles, reserved soaking liquid, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 of the cooked onion (optional), cumin, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth, adding up to 1/2 cup of the reserved chicken broth to reach a pourable sauce consistency.

Cook sauce

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pour in chile purée, cook 3–5 minutes, stirring, to deepen flavor and remove rawness. Taste and adjust salt. If sauce is very thick, thin with reserved chicken broth to a saucy consistency.

Combine chicken and sauce

Add shredded chicken to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with chile sauce. Cook 2–3 more minutes so flavors meld. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before assembling tamales.

Soak husks

Place dried corn husks in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Weigh them down with a plate and soak 30–45 minutes until pliable. Drain and pat dry; reserve a few extra for steaming layers.

Spread masa on husk

Lay a husk flat with the narrow end toward you. With wet hands or a small offset spatula, spread about 3 tablespoons (approx. 2.5–3 tablespoons) of masa in a thin, even layer down the center of the husk, leaving 1/2 inch border on each side and 1–2 inches at the wide end.

Add filling

Place about 1–2 tablespoons of the cooled chicken chile filling in a line down the center of the masa. Be careful not to overfill — tamales should be easy to fold.

Fold and tie

Fold the sides of the husk over the filling to enclose it, then fold up the narrow end. Tie with kitchen twine or a thin strip of husk if desired, or leave untied. Repeat until all masa and filling are used. This recipe yields approximately 30–40 tamales depending on size.

Setup steamer

Set up a steamer pot with 1–2 inches of simmering water. Arrange a layer of unused soaked husks or a clean kitchen towel on the bottom to prevent direct contact with the water. Place tamales standing upright with the open end up, packing them snugly but not too tight so steam circulates.

Steam tamales

Cover pot and steam over medium-low heat for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Check water level periodically and add more hot water if necessary (do not pour over tamales). After about 50 minutes, test a tamal by unwrapping — masa should pull away from the husk easily and be set through the center. If masa sticks, continue steaming and test every 10 minutes.

Rest

When done, turn off heat and let tamales rest covered for 10 minutes to firm up. Transfer to a plate and let cool 5–10 minutes before serving so they are comfortable to handle.

Plate and garnish

Serve tamales hot with a dollop of crema or sour cream, a sprinkle of queso fresco, sliced radishes, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges on the side. Leftover tamales can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Reheat (if needed)

To reheat refrigerated tamales, steam for 15–20 minutes until heated through. For frozen tamales, thaw overnight in the refrigerator then steam 20–30 minutes, or steam straight from frozen 30–45 minutes.