Single Pork Tamale Recipe

Prepare masa

In a small bowl, whisk together masa harina, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add softened lard or shortening and rub with your fingertips or use a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Gradually pour the warm broth into the masa mixture, stirring with a spoon until a soft, spreadable dough forms. Dough should be moist but not runny — similar to softened cookie dough. If too dry, add broth 1 tsp at a time; if too wet, add up to 1 tbs more masa harina.

Test masa: pinch a small amount and drop into a bowl of cold water. If it floats, it's light enough. If it sinks, beat in an additional 1/2 tbs of lard or a tiny splash of broth and retest.

Mix filling

In a small bowl combine the shredded pork, red salsa or chile sauce, chopped onion, minced garlic, ground cumin, and salt. Stir until the pork is evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

If filling seems dry, add up to 1/2 tsp more salsa or a few drops of broth to moisten. The filling should be flavorful but not watery to avoid making the masa soggy during steaming.

Soak husk

If not already soaked, submerge a dried corn husk in warm water for 20–30 minutes until pliable. Pat dry with a towel before assembling.

Lay the soaked corn husk flat, narrow end toward you. With the damp side up, spread about 3 tablespoons (approximately 0.5 oz) of masa in the center, forming a rectangle roughly 3 inches long and 1.5 inches wide. Leave a 1/2-inch border at the bottom and sides for folding.

Place about 1 tablespoon (roughly 0.25 cup packed) of the pork filling in a line down the center of the masa, leaving space at the ends. Do not overfill.

Fold the sides of the husk over the filling so they overlap in the middle, then fold the bottom end up and tuck it. Fold the top down or leave it open slightly — tamales can be steamed either fully closed or with tops folded.

Place the assembled tamale seam-side down in a steamer basket. Repeat nothing — this recipe is for a single tamale.

Steam

Bring 1/2 cup of water or broth to a simmer in the bottom of a small pot with a steamer basket. Stand the tamale upright (open end up) or lay seam-side down, leaving room so the steam can circulate. Cover and steam over gently simmering water for 45–55 minutes. Check water level occasionally and add more hot water as needed to maintain steam but not touch the tamale.

To check doneness, carefully open a tamale and press the masa — it should be firm and pull away cleanly from the husk. If dough is still sticky or wet, continue steaming, checking every 5–10 minutes.

When done, remove the tamale from the steamer and let rest for 5 minutes before unwrapping to allow the masa to set.

Unwrap the tamale and transfer to a plate. Garnish with chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and a sprinkle of queso fresco if desired. Serve warm.