Traditional Pork Tamales

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large steamer pot or tamale steamer
• •Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot (for braising)
• •Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer)
• •Blender
• •Fine mesh strainer
• •Large work surface for assembly

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the corn husks

   Place the corn husks in a large container or clean sink and cover with very hot water. Weight them down with a plate to keep them submerged. Let them soak for at least 2 hours, or overnight. They should become pliable and silky, bending without cracking. Rinse each husk before using to remove any debris or silk.

   Start soaking husks the night before and they'll be perfectly supple when you need them.
2. 2

   Braise the pork

   Season the pork shoulder generously with salt on all sides. Place it in a Dutch oven or heavy pot with the quartered onion, 4 of the garlic cloves, and enough water to cover by two inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim any foam that rises. Cook uncovered for 2 to 2½ hours, until the pork shreds easily when prodded with a fork. The meat should offer no resistance whatsoever.

   Save every drop of that cooking liquid. It's liquid gold for your masa.
3. 3

   Prepare the chile sauce

   While the pork braises, toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat. Press them flat with a spatula, flipping occasionally, until fragrant and slightly darkened in spots, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Let steep for 30 minutes until softened completely.

4. 4

   Blend the chile sauce

   Drain the chiles, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Add the softened chiles to a blender with the remaining 4 garlic cloves, cumin, oregano, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and the reserved soaking liquid. Blend on high until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. The sauce should be thick but pourable. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing to extract all the liquid, and discard the solids.

5. 5

   Finish the filling

   Remove the cooked pork from its liquid and let it cool enough to handle. Reserve 3 cups of the cooking liquid for the masa. Shred the meat with two forks, discarding any fat or gristle. Transfer the shredded pork to a large skillet and add 1½ cups of the chile sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce coats every strand and the mixture is fragrant and slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. The filling should be boldly seasoned since the masa will absorb some of its punch.

   The filling should taste a touch too salty on its own. It will mellow once wrapped in masa.
6. 6

   Prepare the masa

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the lard on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. It should look almost whipped. In a separate bowl, combine the masa harina, baking powder, and 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the masa mixture in three additions, alternating with the warm reserved pork broth. Beat until everything is incorporated, then increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 2 minutes until the masa is light and spreadable.

   Drop a small ball of masa into a glass of cold water. If it floats, you've beaten enough air into it. If it sinks, keep beating.
7. 7

   Test the masa consistency

   The masa should spread easily but hold its shape. It should feel like thick, smooth peanut butter. If too dry, add more broth one tablespoon at a time. If too wet, add a bit more masa harina. Taste a small pinch of the raw masa: it should be properly salted. Underseasoned masa makes bland tamales, no matter how flavorful your filling.

8. 8

   Assemble the tamales

   Select the largest, most pliable corn husks. Place one husk on your work surface with the wide end facing you. Spread about 3 tablespoons of masa in a rectangle on the upper two-thirds of the husk, leaving a 2-inch border on the sides and the narrow end bare. The masa should be about ¼ inch thick. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling down the center of the masa.

9. 9

   Fold and tie

   Fold one long edge of the husk over the filling, then roll it toward the opposite edge, encasing the filling completely in masa. Fold the empty narrow end up toward the seam. You can leave the wide end open or fold it down for a neat packet. For security, tear a thin strip from a soaked husk and tie it around the tamale. Repeat with remaining husks, masa, and filling. Set assembled tamales upright in a baking dish as you work.

   Don't overfill. Tamales that burst during steaming break hearts. Aim for modest packages.
10. 10

    Prepare the steamer

    Fill the bottom of a large steamer pot or tamale steamer with 3 inches of water. Place a coin at the bottom (you'll hear it rattle when the water boils, and notice when it goes silent if the water runs dry). Line the steamer basket with remaining corn husks, overlapping them to create a nest. This prevents direct contact between tamales and the steamer walls.

11. 11

    Steam the tamales

    Stand the tamales upright in the steamer, open end up, packing them snugly but not crushing them. They should support each other. Cover with additional husks, then a damp kitchen towel, then the lid. Steam over medium heat for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Check water level periodically, adding more hot water if needed. The tamales are done when the masa pulls away cleanly from the husk without sticking.

    Pull a test tamale after 50 minutes. If the masa still clings to the husk, continue steaming in 10-minute intervals.
12. 12

    Rest and serve

    Turn off the heat and let the tamales rest in the covered steamer for 10 minutes. This final rest allows the masa to set completely. Serve warm in their husks, instructing guests to unwrap before eating. Accompany with salsa verde, crema, pickled jalapeños, or simply a wedge of lime. Tradition holds that tamales taste best when eaten standing in the kitchen, before the rest of the family arrives.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out good lard from a Mexican butcher or render your own from pork fat. Vegetable shortening works but lacks the subtle porkiness that makes traditional tamales sing. If using shortening, consider adding a few tablespoons of bacon drippings.
• •Fresh masa from a tortillería transforms this recipe entirely. If you live near one, call ahead and ask if they sell prepared masa for tamales. It will already contain lard and salt. You'll need about 5 pounds to replace the masa harina mixture.
• •The work goes faster with company. Invite friends or family to help assemble. Assign roles: one person spreads masa, one adds filling, one folds and ties. Put music on. Open some beers. This is la tamalada.
• •Tamales are inherently a freezer-friendly food. Ancient cooks carried them for exactly this reason: they travel well and reheat beautifully.
• •Serve tamales with a simple pot of black beans, Mexican rice, and plenty of cold beer or warm champurrado (Mexican chocolate atole) for a proper Christmas spread.

Advance Preparation

• •The pork filling can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before assembly.
• •Chile sauce keeps refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 2 months. Make a double batch while you're at it.
• •Assembled uncooked tamales can be refrigerated overnight and steamed the next day. Increase steaming time by 10-15 minutes.
• •Steamed tamales freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to freezer bags. Reheat by steaming for 20 minutes from frozen, or microwave in 30-second intervals.
• •For Christmas Eve service, braise and shred the pork two days before. Make the chile sauce the night before. Assemble and steam on Christmas Eve morning, then hold in a low oven (200°F) for up to 2 hours until guests arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 250g, 2 tamales)