Authentic Mexican Tamales Recipe
These authentic Mexican tamales feature tender red chile pork filling wrapped in fluffy, lard-based masa dough and steamed inside corn husks until perfectly soft and flavorful. Made with dried ancho and guajillo chiles for a deeply smoky, earthy sauce, this is the traditional version passed down through generations of Mexican families. They take time and love to make, but every single step is worth it.
Equipment
- Large tamale steamer pot (12-quart or larger) With steamer insert rack
- Stand mixer With paddle attachment, for whipping lard and mixing masa
- Large stockpot For simmering the pork
- Blender or food processor For blending the dried chile sauce
- Large mixing bowls At least 2 needed
- Fine-mesh strainer For straining the chile sauce and pork broth
- Large baking sheet or tray For assembling and holding tamales
- Ladle or large spoon
- Tongs For handling tamales in the steamer
Ingredients
For the Red Chile Sauce
- 6 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
- 4 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
- 4 cups water for soaking chiles
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
For the Pork Filling
- 2.5 lbs pork shoulder about 1.1 kg, cut into large chunks
- 1 medium white onion quartered
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 cups water for boiling the pork
For the Masa Dough
- 4 cups masa harina tamale-grade (such as Maseca brand); about 480g
- 1 cup lard about 200g, softened; or vegetable shortening as substitute
- 3 cups pork broth 2.5 to 3 cups, reserved from cooking the pork; warm
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
For Assembly
- 40 dried corn husks 30 to 40 husks; soaked in hot water until pliable
Instructions
- Place 30 to 40 dried corn husks in a very large bowl or sink and cover with boiling or very hot water. Weigh them down with a heavy plate and soak for 30 to 45 minutes until fully soft and pliable, then drain and cover with a damp towel.
- Place pork shoulder chunks, quartered onion, 4 garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp salt, and 6 cups water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes until the pork is very tender.
- Remove the pork and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then shred finely with two forks. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, measure out 2.5 to 3 cups, and set aside to cool slightly.
- Simmer the ancho and guajillo chiles in 4 cups water for 10 to 12 minutes until softened. Transfer chiles to a blender with 4 garlic cloves, 1 cup soaking water, cumin, oregano, and salt, then blend until smooth and strain through a fine mesh strainer.
- Heat a splash of oil in a large skillet over medium heat, pour in the strained chile sauce, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened. Add the shredded pork, stir well to coat, and cook for 5 to 8 more minutes until the mixture is thick. Set aside to cool.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened lard on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale. This step is essential for achieving a light, airy masa.
- Whisk together masa harina, baking powder, salt, and cumin in a bowl. With the mixer on low, add the masa harina mixture and warm pork broth to the whipped lard in three alternating additions, then beat on medium for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth. Test: a small ball of masa should float in cold water.
- Lay a soaked corn husk flat with the wide end facing you. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of masa into a 4x3-inch rectangle, leaving a 1 to 1.5-inch border on the sides and top and a 2-inch border at the bottom. Spoon 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of filling down the center, then fold the long sides over to enclose the filling and fold up the narrow bottom end to seal. Stand upright on the tray with the open end facing up.
- Fill the steamer pot with 2 to 3 inches of water, arrange tamales upright in the steamer basket with open ends up, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover tightly, and steam for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, replenishing water as needed every 30 minutes.
- Remove one tamale with tongs, let it rest for 3 minutes, and unwrap to test — the masa should pull away from the husk cleanly. If still wet or sticky, re-cover and steam for another 15 minutes. Let the finished tamales rest in the covered pot for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Float test: Drop a small ball of masa into cold water before assembling. If it floats, the dough is ready. If it sinks, continue beating until it passes the test.
- Lard substitute: Vegetable shortening can be substituted for lard in equal quantities. The texture will be very similar, though slightly less rich in flavor.
- Warm broth matters: Use warm (not boiling) pork broth when mixing the masa. It incorporates more smoothly and prevents the fat from seizing up.
- Don't overfill: Use no more than 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of filling per tamale. Overfilling makes it very difficult to fold and seal the husks properly.
- Keep husks damp: Cover soaked corn husks with a damp towel throughout assembly to prevent them from drying out and cracking when you fold them.
- Don't lift the lid during steaming: Opening the pot releases steam and causes uneven cooking. Trust the process and only check at the 1 hour 15 minute mark.
- Make it a tamalada: Tamale-making goes much faster with extra hands. Assign one person to spread masa, one to fill, and one to fold and stand them upright.
- Refrigerator storage: Store cooled tamales in an airtight container with husks on for up to 5 days.
- Freezer storage: Wrap individual tamales in plastic wrap and freeze in zip-lock bags for up to 3 months. Steam directly from frozen for 45 to 50 minutes without thawing.
- Best reheat method: Re-steam refrigerated tamales for 15 to 20 minutes for the best texture. Microwave in a damp paper towel for 1 to 2 minutes as a quick option.
Nutrition
Serving: 2tamalesCalories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 18gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 620mgPotassium: 310mgFiber: 5gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 15mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!