Tamales de Carne con Chile Rojo
Masa filled with red chile pork, wrapped in corn husks and steamed — a labor of love traditionally made in big batches for the holidays.
- Prep
- 90 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 180 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Equipment
- •Large steamer pot
- •Stand mixer for masa
- •Corn husks, soaked
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- fat
- 19
- carbs
- 30
- protein
- 16
- calories
- 340
Instructions
- 1
Mix the shredded pork with about 1 cup of the red chile sauce. Set this filling aside.
- 2
Beat the lard in a stand mixer for about 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- 3
Whisk the masa harina, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Beat into the lard alternately with the stock until spreadable.
- 4
Drop a small spoonful of masa into a cup of water to see if it floats. If it sinks, beat longer.
- 5
Spread a thin layer of masa onto each soaked corn husk. Add pork filling down the center, fold closed, and tuck the end under.
- 6
Stand tamales upright in a husk-lined steamer pot. Cover and steam over simmering water for 75–90 minutes, checking water levels, until husks peel cleanly.
- 7
Let the tamales rest for 10 minutes before unwrapping. Serve with extra warmed red chile sauce.
Chef's tips
Beat the masa dough with lard until a small spoonful floats in a cup of water to make sure it is fluffy enough.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 5 days; tamales freeze exceptionally well for up to 3 months, unwrapped from husks after thawing.
Reheating
Re-steam frozen or refrigerated tamales, still in their husks, for 15–20 minutes until heated through.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Not beating the masa enough, which makes the tamales dense and heavy instead of light.
- •Adding too much filling, which makes the husks hard to fold closed and steam evenly.
- •Letting the steamer pot run out of water, which can burn the tamales on the bottom.
Serving suggestions
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