📝 About This Recipe
A cornerstone of Día de los Muertos, these tamales are crafted to honor the memories of loved ones with a rich, smoky red chile sauce and tender shredded pork. The 'masa harina' is whipped to a cloud-like consistency with savory lard, encasing a filling that balances the heat of Guajillo and Ancho chiles. Making these is a beautiful ritual of patience and love, filling your kitchen with the soulful aroma of corn and spice.
🥗 Ingredients
The Pork & Broth
- 3 pounds Pork Butt (Shoulder) (cut into 4-inch chunks)
- 1 White Onion (halved)
- 4 cloves Garlic (smashed)
- 2 pieces Bay Leaves
Red Chile Sauce
- 10 pieces Dried Guajillo Chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 4 pieces Dried Ancho Chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (toasted and ground)
- 1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano (dried)
The Masa
- 4 cups Masa Harina (nixtamalized corn flour)
- 1 1/3 cups Lard (high-quality rendered leaf lard or vegetable shortening)
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoons Salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 package Corn Husks (soaked in hot water for 1 hour)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Place pork, onion, garlic, and bay leaves in a large pot. Cover with water (about 8 cups) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours until the meat is fork-tender. Strain and reserve the broth, letting the meat cool slightly.
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2
While the pork cooks, soak the dried corn husks in a sink or large bowl filled with very hot water. Place a heavy plate on top to keep them submerged for at least 60 minutes.
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3
Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Submerge them in 2 cups of hot pork broth for 20 minutes until soft.
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4
Blend the soaked chiles, 1 cup of the soaking liquid, cumin, and oregano until completely smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any bits of skin.
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5
Shred the cooked pork using two forks. In a large skillet, add a tablespoon of lard, the shredded pork, and the red chile sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the meat. Season with salt.
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6
In a stand mixer, beat the lard with the salt and baking powder until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. This 'creaming' step is vital for airy tamales.
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7
Slowly add the masa harina to the lard while mixing on low. Gradually pour in 2 to 3 cups of the reserved pork broth until the dough is the consistency of thick cake frosting.
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8
Perform the 'float test': Drop a small pea-sized ball of masa into a glass of water. If it floats, the masa is ready. If it sinks, beat in more lard or air.
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9
Pat a corn husk dry. Spread about 2 tablespoons of masa onto the smooth side of the husk, forming a rectangle that covers the bottom half, leaving a border on the sides.
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10
Place 1 tablespoon of the pork filling down the center of the masa. Fold the sides of the husk together so the masa encloses the meat, then fold the narrow bottom tail of the husk upward.
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11
Prepare a large steamer pot with a rack. Fill with water just below the rack. Stand the tamales upright, open-end up, in the steamer basket. Do not pack them too tightly; they need room to expand.
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12
Cover the tamales with a layer of extra damp husks and a clean kitchen towel, then the lid. Steam over medium-low heat for 60 to 75 minutes.
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13
Check for doneness: Remove one tamale and let it sit for 5 minutes. If the husk peels away cleanly from the masa, they are finished.
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14
Turn off the heat and let the tamales rest in the pot with the lid off for 20 minutes to firm up before serving.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use the 'float test' for your masa; if it doesn't float, your tamales will be dense rather than fluffy. Don't skip straining the chile sauce—it ensures a professional, velvety texture without bitter skin fragments. Keep a kettle of boiling water nearby to refill the steamer pot so it never runs dry during the long cooking process. If you can't find lard, vegetable shortening works, but lard provides the most authentic, rich flavor profile. Tamales freeze beautifully; make a double batch and steam them from frozen for 20 minutes for a quick future meal.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with a side of Mexican Crema and fresh salsa verde for a bright contrast. Pair with a hot mug of Champurrado (chocolate-based atole) to stay traditional for Día de los Muertos. Accompany with a simple side of refried black beans topped with crumbled queso fresco. A glass of cold Hibiscus (Jamaica) tea cuts through the richness of the pork and lard perfectly.