Tamales

Tamales Rojos de Puerco (Red Pork Tamales)

Classic Mexican red pork tamales with a warmly spiced ancho–guajillo chili sauce folded into fresh masa, wrapped in corn husks and steamed until tender. A labor of love traditionally made for holidays, Sunday breakfasts and Día de la Candelaria.

Prep

90 min

Cook

90 min

Total

180 min

Serves

Makes 24 tamales

Difficulty

Hard

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 kg (3¼ lb) pork shoulder (cut into large chunks), with some fat for flavor
• •15 g (½ oz) dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
• •10 g (⅓ oz) dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
• •4 g (2) dried árbol chiles, optional, for heat; seeds removed
• •1 whole white onion, halved
• •6 g (2 tsp) garlic cloves, crushed
• •2 g (1 tsp) Mexican oregano
• •2 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, plus extra for seasoning
• •60 g (¼ cup) corn husks, dried, about 60 husks to make 24 tamales
• •450 g (1 lb (about 3¼ cups)) masa harina, instant corn flour (Maseca or similar)
• •900 ml (3¾ cups) warm water or reserved pork broth, for hydrating masa
• •200 g (1 cup) lard, or unsalted butter; traditional Mexican pork lard gives best flavor
• •7 g (1½ tsp) baking powder
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine salt, for the masa

Steps

1. 1 Soak the corn husks: Place the dried husks in a large bowl, cover with very hot water, weight them down with a plate, and soak for at least 1 hour until pliable. Reserve a few torn strips for tying.
2. 2 Cook the pork: Place pork chunks in a large pot, cover with cold water by 3 cm (1¼ in), add half the onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves, oregano and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, then simmer covered for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until a knife slides into the pork easily. Check with an instant-read thermometer: the centre of the largest chunk must be at least 71 °C (160 °F), and 95 °C (203 °F) is ideal for shredding, which makes the meat fork-tender. Both are safe: 71 °C is the minimum, and the higher temperature is there for texture, not for safety. Reserve 900 ml (3¾ cups) of broth. Shred the pork finely with two forks.
3. 3 Make the chili sauce: Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat 30-45 seconds per side until fragrant (do not burn). Soak them in hot water 15 minutes. Drain and blend with 150 ml (⅔ cup) of the pork broth, the remaining garlic, cumin and 3 g (½ tsp) salt until very smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan and simmer 8-10 minutes until thickened. Stir the shredded pork into the sauce and keep warm.
4. 4 Prepare the masa: In a large bowl, whisk the masa harina with the baking powder and 5 g (1 tsp) salt. Pour in 900 ml (3¾ cups) of the warm pork broth and mix to form a soft dough, then cover and rest 15 minutes.
5. 5 Beat the lard in a stand mixer (or by hand) on medium-high for 3-4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the rested masa in 3 additions, beating well between each, until the dough is light, spreadable and holds a small ball without flattening: drop 1 tsp into cold water - it should float. If it sinks, beat in another tablespoon of masa harina or broth until it floats.
6. 6 Assemble: Drain a corn husk and pat dry. Lay it flat (narrow end toward you) with the smooth side up. Spread about 45 g (3 Tbsp) of masa in a thin, even layer over the husk, leaving a 2 cm (¾ in) border on the sides and about 4 cm (1½ in) clear at the top. Spoon 1 heaped Tbsp of the pork filling down the center of the masa.
7. 7 Fold the two long sides of the husk over the filling so the masa seams meet. Fold the bottom (narrow) end up, then wrap the top down to form a tight rectangular package. If it won't stay closed, tie a strip of soaked corn husk around the middle.
8. 8 Set up a steamer with a rack above boiling water (a tamalera works best; a pasta pot with a heatproof plate inverted on the bottom works in a home kitchen). Arrange tamales upright, open end up, leaning against each other so they don't unravel. Cover tightly with a damp towel under the lid, then steam over a brisk simmer for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. After 1 hour, remove a tamale: the masa should pull cleanly away from the husk and feel firm and springy; a skewer into the masa should meet light resistance and feel moist but not gummy. The steam cooks the pork-filled masa right through, and the filling was already fully cooked; if the masa is still raw, steam another 10-15 minutes.
9. 9 Rest tamales in the covered pot 10 minutes off the heat before serving - they firm up as they cool. Serve warm in their husks, peeled open at the table, with extra chili sauce, salsa verde or a simple tomato salsa. Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate within 2 hours and reheat until piping hot.