Easy Authentic Tamales That Anyone Can Make

Ingredients

• 900 g boneless pork shoulder
• 40 ml high heat cooking oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 leaves bay leaves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano
• 1⅓ l filtered water
• 3 ancho peppers
• 3 guajillo peppers
• 1½ tsp ground cumin — toasted and freshly ground
• 6 cloves garlic
• 40 ml neutral tasting oil
• 395 g instant masa flour
• 4 g baking powder
• 14 g kosher salt
• 257 g room temp lard
• 600-700 ml pork broth — add until desired consistency is reached
• 40 pieces corn husks — for wrapping tamales

Steps

1. 1

   Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and cut it into large 2.5-inch cubes.

   ▶ 0:49
2. 2

   Heat 40 ml of high heat cooking oil in a 7-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot.

   ▶ 0:58
3. 3

   Sear the pork in batches, avoiding overcrowding, for 2 minutes on all sides until browned. Remove and set aside.

   ▶ 1:06
4. 4

   Reduce heat to medium and add more oil if needed. Add 1 sliced yellow onion and 4 sliced garlic cloves, seasoning with salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes until softened.

   ▶ 1:16
5. 5

   Add 3 bay leaves and 1 cinnamon stick, stirring to combine.

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6. 6

   Nestle the seared pork back into the pot, along with any juices, and top with 2 sprigs of fresh oregano.

   ▶ 1:30
7. 7

   Cover with 1.3 liters of filtered water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours until the meat is tender.

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8. 8

   Remove the meat from the pot, straining out the vegetables and herbs, and reserve the broth.

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9. 9

   Shred the hot pork using two forks, keeping the fat for flavor.

   ▶ 1:41
10. 10

    De-stem and deseed 3 ancho peppers and 3 guajillo peppers. Soak them in enough hot broth to cover for 5-10 minutes until soft.

    ▶ 2:00
11. 11

    Blend the soaked peppers with 1.5 tsp of ground cumin and 6 cloves of garlic, adding broth as needed to achieve a smooth consistency. Drizzle in 40 ml of neutral oil and season with salt.

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12. 12

    Mix about 0.5 cups of the sauce into the shredded pork, reserving the rest for later.

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13. 13

    Soak 40 corn husks in boiling water for about 20 minutes until pliable.

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14. 14

    In a bowl, combine 395 g of instant masa flour, 4 g of baking powder, and 14 g of kosher salt. Whisk together.

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15. 15

    In another bowl, whisk 257 g of room temp lard until creamy. Add the masa mixture and fold together.

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16. 16

    Gradually add 600-700 ml of reserved pork broth until the masa reaches the right consistency.

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17. 17

    To assemble, take a corn husk, mound 1/3 cup of masa mix on it, and press it out into a circle about 0.25 inches thick. Add a couple of tablespoons of meat in a line, fold the sides over, and tie the bottom with a strip of corn husk.

    ▶ 3:02
18. 18

    Fill a steamer pot with 0.5 inches of water, place a steamer basket inside, and bring to a simmer. Arrange the tamales standing up in the basket, cover with a lid, and steam for 45 minutes to 1 hour until they release easily from the husks.

    ▶ 3:09