Entree: United States – Arizona-Sonoran – Tamales (Steamed masa dough pockets wrapped in corn husks, filled with seasoned pork in red chile sauce)

Serving Size: 12

Approximate Time

Prep 45 min

Cook 2 hrs

Total 2 hrs 45 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (907 g) pork shoulder, bone-in or boneless
- 1 qt (950 ml) chicken or pork broth for cooking pork
- 6 dried ancho chiles (or 6 dried guajillo chiles), about 2 oz (55 g)
- 3 dried New Mexico chiles or guajillo, about 1 oz (28 g)
- 1 medium white onion, divided, about 8 oz (225 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, divided
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt for sauce, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 cups (360 g) masa harina for tamales
- 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt for masa
- 1 cup (240 ml) lard or neutral vegetable shortening, softened
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups (240–360 ml) warm pork or chicken broth for masa
- 30–40 dried corn husks, about 250–350 g, soaked in warm water until pliable
- 2 tbsp (25 g) vegetable oil or reserved cooking fat (optional, for finishing)
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pork: place pork shoulder in a pot with 1 qt (950 ml) broth, 1/2 of the sliced onion, 2 garlic cloves (crushed), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until very tender, about 1.5–2 hours. Drain, reserve 1 cup (240 ml) cooking liquid, and shred the meat with forks.
2. Make the red chile sauce: remove stems and seeds from dried chiles. Briefly toast chiles in a dry skillet until fragrant, then soak in hot water for 15–20 minutes until softened. Drain, reserve some soaking liquid. In a blender, combine softened chiles, remaining onion, remaining garlic, cumin, oregano, 1 tsp (4 g) salt, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) reserved cooking liquid; blend to a smooth sauce. Strain if desired.
3. Cook the filling: heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shredded pork and pour in the chile sauce. Simmer gently 8–10 minutes, adding reserved broth a little at a time if it seems dry, until evenly sauced and thickened. Adjust salt. Keep warm.
4. Make the masa: in a large bowl, beat 1 cup (240 ml) lard or shortening until fluffy. In another bowl, combine 3 cups (360 g) masa harina, 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder, and 1 tsp (5 g) salt. Gradually add the dry mix to the lard, alternately adding 1 to 1 1/2 cups (240–360 ml) warm broth, until dough is soft, spreadable, and slightly tacky. A simple test: a small piece of masa floated in cold water should float when ready.
5. Prepare husks and assemble: drain soaked corn husks and pat dry. Spread about 1/3 cup (80 g) masa (use imperial first; 1/3 cup ≈ 80 g) onto the center of each husk, leaving a border. Place 1–2 tbsp (15–30 g) of the pork filling (about 20–30 g) in a line down the center. Fold sides of the husk over the filling and then fold up the bottom. Repeat until all masa and filling are used; you should have about 12 tamales.
6. Steam the tamales: stand tamales upright in a large steamer basket, open end up, with a layer of remaining husks or a damp cloth over them to retain moisture. Steam over simmering water, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, checking every 20–30 minutes to ensure water remains. Tamales are done when masa separates easily from the husk.
7. Rest and serve: remove tamales from steamer and let rest 10 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and extra chile sauce if desired.