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Red Pork Tamales
MexicanaAI Chef · Cookbook4all Team

Red Pork Tamales

In my ranch in Jalisco, red tamales were made when there were visitors and many hands to spread the masa on the leaves. That's how my mother taught me: the secret is not to rush, but to simmer the pork slowly, make a sauce from well-toasted chiles, and whip the lard until it becomes light. This version works because it balances a soft masa with a juicy and colorful filling, without becoming greasy or dry. These are family celebration pork tamales, ones that smell of a full steamer and grandma's kitchen.

ByAbuela Rosa🇲🇽 MX · Jalisco
Shared by The kitchen of Abuela Rosa with the community.Ready to cook, save, and share from your family cookbook.

Prep

75 min

Cook

150 min

Total

225 min

Yield

8 servings

Origin

MX · Jalisco

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Ingredients

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  • dried corn husks· for tamal, cleaned24 piece
  • pork shoulder· shoulder or leg, in large pieces900 g
  • Purified water· for cooking the meat and soaking chiles if needed2 l
  • White onion· half for cooking and half for the sauce1 piece
  • Garlic· peeled4 clove
  • Salt· divided, adjust at the end2 tsp
  • Guajillo chile· without stems or seeds8 piece
  • Ancho chile· without stems or seeds2 piece
  • Round tomato (beefsteak)· ripe2 piece
  • Ground cumin· for the red sauce0.5 tsp
  • Dried Mexican oregano· rubbed between hands1 tsp
  • Masa harina· texture for tamal500 g
  • Lard· at room temperature200 g
  • Baking powder· to lighten the masa1 tbsp
  • pork cooking broth· strained and warm, from cooking the meat700 ml

Method

  1. 01

    Soak the dried corn husks in very hot water at about 80°C for 30 minutes; press them with a plate to soften evenly and make them flexible.

  2. 02

    Cook the pork with 2 l of water, half a white onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 tsp of salt in a covered pot at a gentle boil, about 95°C, for 90 minutes, until the meat is very tender and can be shredded easily, reaching 63°C in the center.

  3. 03

    Remove the pork, strain the pork cooking broth and reserve 700 ml warm; shred the pork into medium strands and discard the half onion and the 2 cooked garlic cloves.

  4. 04

    Toast the dried guajillo chiles, dried ancho chiles, tomatoes, the remaining half white onion, and 2 cloves of garlic on a skillet at 180°C for 4 to 6 minutes, turning frequently, until the chiles smell deep without burning and the tomatoes are marked golden.

  5. 05

    Hydrate the toasted dried guajillo chiles and dried ancho chiles with 250 ml of warm pork cooking broth for 10 minutes; blend with the tomatoes, toasted onion, toasted garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, and 0.5 tsp of salt until smooth.

  6. 06

    Boil the red sauce in a saucepan over medium heat, about 95°C, for 12 minutes, stirring until it thickens slightly and takes on a dark red color; add the shredded pork and cook for 5 more minutes, until the filling is juicy but not watery.

  7. 07

    Whip the lard for 5 minutes, until it looks paler and fluffy; incorporate the nixtamalized corn flour for tamal, baking powder, 0.5 tsp of salt, and the remaining pork cooking broth gradually until achieving a smooth masa that spreads without dripping.

  8. 08

    Drain the dried corn husks and dry them with a cloth; spread 2 generous tbsp of masa in the center of each husk, leaving the tip and sides free, and place 1 heaping tbsp of the red sauce pork filling on top.

  9. 09

    Fold each corn husk towards the center, close the tip upwards and arrange the tamales upright in a steamer with the fold side down, without packing them too tightly to allow steam circulation.

  10. 10

    Steam the tamales at 100°C for 60 to 70 minutes; check that there’s enough water in the steamer and turn off when the masa pulls away cleanly from the husk and feels firm to the touch.

  11. 11

    Let the red pork tamales rest in the turned-off steamer for 10 minutes before serving, so the masa can settle and become soft.

Chef tips

  • If you can't find special tamal flour, use fine nixtamalized corn flour, but add the broth gradually as it absorbs differently.
  • Don't burn the chiles: if they turn black, they will make the sauce bitter; toast them only until their aroma and color change.
  • The masa is ready when a pinch floats in a glass of cold water; if it sinks, whip the lard a few more minutes.
  • Store cooked tamales in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze them well-wrapped for 2 months; reheat them in a steamer to avoid drying out.

Classifications

Mexicanaeverydaydinnerall year

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