Name: Pork Tamales with Red Chile Sauce
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 lb pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks; 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 4 cloves garlic; 1 small onion, quartered; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp dried oregano; 4 cups chicken broth; 24 dried corn husks; 4 cups masa harina; 1 cup lard, softened; 1 tbsp baking powder; 2 tsp Kosher salt

Pork Tamales with Red Chile Sauce

Braised pork folded into a lard-whipped masa dough and steamed in the husk until it pulls cleanly away.

Serves

Prep

45 min

Cook

3 hr 30 min

Written

July 31, 2026

Method

Soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, weighted down with a plate, until pliable, about 30 minutes.

Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and blistered in spots, about 1 minute per side.

Combine the pork, toasted chiles, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, and broth in a pot, cover, and simmer until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 2 hours.

Lift out the pork and shred it, then strain the broth, reserving the liquid and the softened chiles and onion separately.

Blend the chiles and onion with 1 cup of the reserved broth until smooth, then return the sauce to the pot with the shredded pork and simmer until thickened enough to coat the meat, about 10 minutes.

Beat the lard in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Whisk the masa harina, baking powder, and Kosher salt together, then beat it into the lard in three additions, alternating with the remaining reserved broth, until the dough is smooth and a small ball of it floats when dropped in a glass of water.

Pat a corn husk dry and spread a thin layer of masa over the top two-thirds, leaving a border on all sides.

Spoon a line of pork filling down the center of the masa, then fold the husk closed and tuck the empty end under.

Stand the tamales upright, folded end down, in a steamer basket over simmering water, cover, and steam until the masa pulls cleanly away from the husk, about 1 hour 15 minutes, topping up the water as needed.

Let the tamales rest for 10 minutes before unwrapping.

Notes

The float test is the part worth trusting over the clock: beat the masa until a marble-sized piece of it floats in a cup of water, and it’ll steam up light instead of dense. If it sinks, keep beating — it needs more air, not more broth.

Tamales freeze well raw or cooked; steam frozen ones straight from the freezer, adding about 20 minutes. Swap the pork and its braising liquid for roasted poblanos and a cup of grated Monterey Jack for a vegetarian version.