Red Chili Pork Tamales
Red Chili Pork Tamales
Ingredients
For the Corn Husks
- 30 dried corn husks, large
For the Pork Filling
- 3 pounds bone-in pork shoulder
- 1/2 white onion, cut into large pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 8 black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups water, or as needed to cover
For the Red Chili Sauce
- 18 dried New Mexico chili pods, cleaned and seeded
- 1/2 white onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 2 tablespoons lard
For the Masa Dough
- 4 cups masa harina for tamales
- 1 1/2 cups lard, softened
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 1/2 cups warm pork broth, from cooked pork, or chicken broth
Instructions
- 1
Begin by soaking the dried corn husks in a large bowl of hot water. Ensure they are fully submerged (you may need to weigh them down with a plate). Let them soak for at least 1 to 2 hours, or until pliable.
⏱️ 120 min
- 2
Place the bone-in pork shoulder, half a white onion (cut into large pieces), 4 peeled garlic cloves, 8 black peppercorns, and 2 bay leaves into a slow cooker. Cover with 8 cups of water, or enough to fully submerge the pork. Cook on low heat overnight, typically 8 to 10 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily shreds.
⏱️ 600 min
- 3
The next morning, carefully remove the cooked pork from the slow cooker and set it aside to cool slightly. Strain the cooking liquid into a separate bowl, discarding the onion, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Skim off any excess fat from the broth and reserve it for the masa dough. If needed, add more water to the broth and simmer for a bit longer to concentrate flavor, ensuring you have about 3 1/2 cups for the masa.
⏱️ 20 min
- 4
Once the pork is cool enough to handle, shred it by hand into small pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 min
- 5
For the red chili sauce, place the cleaned and seeded New Mexico chili pods in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chilies are very soft. Drain the chilies, reserving some of the cooking liquid.
⏱️ 25 min
- 6
Transfer the softened chilies, half a roughly chopped white onion, 4 peeled garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano to a blender. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved pork broth (or chili cooking liquid if you need more). Blend until completely smooth. You may need to add a little more liquid to achieve a pourable consistency.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Strain the chili sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing down on the solids to extract all liquid. Discard any remaining pulp.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
In a large skillet or pot, melt 2 tablespoons of lard over medium heat. Pour in the strained chili sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld. Stir in the shredded pork, ensuring it's well coated with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Set aside.
⏱️ 25 min
- 9
To prepare the masa dough, in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat 1 1/2 cups of softened lard until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 cups of masa harina for tamales, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Gradually add the masa harina mixture to the whipped lard, alternating with the 3 1/2 cups of warm pork broth, mixing until a soft, spreadable dough forms. Continue to beat for another 5-10 minutes until the masa is light and fluffy. To test if the masa is ready, drop a small piece into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it's ready. If it sinks, continue beating for a few more minutes.
⏱️ 15 min
- 12
Drain the soaked corn husks and pat them dry. Take one husk, spread about 2-3 tablespoons of masa dough evenly over the wider end of the husk, leaving a border of about 1 inch on the sides and 2-3 inches at the narrow end. The masa layer should be about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
⏱️ 60 min
- 13
Place about 1-2 tablespoons of the red chili pork filling in the center of the masa. Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then fold the other side over, overlapping slightly. Fold the narrow end of the husk up towards the center to seal the bottom. Repeat with remaining masa, filling, and husks.
⏱️ 60 min
- 14
Arrange the assembled tamales upright in a steamer basket, open-side up. Do not pack them too tightly, as they need room to expand. Fill the bottom of the steamer pot with water, ensuring it doesn't touch the tamales. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover tightly, and steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the masa pulls away easily from the husk.
⏱️ 120 min
- 15
Once cooked, remove the tamales from the steamer and let them rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the masa to firm up. Serve warm and enjoy!
⏱️ 15 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Red Chili Pork Tamales
Ingredients
For the Corn Husks
- 30 dried corn husks, large
For the Pork Filling
- 3 pounds bone-in pork shoulder
- 1/2 white onion, cut into large pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 8 black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups water, or as needed to cover
For the Red Chili Sauce
- 18 dried New Mexico chili pods, cleaned and seeded
- 1/2 white onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 2 tablespoons lard
For the Masa Dough
- 4 cups masa harina for tamales
- 1 1/2 cups lard, softened
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 1/2 cups warm pork broth, from cooked pork, or chicken broth
Instructions
- 1
Begin by soaking the dried corn husks in a large bowl of hot water. Ensure they are fully submerged (you may need to weigh them down with a plate). Let them soak for at least 1 to 2 hours, or until pliable.
⏱️ 120 min - 2
Place the bone-in pork shoulder, half a white onion (cut into large pieces), 4 peeled garlic cloves, 8 black peppercorns, and 2 bay leaves into a slow cooker. Cover with 8 cups of water, or enough to fully submerge the pork. Cook on low heat overnight, typically 8 to 10 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily shreds.
⏱️ 600 min - 3
The next morning, carefully remove the cooked pork from the slow cooker and set it aside to cool slightly. Strain the cooking liquid into a separate bowl, discarding the onion, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Skim off any excess fat from the broth and reserve it for the masa dough. If needed, add more water to the broth and simmer for a bit longer to concentrate flavor, ensuring you have about 3 1/2 cups for the masa.
⏱️ 20 min - 4
Once the pork is cool enough to handle, shred it by hand into small pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 min - 5
For the red chili sauce, place the cleaned and seeded New Mexico chili pods in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chilies are very soft. Drain the chilies, reserving some of the cooking liquid.
⏱️ 25 min - 6
Transfer the softened chilies, half a roughly chopped white onion, 4 peeled garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano to a blender. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved pork broth (or chili cooking liquid if you need more). Blend until completely smooth. You may need to add a little more liquid to achieve a pourable consistency.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Strain the chili sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing down on the solids to extract all liquid. Discard any remaining pulp.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
In a large skillet or pot, melt 2 tablespoons of lard over medium heat. Pour in the strained chili sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld. Stir in the shredded pork, ensuring it's well coated with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Set aside.
⏱️ 25 min - 9
To prepare the masa dough, in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat 1 1/2 cups of softened lard until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 cups of masa harina for tamales, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Gradually add the masa harina mixture to the whipped lard, alternating with the 3 1/2 cups of warm pork broth, mixing until a soft, spreadable dough forms. Continue to beat for another 5-10 minutes until the masa is light and fluffy. To test if the masa is ready, drop a small piece into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it's ready. If it sinks, continue beating for a few more minutes.
⏱️ 15 min - 12
Drain the soaked corn husks and pat them dry. Take one husk, spread about 2-3 tablespoons of masa dough evenly over the wider end of the husk, leaving a border of about 1 inch on the sides and 2-3 inches at the narrow end. The masa layer should be about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
⏱️ 60 min - 13
Place about 1-2 tablespoons of the red chili pork filling in the center of the masa. Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then fold the other side over, overlapping slightly. Fold the narrow end of the husk up towards the center to seal the bottom. Repeat with remaining masa, filling, and husks.
⏱️ 60 min - 14
Arrange the assembled tamales upright in a steamer basket, open-side up. Do not pack them too tightly, as they need room to expand. Fill the bottom of the steamer pot with water, ensuring it doesn't touch the tamales. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover tightly, and steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the masa pulls away easily from the husk.
⏱️ 120 min - 15
Once cooked, remove the tamales from the steamer and let them rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the masa to firm up. Serve warm and enjoy!
⏱️ 15 min