Mexican Pork and Cheese Tamales
Mexican Pork and Cheese Tamales
Ingredients
For the Corn Husks
- 60 dried corn husks, large
For the Chili Sauce
- 20 Guajillo chiles, stems removed
- 20 California chiles, stems removed
- 3 Pasilla chiles, stems removed
- 1/4 white onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 5 tablespoons chicken bouillon
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon lard
- as needed water, for boiling chiles
For the Pork Filling
- 3 pounds pork shoulder butt, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 onion, peeled
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 head garlic
- as needed salt
- as needed water, for boiling pork
For the Masa (Dough)
- 24 ounces lard
- 10 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 12 cups instant masa harina
- 6 cups warm water
For the Cheese Filling
- 1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 1 pound Colby Jack cheese, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 2 cans canned green chiles, 4 ounce each, drained and sliced
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the corn husks: Submerge the dried corn husks in a large bowl or pot of hot water. Allow them to soak for several hours, or until they are soft and pliable. Place a heavy plate on top to keep them submerged.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Prepare the chiles for the sauce: Remove the stems from the Guajillo, California, and Pasilla chiles. You can optionally remove the seeds, but it's not necessary as the sauce will be strained. Place the chiles in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until softened. Reserve the chili water.
⏱️ 20 min
- 3
Begin cooking the pork: In a large pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt. Add the pork shoulder butt chunks to the boiling water. Once the water returns to a boil, skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
Flavor the pork: Add the peeled whole onion, bay leaves, and whole head of garlic to the pot with the pork. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for approximately 1 1/2 hours, or until the pork is very tender and easily shredded. Reserve 8 cups of the pork broth for the masa.
⏱️ 90 min
- 5
Blend the chili sauce: Transfer the softened chiles to a blender. Add 1/4 of the white onion, 5 garlic cloves, 5 tablespoons of chicken bouillon, 2 tablespoons of ground cumin, 1 1/2 cups of the reserved chili water, and 1 1/2 cups of the reserved pork broth. Blend until completely smooth.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Fry the chili sauce: In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of lard over medium heat. Carefully strain the blended chili sauce through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the hot lard. Press firmly on the solids to extract all liquid. Bring the strained sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Set aside 2 cups of this sauce for the masa.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
Shred the pork: Remove the cooked pork from the broth and let it cool slightly. Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces.
⏱️ 15 min
- 8
Combine pork and chili sauce: Add the shredded pork to the remaining chili sauce in the saucepan. Stir well to coat the pork evenly. Simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat, allowing the pork to absorb the flavors of the sauce. Keep warm.
⏱️ 20 min
- 9
Prepare the masa: In a very large bowl, whip the 24 ounces of lard using an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Add dry ingredients to masa: To the whipped lard, add 10 teaspoons of baking powder and 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix until well combined.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Incorporate masa harina: Gradually add the 12 cups of instant masa harina to the lard mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Add liquids to masa: Slowly pour in the 8 cups of reserved pork broth and 6 cups of warm water, mixing continuously until a smooth, consistent dough forms. The masa should be soft and spreadable.
⏱️ 10 min
- 13
Flavor the masa: Stir in the 2 cups of reserved chili sauce into the masa. This will give the masa a reddish-orange hue and an enriched flavor. To test the masa, drop a small piece into a glass of water; it should float, indicating proper aeration and consistency. If it sinks, continue mixing for a few more minutes and retest.
⏱️ 10 min
- 14
Prepare cheese filling: Ensure Monterey Jack and Colby Jack cheeses are cut into 1/2-inch strips. Drain and slice the canned green chiles.
⏱️ 5 min
- 15
Assemble pork tamales: Take a softened corn husk and pat it dry. Spread a thin, even layer of masa over the wider end of the husk, leaving about 1 inch clear at the top and sides. Place a spoonful of the shredded pork in chili sauce in the center of the masa. Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then the other, overlapping slightly. Fold the narrow bottom end of the husk up to seal. Repeat for all pork tamales.
⏱️ 45 min
- 16
Assemble cheese tamales: For cheese tamales, spread masa on a corn husk as before. Place a few strips of Monterey Jack and Colby Jack cheese, along with some sliced green chiles, in the center of the masa. Fold and seal the husk as with the pork tamales. Continue until all masa and fillings are used.
⏱️ 45 min
- 17
Steam the tamales: Arrange the assembled tamales upright in a large steamer pot, open-end facing up. Do not pack them too tightly. Add water to the bottom of the steamer, ensuring it does not touch the tamales. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover tightly, and steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the masa pulls away easily from the husk. You may need to add more hot water to the steamer during cooking.
⏱️ 120 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Mexican Pork and Cheese Tamales
Ingredients
For the Corn Husks
- 60 dried corn husks, large
For the Chili Sauce
- 20 Guajillo chiles, stems removed
- 20 California chiles, stems removed
- 3 Pasilla chiles, stems removed
- 1/4 white onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 5 tablespoons chicken bouillon
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon lard
- as needed water, for boiling chiles
For the Pork Filling
- 3 pounds pork shoulder butt, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 onion, peeled
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 head garlic
- as needed salt
- as needed water, for boiling pork
For the Masa (Dough)
- 24 ounces lard
- 10 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 12 cups instant masa harina
- 6 cups warm water
For the Cheese Filling
- 1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 1 pound Colby Jack cheese, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 2 cans canned green chiles, 4 ounce each, drained and sliced
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the corn husks: Submerge the dried corn husks in a large bowl or pot of hot water. Allow them to soak for several hours, or until they are soft and pliable. Place a heavy plate on top to keep them submerged.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Prepare the chiles for the sauce: Remove the stems from the Guajillo, California, and Pasilla chiles. You can optionally remove the seeds, but it's not necessary as the sauce will be strained. Place the chiles in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until softened. Reserve the chili water.
⏱️ 20 min - 3
Begin cooking the pork: In a large pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt. Add the pork shoulder butt chunks to the boiling water. Once the water returns to a boil, skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
Flavor the pork: Add the peeled whole onion, bay leaves, and whole head of garlic to the pot with the pork. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for approximately 1 1/2 hours, or until the pork is very tender and easily shredded. Reserve 8 cups of the pork broth for the masa.
⏱️ 90 min - 5
Blend the chili sauce: Transfer the softened chiles to a blender. Add 1/4 of the white onion, 5 garlic cloves, 5 tablespoons of chicken bouillon, 2 tablespoons of ground cumin, 1 1/2 cups of the reserved chili water, and 1 1/2 cups of the reserved pork broth. Blend until completely smooth.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Fry the chili sauce: In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of lard over medium heat. Carefully strain the blended chili sauce through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the hot lard. Press firmly on the solids to extract all liquid. Bring the strained sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Set aside 2 cups of this sauce for the masa.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
Shred the pork: Remove the cooked pork from the broth and let it cool slightly. Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces.
⏱️ 15 min - 8
Combine pork and chili sauce: Add the shredded pork to the remaining chili sauce in the saucepan. Stir well to coat the pork evenly. Simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat, allowing the pork to absorb the flavors of the sauce. Keep warm.
⏱️ 20 min - 9
Prepare the masa: In a very large bowl, whip the 24 ounces of lard using an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Add dry ingredients to masa: To the whipped lard, add 10 teaspoons of baking powder and 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix until well combined.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Incorporate masa harina: Gradually add the 12 cups of instant masa harina to the lard mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Add liquids to masa: Slowly pour in the 8 cups of reserved pork broth and 6 cups of warm water, mixing continuously until a smooth, consistent dough forms. The masa should be soft and spreadable.
⏱️ 10 min - 13
Flavor the masa: Stir in the 2 cups of reserved chili sauce into the masa. This will give the masa a reddish-orange hue and an enriched flavor. To test the masa, drop a small piece into a glass of water; it should float, indicating proper aeration and consistency. If it sinks, continue mixing for a few more minutes and retest.
⏱️ 10 min - 14
Prepare cheese filling: Ensure Monterey Jack and Colby Jack cheeses are cut into 1/2-inch strips. Drain and slice the canned green chiles.
⏱️ 5 min - 15
Assemble pork tamales: Take a softened corn husk and pat it dry. Spread a thin, even layer of masa over the wider end of the husk, leaving about 1 inch clear at the top and sides. Place a spoonful of the shredded pork in chili sauce in the center of the masa. Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then the other, overlapping slightly. Fold the narrow bottom end of the husk up to seal. Repeat for all pork tamales.
⏱️ 45 min - 16
Assemble cheese tamales: For cheese tamales, spread masa on a corn husk as before. Place a few strips of Monterey Jack and Colby Jack cheese, along with some sliced green chiles, in the center of the masa. Fold and seal the husk as with the pork tamales. Continue until all masa and fillings are used.
⏱️ 45 min - 17
Steam the tamales: Arrange the assembled tamales upright in a large steamer pot, open-end facing up. Do not pack them too tightly. Add water to the bottom of the steamer, ensuring it does not touch the tamales. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover tightly, and steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the masa pulls away easily from the husk. You may need to add more hot water to the steamer during cooking.
⏱️ 120 min