Tamales (with Red Chile Pork and Chicharron in Salsa Verde fillings)
Tamales (with Red Chile Pork and Chicharron in Salsa Verde fillings)
Ingredients
For Soaking Corn Husks
- 4 ounces corn husks, dried, approximately 60-70 husks
For the Masa Marinade
- 10 chile puya, stems removed
- 10 garlic cloves
- 15 peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the Masa
- 4 pounds masa preparada, with lard and salt
For Boiling the Pork
- 6 pounds pork butt with bone, trozo de puerco con hueso, cut into large pieces
- 1 onion, whole, peeled
- 1 garlic head, whole, unpeeled
- 2 tablespoons salt
For the Red Chile Pork Filling Sauce
- 15 California chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 5 chile puya, stems and seeds removed
- 1 cup pork broth, reserved from boiling pork
- 7 garlic cloves
- 1/4 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Chicharron in Salsa Verde Filling
- 1 pound chicharrones, pork rinds, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
- 3 serrano peppers, stemmed (adjust to taste for heat)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 white onion, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- 1
Begin by soaking the dried corn husks in a large pot or bowl filled with very hot water for at least 1 hour, or until pliable. Place a plate or heavy object on top to keep them submerged. This can be done while preparing other components.
⏱️ 60 min
- 2
Prepare the Masa Marinade: In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Lightly sauté the 10 chile puya and 10 garlic cloves for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Transfer the chiles and garlic to a blender. Add 1/2 cup of water, 15 peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Blend until completely smooth. Strain the marinade through a fine-mesh sieve if desired for a smoother texture, pressing on solids to extract all liquid.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Integrate the Marinade into the Masa: In a very large mixing bowl, add the 4 pounds of masa preparada. Pour the prepared red chile marinade over the masa. Using your hands, thoroughly mix the marinade into the masa until it is uniformly colored an orange-red and completely infused with the marinade's flavor. This will take about 10-15 minutes of kneading. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 min
- 4
Boil the Pork: Place the 6 pounds of pork butt with bone in a large pot. Add the whole onion, whole garlic head, and 2 tablespoons of salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for approximately 1 hour, or until the pork is very tender and easily shreds. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Once cooked, remove the pork from the pot, reserving at least 2 cups of the cooking broth. Let the pork cool slightly, then shred it using two forks. Discard bones, onion, and garlic head.
⏱️ 90 min
- 5
Prepare the Red Chile Pork Filling Sauce: While the pork is cooking, boil the 15 California chiles and 5 chile puya in a separate pot of water until softened, about 10-15 minutes. Drain the chiles and transfer them to a blender. Add 1 cup of the reserved pork broth, 7 garlic cloves, 1/4 of an onion, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend until a smooth red sauce is formed. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids to extract all liquid.
⏱️ 30 min
- 6
Combine the Red Chile Pork Filling: Pour the strained red chile sauce over the shredded pork. Mix thoroughly to ensure all the pork is coated. Add additional reserved pork broth, 1/4 cup at a time, if needed to achieve a moist, but not watery, consistency for the filling. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Prepare the Chicharron in Salsa Verde Filling: First, make the salsa verde. Place the tomatillos and serrano peppers in a pot, cover with water, and boil until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add 2 garlic cloves, 1/4 of a white onion, 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend until smooth. In a separate pot or deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Pour in the salsa verde and bring to a simmer. Add the broken chicharrones to the simmering salsa. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicharrones have softened and absorbed the flavors of the salsa. The sauce should thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
⏱️ 35 min
- 8
Assemble the Tamales: Drain the soaked corn husks and pat them dry. Take one corn husk, spread about 2-3 tablespoons of the prepared masa thinly over the wider end of the husk, leaving a border of about 1/2 inch on the sides and 1 inch at the narrow end. Place about 1-2 tablespoons of either the red chile pork filling or the chicharron in salsa verde filling down the center of the masa. Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then fold the other side over to overlap. Fold the narrow end of the husk up towards the center. Repeat with remaining masa and fillings.
⏱️ 90 min
- 9
Steam the Tamales: Arrange the assembled tamales upright in a large steamer pot, open-end facing up. If you don't have a tamale steamer, you can place a metal colander or steamer basket in a large pot with about 2 inches of water at the bottom, ensuring the water does not touch the tamales. Cover the tamales with extra corn husks or a damp cloth, then place a tight-fitting lid on the steamer. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a steady simmer. Steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the masa separates easily from the corn husk. You may need to add more hot water to the pot during steaming to prevent it from boiling dry.
⏱️ 120 min
- 10
Serve: Carefully remove the tamales from the steamer. Let them rest for 5-10 minutes before unwrapping and serving. Enjoy immediately, or let them cool completely before refrigerating or freezing for later.
⏱️ 10 min
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Tamales (with Red Chile Pork and Chicharron in Salsa Verde fillings)
Ingredients
For Soaking Corn Husks
- 4 ounces corn husks, dried, approximately 60-70 husks
For the Masa Marinade
- 10 chile puya, stems removed
- 10 garlic cloves
- 15 peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the Masa
- 4 pounds masa preparada, with lard and salt
For Boiling the Pork
- 6 pounds pork butt with bone, trozo de puerco con hueso, cut into large pieces
- 1 onion, whole, peeled
- 1 garlic head, whole, unpeeled
- 2 tablespoons salt
For the Red Chile Pork Filling Sauce
- 15 California chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 5 chile puya, stems and seeds removed
- 1 cup pork broth, reserved from boiling pork
- 7 garlic cloves
- 1/4 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Chicharron in Salsa Verde Filling
- 1 pound chicharrones, pork rinds, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
- 3 serrano peppers, stemmed (adjust to taste for heat)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 white onion, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- 1
Begin by soaking the dried corn husks in a large pot or bowl filled with very hot water for at least 1 hour, or until pliable. Place a plate or heavy object on top to keep them submerged. This can be done while preparing other components.
⏱️ 60 min - 2
Prepare the Masa Marinade: In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Lightly sauté the 10 chile puya and 10 garlic cloves for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Transfer the chiles and garlic to a blender. Add 1/2 cup of water, 15 peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Blend until completely smooth. Strain the marinade through a fine-mesh sieve if desired for a smoother texture, pressing on solids to extract all liquid.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Integrate the Marinade into the Masa: In a very large mixing bowl, add the 4 pounds of masa preparada. Pour the prepared red chile marinade over the masa. Using your hands, thoroughly mix the marinade into the masa until it is uniformly colored an orange-red and completely infused with the marinade's flavor. This will take about 10-15 minutes of kneading. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 min - 4
Boil the Pork: Place the 6 pounds of pork butt with bone in a large pot. Add the whole onion, whole garlic head, and 2 tablespoons of salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for approximately 1 hour, or until the pork is very tender and easily shreds. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Once cooked, remove the pork from the pot, reserving at least 2 cups of the cooking broth. Let the pork cool slightly, then shred it using two forks. Discard bones, onion, and garlic head.
⏱️ 90 min - 5
Prepare the Red Chile Pork Filling Sauce: While the pork is cooking, boil the 15 California chiles and 5 chile puya in a separate pot of water until softened, about 10-15 minutes. Drain the chiles and transfer them to a blender. Add 1 cup of the reserved pork broth, 7 garlic cloves, 1/4 of an onion, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend until a smooth red sauce is formed. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids to extract all liquid.
⏱️ 30 min - 6
Combine the Red Chile Pork Filling: Pour the strained red chile sauce over the shredded pork. Mix thoroughly to ensure all the pork is coated. Add additional reserved pork broth, 1/4 cup at a time, if needed to achieve a moist, but not watery, consistency for the filling. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Prepare the Chicharron in Salsa Verde Filling: First, make the salsa verde. Place the tomatillos and serrano peppers in a pot, cover with water, and boil until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add 2 garlic cloves, 1/4 of a white onion, 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend until smooth. In a separate pot or deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Pour in the salsa verde and bring to a simmer. Add the broken chicharrones to the simmering salsa. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicharrones have softened and absorbed the flavors of the salsa. The sauce should thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
⏱️ 35 min - 8
Assemble the Tamales: Drain the soaked corn husks and pat them dry. Take one corn husk, spread about 2-3 tablespoons of the prepared masa thinly over the wider end of the husk, leaving a border of about 1/2 inch on the sides and 1 inch at the narrow end. Place about 1-2 tablespoons of either the red chile pork filling or the chicharron in salsa verde filling down the center of the masa. Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then fold the other side over to overlap. Fold the narrow end of the husk up towards the center. Repeat with remaining masa and fillings.
⏱️ 90 min - 9
Steam the Tamales: Arrange the assembled tamales upright in a large steamer pot, open-end facing up. If you don't have a tamale steamer, you can place a metal colander or steamer basket in a large pot with about 2 inches of water at the bottom, ensuring the water does not touch the tamales. Cover the tamales with extra corn husks or a damp cloth, then place a tight-fitting lid on the steamer. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a steady simmer. Steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the masa separates easily from the corn husk. You may need to add more hot water to the pot during steaming to prevent it from boiling dry.
⏱️ 120 min - 10
Serve: Carefully remove the tamales from the steamer. Let them rest for 5-10 minutes before unwrapping and serving. Enjoy immediately, or let them cool completely before refrigerating or freezing for later.
⏱️ 10 min