Entree: United States – Arizona-Sonoran – Tamales (Steamed masa dough pockets wrapped in corn husks, filled with seasoned pork in red chile sauce)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 12

Approximate Time

Prep 45 min

Cook 2 hrs

Total 2 hrs 45 min

Ingredients

2 lb (907 g) pork shoulder, boneless, raw
1 qt (950 ml) chicken broth, for cooking the pork
6 dried ancho chiles (about 55 g), stems and seeds removed
3 dried New Mexico chiles (about 28 g), stems and seeds removed
1 medium white onion (about 225 g), divided
4 garlic cloves, divided
1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (1 g) dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt for sauce, plus additional salt to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil for cooking the filling
3 cups (360 g) masa harina for tamales
1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt for masa
1 cup (about 205 g) lard, softened
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) warm chicken broth for the masa
30–40 dried corn husks, soaked until pliable; used as wrappers and removed before eating
2 tbsp (25 g) vegetable oil or reserved pork cooking fat, optional for finishing
Fresh cilantro, optional garnish

Instructions

1. Put the pork shoulder in a pot with the chicken broth, half the sliced onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until very tender, about 1 1/2–2 hours. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the cooking broth, then drain and shred the pork.
2. Remove stems and seeds from the dried chiles. Toast briefly in a dry skillet until fragrant, without scorching. Soak in hot water for 15–20 minutes until soft; drain, reserving some soaking water. Blend the chiles with the remaining onion and garlic, cumin, oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) reserved pork broth until smooth. Strain if desired.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shredded pork and chile sauce. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until evenly coated and thickened, adding reserved broth as needed. Taste and adjust salt; keep warm.
4. Beat the lard until fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix the masa harina, baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. Gradually beat the dry mixture into the lard, alternating with the 1 1/2 cups warm broth, until the dough is soft, spreadable, and slightly tacky. If it is too stiff, add a little more broth. (The listed recipe range is 1–1 1/2 cups; this rewrite selects 1 1/2 cups as a practical starting amount.)
5. Soak the corn husks in warm water until pliable, then drain and pat dry. Spread about 1/3 cup masa on each of 12 husks, leaving space at the edges. Add about 2 tbsp (roughly 30 g) pork filling down the center. Fold the sides over the filling and fold up the narrow end. The husks are wrappers, not edible portions.
6. Arrange tamales upright in a steamer basket, open ends up. Cover with spare husks or a damp cloth, keeping the cover from contacting the water. Steam over simmering water, covered, for 1–1 1/2 hours, checking periodically that the pot has not run dry. They are done when the masa separates easily from the husk.
7. Rest 10 minutes before serving. Use the optional finishing oil or reserved fat only if desired; do not treat all frying or cooking oil as consumed. Garnish with cilantro if desired.