Quick Summary: Tender shredded pork in a smoky red chile sauce, wrapped in fluffy masa and steamed in corn husks. A homemade spice blend replaces the chile-roasting step, and step-by-step photos and video walk you through the folding. Prep: 1 hr | Cook: 45 min + 60-90 min steaming | Makes: about 30 tamales
Jump to: RECIPE | 5 Secrets to Great Tamales | Tamale Fillings | Step by Step Assembly | How to Cook and Reheat | Homemade Spice Blend | FAQ
Making tamales from scratch is more of a project than a quick Tuesday night dinner. But it is a project worth doing, and this recipe removes the most time-consuming part, which is roasting and rehydrating the dried chiles. That process is replaced with a homemade spice blend that delivers the same depth of flavor in a fraction of the time.
I have also included step-by-step photos and a video of the folding process, which is where most people get tripped up on their first attempt.
Once you get the rhythm, tamales become one of those deeply satisfying cooking projects that brings people together. Make them for Christmas, for a celebration, or just because.
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The Secret to Great Tamales: 5 Things I’ve Learned
After making many, many tamales over the years, here’s what I’ve learned matters most:
- Use leaf lard as your fat. I bought rendered leaf lard from a pork producer at the farmers’ market. It makes a huge difference in flavor and texture of the masa dough.
- Spread your dough out on the corn husk as thin as possible, about 1/4 inch (see photo below). You want to be able to taste the filling with just a light blanket of tamale dough. You do not want a big doughy rectangular blob that overpowers the filling, even though thicker dough may make it easier to wrap. Check out the pictures at the end of this post for a visual.
- Steam them for a long time and use a tall steamer (like a tamale or crab boil steamer). Recipes varied in steaming times from 15 minutes to 2 hours. I went with longer steaming times, allowing them to rest outside of the steamer for 10-15 minutes. The masa firms up as it rests.
- Also, line the bottom of the steamer basket with a few extra husks, and lay a few more over the tops of the tamales before you put the lid on. They hold in the steam and keep condensation from dripping onto the masa.
- The Chile Sauce is key. There are many variations on good chile sauces. Follow these steps if you want to roast and rehydrate chiles. In the recipe below I used a homemade enchilada spice blend. If the blend is fresh it can be a good time-saving alternative to roasting and rehydrating chile peppers.
- Folding tamales can be the time-consuming part (see the step-by-step below). Get some helpers here, put on some music and enjoy the process. Also…it goes faster the more you do!
When are Tamales Traditionally Served?
In Mexico, tamales are traditionally served at holidays, particularly the Winter holidays. Tamales are often served on Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and the days around Christmas.
Did you know? On January 6th (Dia de los Reyes- Kings’ Day), many Mexican families serve a cake with a figurine of the baby Jesus baked into it. Whoever finds the figurine in their slice of cake is in charge of making tamales for the Día de la Candelaria celebration on February 2nd.
Tamales are one piece of a bigger holiday table. My Mexican celebration recipes for Día de los Muertos and Christmas include the pozole, mole, and champurrado that round out a tamale dinner.
Tamale Filling Recipes and Ideas
One of the nicest things about tamales is how versatile they are. Once you have the masa and folding down, you can fill them with almost anything. Plan on about 4 cups of filling for a batch of 30 tamales, roughly 2 tablespoons each.
Here are some of my favorite fillings:
- Sweet tamales (tamales de dulce): Stir a few tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of cinnamon into part of the masa and fill with raisins or pineapple. These are a Christmas favorite in many Mexican families.
- Red chile pork: The filling in the recipe below. Shredded pork shoulder simmered in red chile sauce is the classic Christmas tamale.
- Chicken in salsa verde: Shred cooked chicken thighs and toss them with homemade chile verde sauce until well coated. Lighter than pork and just as good.
- Rajas con queso: Strips of roasted poblano with Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack. A classic meatless filling and a great use for late-season poblanos.
- Beef birria: Shredded beef birria stew meat, drained well so the masa doesn’t get soggy.
- Cochinita pibil: Yucatán-style achiote pork, traditionally wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks.
- Black bean and corn: Another meatless option. A little cheese helps hold it together.
One of the nicest things about making tamales is that they are so versatile. If you don’t like pork, the recipe below would work with chicken as well.
Whatever you choose, keep the filling on the dry side. A saucy filling leaks through the masa while it steams.
What to Serve with Tamales?
My daughter lives in Colorado and always serves her tamales with a pork green chile sauce. She was sworn to secrecy before receiving that recipe, so she won’t share it with me or anyone else.
That said, here are a few traditional side dishes that pair wonderfully with tamales:
- 30-minute pickled onions (adds brightness to the rich pork)
- Spicy Mexican Fruit Salad (brings freshness to the plate)
- Traditional Mexican Rice
- Chile Verde Sauce
- Homemade Corn Tortillas
- Homemade Mexican Chile Oil (adds heat for those who want it)
And…don’t forget the cocktails! A margarita is classic, or try sipping this awesome tequila flight!
How to Assemble Tamales: Step-by-Step
The process of wrapping and steaming the tamales was an effort of trial and error, with a little help from my husband. I’ve included some pictures below of the steps, but it does take a little bit of practice to get it “perfect”.
Here’s the basic sequence with details in the recipe card below:
Step 2: Place about 2 tablespoons of the pork filling down the center of the masa.
Step 3: Fold the pointed end of the husk up over the filling about an inch.
Step 4: Bring sides of the husk toward the center until the edges meet. Press together to seal.
Step 7: Flip the tamale seam-side down and twist the open end
Step 8: Tie with a strip of corn husk or raffia.
It doesn’t need to be perfect. These tamales are so flavorful that even imperfect wrapping produces something delicious. The folding gets faster with practice.
Watch the video tutorial below for a detailed demonstration.
How to Cook Tamales: Steaming, Reheating, and Frozen Tamales
Steaming:
Tamales are always steamed, never boiled. Stand them upright in a steamer basket with the open end up, set the basket over simmering water, cover, and steam for 60 to 90 minutes. I drop a penny in the water: as long as it’s jingling, there’s enough water in the pot.
No steamer? Set a metal colander or a heat-safe rack inside a large stockpot so the tamales sit above the water, not in it.
Reheating:
To reheat tamales from the refrigerator, steam them for 15 to 20 minutes. For one or two, wrap each tamale (still in its husk) in a damp paper towel and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.
To reheat frozen cooked tamales, steam them straight from the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. No need to thaw.
Using Frozen Tamales:
Uncooked tamales can be frozen too. Steam them straight from the freezer, allow about 30 extra minutes, and test for doneness the same way.
How to Make Enchilada Spice Blend for Tamales
If you want to skip the traditional process of roasting and rehydrating dried chiles, this homemade spice blend is an excellent time-saving alternative. It works for tamales, enchiladas, and many other Mexican recipes.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon smoked chile peppers
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground annatto powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl and then store in a sealed glass container for up to 6 months.
The smoked chile powder in this blend comes from peppers I smoke myself and sell at the farmers markets. Here’s how I smoke chile peppers at home for chipotle and spice blends.
FAQ
Yes, and this is the best way to approach tamales. The pork can be cooked and shredded up to two days ahead. The red chile sauce can be made at the same time and refrigerated. On assembly day you make the masa and put it all together. Breaking it into two sessions makes the project much more manageable.
Plan on about 3 hours for the pork, which is easy to do a day or two ahead. Assembly day takes another 2 to 3 hours for the masa, folding, and 60 to 90 minutes of steaming. Tamales are often a group project, and extra hands cut the folding time way down.
Remove one tamale, let it rest a few minutes, then unwrap. The masa should be set and pull away from the husk cleanly. If it’s still sticky, steam longer.
Pork shoulder (pork butt) is the traditional choice because it’s fatty, flavorful, and shreds easily after long cooking. Chicken thighs work well for a lighter version. Beef chuck can be used for beef tamales. The key is a cut with enough fat to stay moist during steaming.
Leaf lard (from around the kidneys) has a cleaner flavor than regular lard and whips up lighter. It makes a noticeable difference in the texture and taste of the masa. Look for it at farmers markets or Mexican grocery stores.
Yes. Cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat by steaming for 20-30 minutes from frozen.
Yes. You can improvise a steamer using a large pot with a heat-safe plate or rack in the bottom to keep the tamales above the water. A colander set inside a pot also works. The key is keeping the tamales suspended above simmering water, not submerged in it.
Usually this means the masa wasn’t spread thin enough, wasn’t sealed properly at the seam, or wasn’t steamed long enough. Make sure the masa edges meet and seal when you fold, and steam for the full 60-90 minutes.
Masa harina is corn flour that’s been treated with lime (nixtamalized), then dried and ground. It’s the base for tortillas, tamales, and many other Mexican dishes. Maseca is the most common brand and is widely available in grocery stores.
About 30 tamales, depending on how thin you spread the masa and how much filling you use. This is enough for a holiday dinner with leftovers to freeze. The recipe scales well if you need more for a larger gathering.
No. Masa harina is corn-based and relatively high in carbohydrates. Traditional tamales are not compliant with slow carb, low carb, or keto diets. For a lower-carb approach, some people substitute the masa with a cauliflower-based dough, but it changes the texture significantly.
Yes. Banana leaves are traditional for certain regional tamales, especially Cochinita Pibil-style tamales from the Yucatán. The banana leaves give a slightly different flavor and the assembly technique is a bit different (you fold into packets rather than rolling). Look for banana leaves in the frozen section of Mexican or Asian grocery stores.
Masa harina, lard (or butter), broth, baking powder, and salt for the dough, plus dried corn husks and a filling. For the red chile pork in this recipe, you’ll also need pork shoulder, onion, garlic, tomato paste, and chile powder or dried chiles.
Spreading the masa too thick. A thick layer makes a doughy tamale that overpowers the filling and takes longer to cook through. Aim for about 1/4 inch. The next most common mistake is letting the steamer run dry, which is why I keep a penny in the pot.
I put together my very favorite Mexican Christmas Recipes in this little ebook for $6.99 if you’re prepping for a Mexican holiday.
Pork Tamales Recipe with Red Chile Sauce
Equipment
- steamer rack (To be used with large tall pot)
- tortilla press Optional
Ingredients
- 36 Corn husks
Ingredients for the shredded pork
- 4.5 pounds pork butt or pork shoulder
- 1 onion quartered
- 6-8 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs thyme if available
- water to cover about 3 1/2 to 4 cups
Ingredients for the red chile sauce
- 2 tablespoons leaf lard
- 1 onion chopped (about 2 cups)
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 3-4 tablespoons enchilada spice blend see notes below for homemade spice blend recipe
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups pork broth reserved broth from cooking pork (alternatively use beef broth or just water)
- 1 tablespoon masa harina (optional – for thickening)
- kosher salt to taste
Ingredients for the masa (dough)
- 4 cups masa harina Maseca is the most common brand
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 ⅔ cups pork broth reserved from pork filling; if there is not enough broth, add water to get it to 2 2/3 cups
- 1 ⅓ cups lard leaf lard or store bought lard (or butter)
Instructions
Prep the corn husks:
- Place tamale husks in a large bowl. Pour hot or boiling water over the husks. Let sit in the hot water until you are ready to use them (can leave them overnight).36 Corn husks
Directions to make the shredded pork:
- In a dutch oven (or large pot), cover pork with water and add all remaining ingredients for the pork (onion & spices & water). Cook for 3-8 hours over low heat, 3 hours minimum (longer is better in my opinion) **Alternatively, add all pork ingredients to an instantpot and cook for 2 hours.4.5 pounds pork butt, 1 onion, 6-8 cloves garlic , 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 4 dried bay leaves, 2-3 sprigs thyme, water to cover
- After meat is cooked (long enough that it falls apart and shreds easily), remove from pot, set aside to cool . When cooled, shred meat finely with two forks or bear claws. This can be covered and stored in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the tamales.
Directions for the red chile sauce:
- Heat 2 tablespoons lard in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute until beginning to brown; add minced garlic for the last minute and saute.2 tablespoons leaf lard, 1 onion, 5 cloves garlic
- Add 3-4 tablespoons enchilada blend and tomato paste to the onion mixture in the skillet and stir together until combined. Add pork broth and then lower heat to medium low. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until reduced to your desired thickness, stirring occasionally. (Add the optional masa if you want more thickness).3-4 tablespoons enchilada spice blend, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 cups pork broth, 1 tablespoon masa harina, kosher salt
- Cool the sauce a little and puree in the blender. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate if not ready to assemble tamales. The sauce may be made up to 2 days ahead; keep refrigerated until ready to assemble tamales.
Directions to make the masa (dough):
- In a deep bowl, combine the masa, baking powder, and salt. Pour the broth into the masa a little at a time, working it all in with your fingers.4 cups masa harina, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 2/3 cups pork broth
- In a mixer or small bowl (I used a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), whip the leaf lard 1 to 2 minutes on medium-high speed until fluffy.1 1/3 cups lard
- Add the fluffy, beaten lard to the masa and combine together until the dough has a spongy texture (it will be light and fairly wet – you would not be able to roll it out like pastry dough). I used my hands to mix the lard and masa together.
- If you want to get technical, you can test the masa by taking a small piece and dropping it into a cup of cold water. It should float. If it does not float, whip the masa for a few more minutes and test again. Sometimes adding a bit more broth during this second mixing will help.
- I added a little sauce (about 1/2 cup) to the tamale dough to flavor the dough and add color. Now remove the sauce and the shredded pork from the refrigerator and combine the two together. You may want to heat the mixture up a bit to make it easier to combine. This mixture is your tamale filling.
Directions to assemble the tamales:
- On clean surface, lay out soaked and drained corn husks, the bowl of masa mixture, the bowl of pork filling, a spoon or spatula (I used the spatula that comes with a rice cooker – just the right size). You can also purchase a tamale press like this one, but it's not necessary.
- Place husk smooth side up on work surface. Put about 2-3 tablespoons masa in center of husk and use spatula to spread it over 2/3 of the husk, leaving a 1/2 inch border at each edge.
- Put about 2 tablespoons of pork filling down the center of the masa, to about 1/2 inch from wide end.
- Fold pointed end of husk over about an inch in over the filling. Bring sides of husks toward center until masa edges meet. Seal masa at center seam, and bring husks back down flat.
- Fold pointed end of husk in to cover top of masa. Fold sides of husks in, overlapping each other and flip the tamale seam side down onto the counter or a plate. Repeat with rest of tamales.
- Twist open end of tamales and close with a tie if desired (either use pieces of husk torn lengthwise or use raffia), and tie tamale loosely to seal. It does not need to be perfectly folded to get excellent tamales, and it gets faster with practice. Enjoy the process!
- Watch the youtube video tutorial for detailed folding process. Sometimes it’s easier to watch someone do it rather than read about it.
Instructions for steaming tamales:
- Add water to bottom of a steamer pot so that it will fill just below the steamer insert. Place a penny in the bottom of the pot and bring to a boil. While steaming, if the penny stops jingling, add more water.
- Arrange tamales in the steamer basket so all tamales are standing mostly upright. Place lid on top of basket. Lower heat so that the penny continues to jingle- water will be a soft boil or simmer.
- Place steamer basket insert into pot. Allow to steam for 60 to 90 minutes.
- To test if the tamales are done, remove a tamale and replace the lid on the pot. Put the tamale on counter for a few minutes and then unwrap it. If it is ready, the masa will be set and will pull away from the corn husk easily.
- Let tamales rest for 10-15 minutes out of the pot, covered with a cloth before serving to allow masa to firm up.
- Serve tamales in their wrappers with extra sauce passed around the table.
Video
Notes
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon smoked chile peppers
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground annatto powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 dried ancho peppers
- 3-5 dried chipotle peppers
Make the recipe shorter!!!!
I can’t make it shorter due to the number of people that have liked it this way (my site focuses on novice cooks). It is one of my most popular posts. You can always use the jump to recipe link at the top and skip all the content and go straight to the recipe.
I love the step by step directions. First time I ever tried to make tamales myself and it was a breeze. Thank you Farm to Jar!
So glad you found it useful Betty! My daughter and I make these every Christmas. It’s one of our favorite traditions!
Mmm good tamales! I took a picture of these beautiful creations but not sure how to upload it here…
Beautiful post, I am now CRAVING tamales! Happy New Year!
Thank you so much Stephanie…and Happy New Year to you also!