Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales
Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales feature juicy shredded pork simmered in a rich red chile sauce, tucked inside soft, airy masa and steamed in fragrant corn husks. Each bite balances gentle heat, corn sweetness, and savory depth, perfect for family gatherings or holiday spreads. Serve them hot with a dollop of sour cream or your favorite salsa for a comforting meal.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook3 hrs
- Serves16
- DifficultyHard
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 53 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 49 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 38
- Heart Health
- 62
- Metabolic
- 18
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 29
- Performance
- 30
- General Wellness
- 1
Place the pork, the onion, and the garlic in a Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to low; simmer the pork until cooked through and tender, about 2 hours.
- 2
Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles; place them in a medium saucepan with 2 cups water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Take off the heat to cool.
- 3
Pour the chiles and their cooking liquid into a blender; blend until smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl; stir in salt. Discard what remains in the strainer.
- 4
Take the pork out of the pot; discard the onion and the garlic. Shred the pork with two forks; mix in 1 cup chile sauce; set the filling aside. Save the remaining chile sauce for serving.
- 5
Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water until softened, about 30 minutes.
- 6
Meanwhile, beat 1 tablespoon broth with the lard in a large bowl until fluffy.
- 7
In another large bowl, combine the masa harina, baking powder, and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as needed to make a soft, spongy dough.
- 8
Remove the husks from the water; pat dry. Spread about 2 tablespoons of dough, about 1/4 inch thick, onto the center of each husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides and top.
- 9
Spoon 1 tablespoon pork filling over the dough. Fold the sides of the husk toward the center, then fold up the bottom to seal. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough, and filling.
- 10
Stand the tamales upright in a steamer basket over simmering water. Cover with a damp towel or extra husks. Steam until the dough is firm and releases easily from the husks, about 1 hour.
- 11
Unwrap the tamales; drizzle with the remaining chile sauce. Top with sour cream. Or, for a creamy option, stir the chile sauce and sour cream together before drizzling.
- Calories 272.92 kcal Moderate 14%
- Protein 10.97 g Good Source 22%
- Carbohydrate 19.22 g 7%
- Total Fat 16.44 g High 21%
- Saturated Fat 7.0 g High 35%
- Trans Fat 0.02 g High --
- Cholesterol 42.0 mg Moderate 14%
- Sodium 143.06 mg Moderate 6%
- Dietary Fiber 1.66 g Low Source 6%
- Total Sugars 1.73 g --
- Added Sugars 0.07 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 55.2 mg Low Source 4%
- Iron 1.75 mg Low Source 10%
- Potassium 220.49 mg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin A 10.85 mcg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin C 3.08 mg Low Source 3%
- Vitamin D 0.25 mcg Low Source 1%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Corn 🌽
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales is made with 11 ingredients and serves 16. It takes about 3 hrs 30 mins and is rated hard. Key ingredients include Baking Powder, Beef Broth, Boneless Loin Pork Roast, and Corn Husk. Each serving provides about 272.92 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales made of?
- The main ingredients are Baking Powder, Beef Broth, Boneless Loin Pork Roast, Corn Husk, Dried Chile Peppers. The full list of 11 is above.
- How long does it take to make Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales?
- About 3 hrs 30 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 3 hrs to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 272.92 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales easy to make?
- This recipe is rated hard, with 11 ingredients and 11 steps.
- Is Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales healthy?
- Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales has an easyChef Pro health score of 37/100. Per serving, it provides 272.92 calories and 10.97 g of protein, or 22% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 143.06 mg (6% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 7.0 g (35% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Corn, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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