Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales

Name: Authentic Homemade Pork Tamales
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 tsp Baking Powder; 10.5 oz Beef Broth; 1.25 lb Boneless Loin Pork Roast; 8 oz Corn Husk; 4 whole Dried Chile Peppers; 1 whole Garlic; 0.67 cup Lard; 2 cups Masa; 1.5 tsp Salt; 1 cup Sour Cream; 1 whole Yellow Onion

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪Snack 🍿 Mexican Low-Carb Comfort-Food

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

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.