Tamales rojos
Tamales rojos de puerco
Corn husks spread with lard-beaten masa, filled with shredded pork in guajillo and ancho sauce, folded and steamed for an hour. A day's work that feeds a crowd.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Tamales rojos de puerco.
- Prep
- 1 hr 30 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 45 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 4 hr 15 min
- Difficulty
- A bit of work
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
These are central Mexican red tamales: masa beaten with lard until it is light, spread thin on soaked corn husks, filled with shredded pork in a guajillo and ancho sauce, folded and steamed upright for about an hour. Masa harina mixed with warm pork broth stands in for fresh nixtamal masa, which few cooks outside Mexico can buy. Two things matter, the beating and the salt. Beat the lard until it is white and fluffy before the masa goes in, and season the dough harder than seems right, because steaming dulls salt. A tamal is done when the husk peels away clean.
What you'll need
14 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Filling
- Masa
- Wrapping
Ingredients
Filling
- Pork, boneless shoulder, in 5 cm chunks900 g
- Onion, halved; half for the pot, half for the sauce1 medium
- Garlic, 2 for the pot, 3 for the sauce5 clove
- Dried chilli, 6 guajillo and 2 ancho, stemmed and seeded8
- Cumin, ground2½ ml
- Oregano, dried, Mexican if you can4.9 ml
- Salt, 2 tsp for the pot, the rest for the sauce15 ml
- Water, for cooking the pork; the broth goes into the sauce and the masa2½ l
Masa
- Masa harina500 g
- Lard, softened; 1 tbsp goes to frying the sauce300 g
- Baking powder9.9 ml
- Salt9.9 ml
Wrapping
- Corn husks, dried; 24 for wrapping, the rest to line the steamer30
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Put the pork in a large pot with the water, half the onion, 2 garlic cloves, the bay leaves and 2 tsp salt. Simmer partly covered for about 1½ hours, until it shreds easily. Meanwhile soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water for an hour, weighed down with a plate.
90 min
Step 2
Toast the chillies on a dry comal or pan for 20 to 30 seconds a side, until they smell good and soften. Cover with hot water and soak 20 minutes, then blend with the remaining onion and garlic, the cumin, oregano and 250 ml of the pork broth until smooth. Push through a sieve.
25 min
Tip: Burnt chilli makes the sauce bitter. If one goes black and smokes, throw it out.
Step 3
Lift out the pork and keep all the broth; you need about 1.1 litres. Shred the meat. Fry the sauce in 1 tbsp of the lard for 5 minutes until it darkens, stir in the pork and season. It should taste slightly over-salted. Leave to cool.
15 min
Step 4
Beat the lard in a large bowl for 3 to 5 minutes until white and fluffy. Mix the masa harina, baking powder and salt, then add it to the lard in batches, alternating with about 850 ml of warm broth, beating all the time. Keep beating 5 to 10 minutes more, until the masa is soft, light and spreadable, like thick hummus.
20 min
Tip: Drop a small piece into a glass of cold water. If it floats, the masa is ready. If it sinks, beat a few minutes more and test again.
Step 5
Pat a husk dry and lay it smooth side up, wide end towards you. Spread about 4 tbsp (¼ cup) of masa thinly over the wide half, leaving a 2 cm margin at the sides. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling down the middle, fold the sides over so the masa closes around the filling, then fold the narrow tail up. Repeat.
40 min
Step 6
Set a steamer insert in the stockpot with water just below it. Line it with spare husks, stand the tamales upright with the open ends up, packed snugly, and cover with more husks and a damp tea towel. Put the lid on and steam over medium heat for 60 to 75 minutes.
75 min
Watch: Do not let the pot boil dry. Listen for the simmer and top up with boiling water poured down the side.
Step 7
Take one out, rest it 5 minutes and unwrap it. If the husk peels away clean and the masa is firm, they are done; if it sticks, steam 15 minutes more. Rest the pot off the heat for 15 minutes before serving, as they firm up as they cool.
20 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 13.4 g
- Carbs
- 23.7 g
- Fat
- 6.9 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.1 g
- Fibre
- 4.9 g
- Sugar
- 1.9 g
- Sodium
- 693 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 11 November.
Substitutions
Lard → Vegetable shortening
Same texture, less flavour. Use the pork broth for the liquid and add a little more salt.
Corn husks → Banana leaves
Gives a flatter, Oaxacan-style tamal. Soften the leaves over a flame and steam 10 minutes longer.
Tips
- Make the filling the day before. It improves overnight and splits the job into two shorter days.
- Steamed tamales freeze well in their husks. Steam from frozen for 35 to 45 minutes.
- Tamales de rajas use the same masa with strips of roasted poblano, tomato and cheese.
History & culture
Tamales are made in quantity and in company. Families set up an assembly line at the kitchen table for Christmas, for Día de la Candelaria on 2 February, and for birthdays and funerals. On ordinary mornings they are sold from steaming pots on street corners, often with a cup of atole, or stuffed into a bolillo roll as a guajolota in Mexico City.
Corn dough steamed in leaves is thousands of years older than the Spanish arrival. The Nahuatl word is tamalli, and tamales appear in Maya and Aztec ritual offerings. What changed after the conquest was the fat. Lard and pork came with the Spanish, and beaten lard is now what most Mexicans think a proper tamal tastes of.
Traditional — Fresh masa from a tortillería gives a lighter, more tender tamal and is what most Mexican cooks prefer. Masa harina is a common substitute in Mexican homes too, so this stays traditional. Tamales verdes use the same masa with chicken in a tomatillo and serrano salsa.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Tamales rojos take?
4 hr 15 min all in — 1 hr 30 min prep, 2 hr 45 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 24 tamales. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
A bit of work.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What equipment do I need?
Stockpot, Comal or dry skillet, Blender, Mixing bowl, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tbsp (2 tsp for the pot, the rest for the sauce).
What can I use instead?
Lard → Vegetable shortening. Same texture, less flavour. Use the pork broth for the liquid and add a little more salt. Corn husks → Banana leaves. Gives a flatter, Oaxacan-style tamal. Soften the leaves over a flame and steam 10 minutes longer.
What should I watch for?
Do not let the pot boil dry. Listen for the simmer and top up with boiling water poured down the side.
Any tips from this recipe?
Make the filling the day before. It improves overnight and splits the job into two shorter days. Steamed tamales freeze well in their husks. Steam from frozen for 35 to 45 minutes. Tamales de rajas use the same masa with strips of roasted poblano, tomato and cheese.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Make the filling the day before. It improves overnight and splits the job into two shorter days.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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