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Authentic Homemade Tamales: A Fun Tamale Making Party Project

A stack of freshly unwrapped Homemade Tamales filled with shredded meat and red sauce, resting on a white plate.
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Make traditional Mexican tamales at home for Cinco de Mayo. This guide walks you through preparing the masa, shredding flavorful pork, and steaming your tamales using corn husks for a rewarding social cooking project.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound dried corn husks
  • 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 cups masa harina for tamales
  • 2 cups lard or vegetable shortening, softened
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 cups warm chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup reserved chili sauce
  • For Red Chili Sauce: 10 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded; 5 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded; 2 cloves garlic; 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Soak the corn husks in hot water for at least 30 minutes until pliable. Drain and set aside.
  2. Prepare the pork: Place pork chunks in a large pot, cover with water, add salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Simmer until the pork is very tender, about 2 to 3 hours. Shred the pork and set aside. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid.
  3. Make the red chili sauce: Toast the dried chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Soak the toasted chilies in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain. Blend the soaked chilies with garlic, salt, and 1 cup of the reserved pork cooking liquid until smooth. Strain the sauce over the shredded pork. Mix well.
  4. Prepare the masa: In a large bowl, beat the lard or shortening until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the masa harina, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the masa mixture to the beaten lard, alternating with the warm chicken broth and reserved chili sauce until fully incorporated. The mixture should be light and spreadable.
  5. Assemble the tamales: Lay a soaked corn husk flat with the wide end toward you. Spread about 2 tablespoons of masa evenly over the wider half of the husk, leaving a 1-inch border. Place 1 tablespoon of the pork filling down the center of the masa. Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling, then fold up the narrow end.
  6. Steam the tamales: Arrange tamales upright in a steamer basket placed over boiling water. Cover the pot tightly with a damp cloth and then the lid. Steam for 1 to 1.5 hours. The tamales are done when the masa easily separates from the husk.

Notes

  • Making tamales is best as a tamale making party; assign tasks like soaking husks, making masa, and filling.
  • If the masa mixture seems too dry, add more warm broth one tablespoon at a time.
  • Test the masa readiness by dropping a small piece into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it is ready.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://purecookingjoy.com/homemade-tamales-party-project/

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