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- 1
Simmer the pork
Chop the pork shoulder into big chunks and drop it in a large stockpot with a whole head of garlic (halved), a quartered onion, about 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cover with water by two inches, put the lid on, and simmer low for about 2 hours until it is fall-apart tender. This broth is liquid gold, so whatever you do, do not pour it out.
- 2
Soak the husks
While the pork does its thing, pile the corn husks in a bowl of warm water and weigh them down with a plate so they all stay submerged. You want them soft and bendy, not crackly.
- 3
Build the red chile sauce
Pull the stems and seeds out of the ancho chiles. Cover them with water in a pot, bring to a boil, kill the heat, and let them soak about 5 minutes until soft. Blend the chiles with 1 teaspoon salt, the cumin, and 3 cups of that reserved pork broth until totally smooth.
- 4
Strain and split the sauce
Push the sauce through a strainer with the back of a spoon to catch any skins so it is silky. Set aside 1/2 cup of the sauce for the masa. The rest goes to the pork.
- 5
Dress the pork
Shred the cooled pork with two forks, add it to a pot, and pour in the remaining red chile sauce plus about 1 cup of broth. Cook 15 to 20 minutes until the meat is coated and saucy. Taste for salt. Let it cool a little before you build.
- 6
Color the masa
Mix the reserved 1/2 cup of red chile sauce into the prepared masa until it goes a beautiful orange-red all the way through. Work it by hand or with a mixer until smooth and spreadable.
- 7
Spread, fill, and fold
Shake the water off a husk. Smear about 2 tablespoons of masa across the wide end, from the bottom to about halfway up. Spoon a tablespoon of the pork down the center. Fold one long side over, then the other, then fold the skinny pointed top down. Stand it aside, open end up, and keep rolling until you run out.
- 8
Steam and rest
Stand the tamales open end up in a steamer over hot water, tuck extra husks on top, and cover. Steam on low 1 1/2 to 2 hours, checking the water every 30 minutes so it never runs dry. They are done when the husk peels away clean. Let them rest 15 to 20 minutes before you dig in.
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Red Chile Pork Tamales
Created by: TacoEveryDay
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 lb pork shoulder
- 1 garlic
- 1 onion
- 12 ancho chiles
- 1/2 tbsp cumin
- salt
- black pepper
- 3 lb masa
- 45 corn husks
Instructions
- Simmer the porkChop the pork shoulder into big chunks and drop it in a large stockpot with a whole head of garlic (halved), a quartered onion, about 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cover with water by two inches, put the lid on, and simmer low for about 2 hours until it is fall-apart tender. This broth is liquid gold, so whatever you do, do not pour it out.
- Soak the husksWhile the pork does its thing, pile the corn husks in a bowl of warm water and weigh them down with a plate so they all stay submerged. You want them soft and bendy, not crackly.
- Build the red chile saucePull the stems and seeds out of the ancho chiles. Cover them with water in a pot, bring to a boil, kill the heat, and let them soak about 5 minutes until soft. Blend the chiles with 1 teaspoon salt, the cumin, and 3 cups of that reserved pork broth until totally smooth.
- Strain and split the saucePush the sauce through a strainer with the back of a spoon to catch any skins so it is silky. Set aside 1/2 cup of the sauce for the masa. The rest goes to the pork.
- Dress the porkShred the cooled pork with two forks, add it to a pot, and pour in the remaining red chile sauce plus about 1 cup of broth. Cook 15 to 20 minutes until the meat is coated and saucy. Taste for salt. Let it cool a little before you build.
- Color the masaMix the reserved 1/2 cup of red chile sauce into the prepared masa until it goes a beautiful orange-red all the way through. Work it by hand or with a mixer until smooth and spreadable.
- Spread, fill, and foldShake the water off a husk. Smear about 2 tablespoons of masa across the wide end, from the bottom to about halfway up. Spoon a tablespoon of the pork down the center. Fold one long side over, then the other, then fold the skinny pointed top down. Stand it aside, open end up, and keep rolling until you run out.
- Steam and restStand the tamales open end up in a steamer over hot water, tuck extra husks on top, and cover. Steam on low 1 1/2 to 2 hours, checking the water every 30 minutes so it never runs dry. They are done when the husk peels away clean. Let them rest 15 to 20 minutes before you dig in.