Sarah's Kitchen / Mexican / Entrées

Tamales

Corn Masa Wrapped in Husks — Sacred Mesoamerican Food

"Tamales are not made alone. They are made with family."

5+Hours
24-30Tamales
4/5Difficulty

The Origin

8,000 years of tradition. You are cooking history.

Food of the Gods

The Aztecs believed humans were made from corn. If that's true, tamales are the food closest to creation itself.

Archaeological evidence shows tamales being made as early as 8000 BCE. The Maya offered them to gods. The Aztecs fed them to warriors. Every Mesoamerican civilization had their version — wrapped in corn husks, banana leaves, or avocado leaves.

Making tamales is a tamalada — a gathering event. Family and friends assemble, each person taking a role: spreading masa, adding filling, wrapping, tying. It's communion through cooking. No one makes tamales alone.

In Mexico, tamales mark every important occasion: Christmas, Día de los Muertos, baptisms, weddings. The type of tamal tells a story — red for celebrations, green for everyday, sweet for children, special fillings for honored guests.

"When you make tamales, you feed the past and the future at the same table."

The Ingredients

La Masa

THE FOUNDATION
  • 4 cupsMasa harinaMaseca or similar
  • 1 cupLard or vegetable shorteningRoom temperature
  • 2½ cupsWarm chicken or pork broth
  • 1 tspBaking powder
  • 1½ tspSalt

Las Hojas — The Wrappers

  • 1 package (8 oz)Dried corn husksAbout 30-40 husks

El Relleno de Puerco — Pork Filling (Red Chile)

CLASSIC
  • 2 lbsPork shoulderCut into chunks
  • 6Guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 3Ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 4 clovesGarlic
  • ½White onion
  • 1 tspCumin
  • 1 tspMexican oregano
  • Salt to taste

Alternative: Chicken in Salsa Verde

  • 2 lbsChicken thighs
  • 1 lbTomatillos
  • 2Serrano peppers
  • ½ bunchCilantro
  • ½White onion

The Method

01

Prepare Husks & Meat (Night Before or Early)

1

Soak corn husks in warm water for at least 2 hours (overnight is better). Weigh down with a plate.

2

Boil pork in salted water with half an onion and 2 garlic cloves until very tender, about 2 hours. Save the broth!

3

Shred the pork with two forks. Set aside.

02

Make the Chile Sauce

4

Toast dried chiles on a dry comal until fragrant (30 seconds per side). Don't burn!

5

Soak chiles in hot water for 20 minutes until soft.

6

Blend chiles with garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, and 1 cup pork broth until smooth. Strain.

7

Fry sauce in 2 tbsp lard for 5 minutes. Mix with shredded pork. Season with salt.

03

Make the Masa

8

Beat lard with a mixer until fluffy and light — about 5 minutes. It should look like frosting.

Critical

Whipped lard = tender tamales. This step cannot be rushed.

9

Mix masa harina with baking powder and salt. Gradually add to lard alternating with warm broth.

10

Beat until a small ball floats in cold water. If it sinks, keep beating and add a splash more broth.

04

Assemble (The Tamalada)

11

Shake water off a corn husk. Spread 2-3 tbsp masa in a thin rectangle on the wide end, leaving borders.

12

Add 1-2 tbsp filling down the center of the masa.

13

Fold one side over the filling, then the other side over that. Fold the narrow bottom up. Leave top open or tie with a strip of husk.

05

Steam (1.5-2 hours)

14

Set up a steamer with a layer of extra husks on the bottom. Stand tamales upright, open-end up.

15

Cover with more husks and a damp towel. Steam for 1.5-2 hours.

16

Tamales are done when the masa pulls away cleanly from the husk. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Filling Variations

One masa, infinite possibilities.

Rajas con Queso

Roasted poblano strips with Oaxaca cheese. Vegetarian and beloved.

Dulces

Sweet tamales with pink masa, raisins, and pineapple. Add sugar to the masa.

Oaxaqueños

Wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks. Mole negro filling.