Traditional Mexican Dishes
Mexican Red Tamales
Prepare Mexican red tamales with soft and spongy dough, shredded pork, and an intense sauce made from guajillo and ancho chilies. A traditional recipe perfect for gatherings, celebrations, and family breakfasts.
These tamales combine a light dough with a juicy pork filling bathed in red sauce. The secret lies in beating the dough well, not burning the chilies, and respecting the final rest so that they come off easily from the husks.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓900 g of pork shoulder or shank
- ✓1.5 liters of water
- ✓1 white onion, divided into two parts
- ✓4 cloves of garlic, divided into two parts
- ✓4 teaspoons of salt, divided into 2 teaspoons for the meat and 2 for the dough
- ✓8 guajillo chilies
- ✓2 ancho chilies
- ✓1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- ✓1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- ✓1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- ✓1 kg of corn flour
- ✓250 g of pork lard
- ✓2 teaspoons of baking powder
- ✓750 ml of pork cooking broth
- ✓30 dried corn husks
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Place the pork shoulder or shank in a large pot with 1.5 liters of water, half an onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 teaspoons of salt.
Place the pork shoulder or shank in a large pot with 1.5 liters of water, half an onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil and remove the foam from the surface.
- 02
Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes,
Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the meat is very tender and can be shredded easily with a fork.
- 03
While the pork is cooking, place the corn husks in a large container and cover them with hot water.
While the pork is cooking, place the corn husks in a large container and cover them with hot water. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes with a plate on top to keep them submerged. Rinse them, drain them, and reserve the largest and most intact ones to wrap the tamales.
- 04
Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chilies
Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chilies. If you prefer a less intense flavor, also remove the inner veins.
- 05
Heat a skillet without oil and toast the chilies for a few seconds on each side,
Heat a skillet without oil and toast the chilies for a few seconds on each side, just until they release their aroma. Do not burn them, as they can acquire a bitter taste. Cover them with hot water and let them soak for 15 minutes.
- 06
Drain the chilies and blend them with the other half of the onion, the other 2 cloves of garlic,
Drain the chilies and blend them with the other half of the onion, the other 2 cloves of garlic, the cumin, black pepper, oregano, and 250 ml of the pork cooking broth. Process until you get a smooth sauce and strain it if you prefer a finer texture.
- 07
Remove the cooked meat from the pot, reserve the hot broth, and let the meat rest for a few minutes.
Remove the cooked meat from the pot, reserve the hot broth, and let the meat rest for a few minutes. Shred it with two forks.
- 08
Heat a saucepan over medium heat, pour in the red sauce, and cook for 10 minutes,
Heat a saucepan over medium heat, pour in the red sauce, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the shredded meat and mix until it is well coated. If the stew is too thick, add a little more of the reserved broth. The filling should be juicy but not liquid.
- 09
To prepare the dough, place the corn flour in a large bowl along with the baking powder and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt.
To prepare the dough, place the corn flour in a large bowl along with the baking powder and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the pork lard and mix with your hands until there are no dry lumps.
- 10
Gradually add the remaining 500 ml of the pork cooking broth, kneading until you get a smooth and spreadable dough.
Gradually add the remaining 500 ml of the pork cooking broth, kneading until you get a smooth and spreadable dough. The dough should resemble a thick cream: moist but able to hold its shape on the husk.
- 11
Beat the dough for several minutes with your hands or with a stand mixer to incorporate air.
Beat the dough for several minutes with your hands or with a stand mixer to incorporate air. Check the texture by spreading a small portion on a husk: it should spread easily and not crack.
- 12
Lay a corn husk with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you.
Lay a corn husk with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you. Place approximately 2 tablespoons of dough in the center and spread it in a rectangular shape, without covering the edges.
- 13
Add 1 tablespoon of meat with sauce in the center of the dough
Add 1 tablespoon of meat with sauce in the center of the dough. Fold the sides of the husk towards the center and then fold the bottom up. Leave the top open or closed, depending on the size of the husk, without pressing the tamale too much.
- 14
Prepare the steamer with enough water to reach below the grill, without touching the tamales.
Prepare the steamer with enough water to reach below the grill, without touching the tamales. Place leftover husks at the bottom and arrange the tamales upright, with the opening facing up. Cover them with more husks and cover the steamer.
- 15
Cook over medium heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Cook over medium heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check occasionally that the water is not evaporating and add more hot water if necessary, without directly wetting the tamales.
- 16
Check that the tamales are ready when the dough comes off easily from the husk.
Check that the tamales are ready when the dough comes off easily from the husk. Turn off the heat and let them rest covered for 15 minutes. If the dough still sticks too much, cook for 10 minutes more.
- 17
Serve the hot red tamales directly in their husks
Serve the hot red tamales directly in their husks.
- Do not burn the chilies when toasting them, as they can give a bitter taste.
- Strain the sauce if you prefer a filling with a finer texture.
- Add the broth to the dough gradually; it should be moist, smooth, and spreadable, but not too liquid.
- Do not overfill the husks or press the tamales too much, as the dough expands during cooking.
- Keep the husks submerged in hot water to soften them evenly.
- Check the water level in the steamer during cooking and add more hot water if necessary.
- Let the tamales rest covered for 15 minutes before serving to allow the dough to finish setting.
- You can also use fresh corn dough instead of corn flour; adjust the broth gradually as its humidity may be higher.