RED CHILE PORK FOR TAMALES: Step-by-Step How to Make Shredded Pork in Red Chile Sauce for Tamales

dried red chiles

🥗Healthier: fresh red bell peppers

💰Cheaper: canned tomatoes

Fresh bell peppers add sweetness with fewer calories, while canned tomatoes provide a budget-friendly alternative.

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: pork loin

💰Cheaper: chicken thighs

Pork loin is leaner, and chicken thighs offer a more economical protein option.

Fill a large pot with water and place it on the stove over medium-high heat.

Cut the pork butt into smaller pieces and drop it into the pot.

Add half of a large onion, 5-6 garlic cloves, a cube of beef bouillon, and salt to taste.

Top with a couple of bay leaves and bring to a boil, skimming off impurities.

Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low-medium boil, and cook for 2 hours.

Once cooked, place the meat into a bowl to cool before shredding with forks and fingers.

Remove any fat while shredding the pork.

For the red chili sauce, remove stems, seeds, and veins from about a dozen dried New Mexico red chili pods.

Rinse the chili pods if they have visible dirt, then place them in a colander with a bowl underneath and pour boiling water over them to steep for about 10 minutes.

Blend the chili pods with 3 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of Mexican oregano, 1 tablespoon of cumin, and about 1.5 teaspoons of salt.

Add about 4 cups of the red chili water to the blender and blend until smooth.

Heat a large saucepan with enough oil to lightly coat the bottom.

Pour in the red chili sauce and let it come to a boil, then lower the heat slightly and cook for 10 minutes.

Take about a cup of chili out for the masa, then add the shredded pork to the remaining chili sauce and stir together, cooking for a few more minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: