How to make the best Tamales Rojos de Puerco con Chile Colorado Red Pork Tamale Easy Recipe

lard

🥗Healthier: vegetable shortening

💰Cheaper: butter

Vegetable shortening reduces saturated fat while maintaining texture.

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: pork loin

Chicken thighs provide a leaner option without sacrificing flavor.

Set pot to medium heat and add 12 cups of boiling water with 6 lbs of pork butt cut into smaller pieces, bone in for flavor.

Season with salt and pepper, add 1 onion and 1 head of garlic, cover, and cook for about 3 hours.

After 3 hours, reduce heat, remove the meat, and let it cool before shredding. Remove onion and garlic.

In the same broth, cook 2 Chile Anos and 20 Chile guajillos for about 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, remove chiles and blend with 3 cups of the broth, reserving the remaining broth for the masa.

Add 7 garlic cloves to the blender and blend until smooth, reserving 1 cup of the sauce for the masa.

Shred the cooked meat using a fork or by hand.

In a pan set to medium heat, add oil and fry 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 white onion, and 2 jalapenos for about 2 minutes.

Add the shredded meat to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes.

Add 6 Roma tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes release their juice, about 5 minutes.

Add the blended salsa to the pan and another cup of broth to the blender to get the remaining salsa, mix well.

Add 2.5 tbsp of chicken bouillon, mix, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and set aside.

In a pot, warm up 6 cups of the remaining broth and mix in the reserved cup of salsa, letting it warm up.

In a stand mixer, add 1.5 cups of lard and beat at medium speed for 5 minutes until fluffy.

Add 2 tsp of salt and 5 tsp of baking powder, mixing for about a minute.

Reduce speed to lowest setting and add 1 cup of masa and 1 cup of warm broth, repeating until all masa and broth are used, then add warm water as needed.

In total, use 6 cups of masa, 7 cups of broth, and 1 cup of warm water.

Increase speed to medium and mix for 10 minutes, then test the masa by dropping a piece in water; it should float.

Cover the masa and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Soak banana leaves overnight to soften, then pat dry with a paper towel.

Spread a thin layer of masa on the banana leaves, add filling, and fold.

Continue until all masa or filling is used, making about 36 tamales.

In a pot, add water just below the steamer, layer with husk, and arrange tamales standing up, adding another layer of husk and a wet rag on top.

Cook at medium heat for 2 hours, then let tamales rest for a few minutes before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: