Authentic Homemade Tamales Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.25 pounds pork loin
• 1 large onion, halved
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 dried chile peppers
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1 (8 ounce) package dried corn husks
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth, or as needed
• 0.67 cup lard
• 2 cups masa harina
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream

Instructions

1. Place pork, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, then simmer pork until fully cooked and tender, approximately 2 hours.
2. Remove stems and seeds from chiles; transfer to a medium saucepan along with 2 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Transfer chiles and cooking liquid to a blender; blend until completely smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl; stir in salt. Discard the solids remaining in the strainer.
4. Remove pork from the pot and discard the onion and garlic. Shred the pork using two forks; mix in 1 cup of the chile sauce. Set the pork filling aside, and reserve the remaining chile sauce for serving.
5. Soak corn husks in a bowl of warm water until they are softened, about 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, beat 1 tablespoon of broth with lard in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy.
7. Combine masa harina, baking powder, and salt in another large bowl; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as needed to create a soft, spongy dough.
8. Remove husks from the water and pat them dry. Spread approximately 2 tablespoons of dough, about 1/4-inch thick, onto the center of each husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides and top.
9. Spoon 1 tablespoon of pork filling over the dough. Fold the sides of the husk toward the center, then fold up the bottom to seal. Repeat with remaining husks, dough, and pork filling.
10. Arrange the tamales upright in a steamer basket over simmering water. Cover with a damp towel or extra husks. Steam until the dough is firm and pulls away easily from the husks, about 1 hour.
11. Unwrap the tamales and drizzle with the remaining chile sauce. Top with sour cream for added richness. Alternatively, mix the chile sauce and sour cream together before drizzling for a creamier option.

Nutrition

• Calories: 246 kcal
• Fat Content: 15 g
• Fiber Content: 2 g
• Sugar Content: 2 g
• Sodium Content: 386 mg
• Protein Content: 12 g
• Cholesterol Content: 45 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 16 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g