Tamales — Masa dough filled with pork, chicken, or cheese, steamed in corn husks

Tamales are one of the oldest foods in the Americas, with roots stretching back thousands of years to Mesoamerican civilizations. Made from masa (corn dough) spread on corn husks, filled, folded, and steamed, they are a communal food -- families gather for tamaladas (tamale-making parties) before holidays. This recipe covers classic pork tamales in red chile sauce.

Serves: makes about 24 tamales | Prep: 1 hr | Cook: 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

For the husks:

• 1 package (8 oz) dried corn husks

For the masa dough:

• 4 cups masa harina (such as Maseca)
• 2 1/2 cups warm chicken or pork broth
• 1 cup lard or vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

For the pork filling:

• 2 lb boneless pork shoulder
• 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup pork cooking broth
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Soak the husks: Submerge dried corn husks in hot water for at least 1 hour until pliable. Weigh them down with a plate to keep them submerged.
2. Cook the pork: Place 2 lb pork shoulder in a pot, cover with water, and simmer 1.5-2 hours until fork-tender. Reserve 1 cup broth. Shred the pork into small pieces.
3. Make the chile sauce: Toast guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet 30 seconds per side. Soak in hot water 15 minutes, drain. Blend with garlic, cumin, oregano, and 1 cup reserved pork broth until smooth. Strain, then simmer in a skillet 10 minutes. Toss the shredded pork in the sauce.
4. Prepare the masa: Beat 1 cup lard with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Combine masa harina, baking powder, and salt, then add to the lard alternately with 2 1/2 cups warm broth. Beat until the dough is light and spreadable. Test by dropping a small ball into water -- if it floats, it is ready.
5. Assemble the tamales: Drain a corn husk and pat dry. Spread about 3 tbsp masa in a thin rectangle on the wide end, leaving a border. Place 1-2 tbsp pork filling down the center. Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling so the masa edges meet, then fold the narrow tail up. Repeat with remaining husks.
6. Steam: Stand tamales upright in a steamer basket with the open end up. Steam over simmering water for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. The tamales are done when the masa pulls cleanly from the husk. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

• Lard produces the most authentic flavor and texture; vegetable shortening is a common substitute
• Uncooked tamales freeze well for up to 3 months; steam from frozen, adding 15-20 minutes
• For sweet tamales, add sugar and cinnamon to the masa and fill with raisins or fresh fruit
• A good masa should be the consistency of thick peanut butter -- not dry and crumbly