Bring 2 cups of stock to a simmer. Remove from heat and soak the ancho and guajillo chiles until soft. Blend the chiles with onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, and smoked paprika. Add soaking liquid as needed for a smooth texture. Strain to remove skins and season with salt.

Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Toss pork cubes in cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Brown the pork in batches in a large oven-safe pot with oil. Once browned, return all the pork to the pan.

Add the adobo, remaining stock, and optional avocado and hoja santa leaves. Cover and roast for 4 hours, until the pork is tender.

Transfer the pork to a bowl and shred it, adding just enough chile colorado liquid to coat the meat. Reserve 11 cups of the cooking liquid for the masa.

In a mixer, combine masa, lard, baking powder, and salt. Beat until fluffy, slowly adding the reserved chile colorado liquid one cup at a time. Masa should be soft and spreadable—like polenta.

Soak the corn husks in hot water for 10–15 minutes. Once pliable, drain and lay on paper towels. If using banana leaves, soften them over a flame and trim as needed.

Scoop about 4 oz of masa onto a corn husk. Spread into a ¼-inch layer, leaving room around the edges. Spoon 4 oz of chile colorado in the center and top with a little sauce. Fold and shape the tamale, then fold the bottom tip up. Repeat until all ingredients are used.

Set a steam rack in a large pot with water just below the rack. Add 3 pennies to the pot—they’ll rattle if water runs low. Line the rack with extra husks, then place tamales upright, seam-side up, layering husks between batches. Steam for 1 to 1½ hours, checking for doneness by cooling and testing one tamale. The masa should peel easily from the husk.

Let tamales cool. You can enjoy them fresh or wrap and freeze them individually. Reheat by steaming or crisp them in a skillet with a little oil.