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Chile Colorado Tamales

Tender pork braised in rich red chile sauce, wrapped in fluffy masa and steamed to perfection. A true Mexican comfort food classic.
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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 7 hours
Servings: 15
Course: Dinner, Holiday, Lunch, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Chile Colorado
  • 6 quarts 6 l vegetable or beef stock
  • 5 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 1 yellow onion quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 lb 1.5 kg pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
  • Avocado grapeseed, or vegetable oil for browning
  • 2 avocado leaves optional
  • 1 hoja santa leaf optional
For the Masa
  • 5 lb 2.5 kg fresh masa (or 4.4 lb / 2.2 kg masa harina)
  • 2 lb 1 kg lard or vegetable shortening, melted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 11 cups 2.75 l reserved chile colorado cooking liquid
For the Wrapping
  • 4 lb 2 kg dried corn husks, soaked until soft, or fresh banana leaves

Method
 

Make the Adobo
  1. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of stock to a simmer. Remove from heat, add the dried chiles, and let soak until softened—about 15 minutes. Strain, reserving the soaking liquid, and transfer chiles to a blender with onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, and paprika. Blend until smooth, adding enough soaking liquid to reach a smoothie-like consistency. Strain to remove any tough skins, then season with salt.
Braise the Pork
  1. Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C). Mix cornstarch, 2 tablespoons salt, and 1½ teaspoons pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge pork cubes to lightly coat. Heat oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat and sear pork in batches until golden. Return all pork to the pan, pour in the adobo, add remaining stock, and tuck in avocado and hoja santa leaves if using. Cover and bake for about 4 hours, until pork shreds easily.
  2. Shred the Meat and Reserve the Liquid
  3. Transfer pork to a large bowl and discard leaves. Shred the meat, adding enough braising liquid to keep it moist. Reserve 11 cups of the cooking liquid for the masa.
Prepare the Masa
  1. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine masa, lard, baking powder, and salt. Beat on medium-low for 5–8 minutes, adding reserved cooking liquid 1 cup at a time until masa is soft, spreadable, and similar in texture to polenta. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Prepare the Husks
  1. Soak corn husks in hot water for 10–15 minutes until pliable, then drain and pat dry. If using banana leaves, briefly heat them over an open flame to soften.
Fill and Fold the Tamales
  1. Place a husk on a clean surface. Spread about ¼ cup of masa across the wide part, leaving borders. Place about 4 oz of pork in the center, spooning extra sauce on top. Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then fold the other side over to overlap. Fold up the bottom and stand the tamal seam-side up. Repeat with remaining ingredients, reserving a few husks for steaming.
Steam the Tamales
  1. Place a steamer rack in a large pot and add water to just below the rack. Add three pennies (they’ll rattle when the water is low). Line rack with extra husks, arrange tamales upright, and cover with more husks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and steam 1–1½ hours, adding water as needed. Check doneness by peeling back a husk—the masa should pull away cleanly.
Serve or Store
  1. Let tamales cool slightly before serving. To store, wrap individually in parchment, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat by steaming or pan-frying for a crispy edge.