This post may contain affiliate links. I only recommend products or services that I personally use or trust, promise!
Today we are making my red pork tamales (tamales rojos de puerco). Red pork tamales are one of the most popular types of tamales! The pork is simmered until tender and succulent, then combined with a delicious salsa roja and wrapped with moist, fluffy masa (corn dough)! Make sure you check out my green chicken tamales too! Stay tuned for the my red beef tamales next 😋
Growing up, I did not eat tamales often. Truthfully, I didn’t like them very much! It took a long time for me to realize this was because I never had homemade tamales. Store bought tamales are often dry, have too much masa (and not enough filling), or just lacked in flavor.
My dad says that his late Tia Pava made the BEST tamales, so I traveled to Tijuana to learn how to make them from her daughter, my Tia Marta. I learned a lot during this trip and have been formulating my own recipes ever since. I can confidently say that I make the best tamales I have ever had!
What Are Tamales?
Tamales are a beloved Mexican dish that represent tradition, family, and love in the form of food. They are made from masa (corn dough) that is typically filled with savory or sweet ingredients, then wrapped in a corn husk and steamed until tender. The word tamal comes from the Nahuatl word tamalli, meaning “wrapped food.”
This wrapped food is truly a labor of love. Tamales are not that difficult to make, but it is time consuming, especially if you are making a large amount for celebrations. Here are the main parts to making tamales:
- Masa (Dough): masa is corn dough, and other ingredients are added to it for flavor and texture. The dough is then spread onto a corn husk, filled with meat, and wrapped up to steam.
- Fillings: these can vary widely- including shredded meats like chicken, pork, or beef, vegetables, cheese, beans, or even sweet fillings. Salsas are also often part of fillings.
- Wrappers: Corn husks keep the tamales together during steaming and also add a unique flavor to them.
- Cooking Method: Tamales are steamed vertically until the masa is fully cooked and pulls away easily from the husk.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are lots of amazing red pork tamale recipes on the internet, and here’s why you should choose this one:
- My taste testers are Guadalajara natives (my Abuelita and Tia Rosa), and they tasted all the tamales I recipe tested until they approved this one. My Tia Rosa told me that these tamales are “officially VERY Mexicano y muy ricos!” That means very delicious 😋
- Made with traditional fresh masa and a SUPER flavorful salsa roja, these tamales deliver a true taste of authentic Mexican cuisine.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: you can make the pork and salsa roja a day ahead to make it easier on you. The masa can be made 1-2 days later, and you don’t even have to steam them the same day! You can stretch this into a 3 day process if you really need to.
- Like all of my other recipes, I always provide pictures at every step of the process to make it as easy to follow as possible.
Ingredients
Making red pork tamales involves three main components: the meat, salsa, and masa (dough).
Meat:
- Bone-in pork butt- not to be confused with pork shoulder, they are not the same! Pork butt is sometimes called “Boston Butt.”
- Seasoning- kosher salt
- Aromatics- bay leaves, black peppercorns, onion, and garlic
- Water- just enough to cover the pork butt
- Salsa roja- for mixing with the pork once it has been cooked and shredded.
Salsa Roja:
- Chili peppers- I like a mix of dried chile guajillo, chile ancho, and chile de arbol. If you have a low spice tolerance, skip the chile de arbol. It’s very spicy!
- Tomatillos- these are similar to tomatoes but have a tart, citrusy flavor.
- Garlic- the salsa will not taste right without this, don’t skip it!
- Seasonings- Knorr chicken bouillon, cumin, and salt to taste
- Pork/chili broth- use the broth from the boiling pork, dried chili peppers, and tomatillos
- Lard– for frying the salsa right before adding the shredded pork.
For the Masa:
I prefer real masa made from nixtamalized corn. This process involves cooking dried corn kernels in an alkaline solution, which softens the kernels to be ground into dough.
You can also use masa harina (corn flour), but I do not recommend this if you have access to fresh masa. It’s a lot more work, and not as tasty in my opinion!
- Masa “preparada”- you can get it at any Mexican market. This is masa that has already been prepared for tamales, but we will be adding more ingredients to it to make it even better.
- Baking powder- to help create a lighter, fluffier texture
- Salt- not too much, because we will be adding more ingredients that are already salted.
- Broth- to enhance the flavor and add moisture to the dough
- Salsa roja- to infuse even more flavor and moisture to the dough
Whew! If this seems like a lot, don’t panic! It’s easier than you think. You can do this.
Equipment Needed
I always encourage using tools you already have in your kitchen to make any of my recipes, but sometimes it’s not possible. Here’s what you’ll need, or something similar that you may already have:
- Electric mixer– optional, but highly recommended! It can be a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, doesn’t matter. It will make mixing the masa much easier than using your hands.
- Bench scraper– the old fashioned way to spread masa onto the corn husks is with a spoon, but I prefer a bench scraper because it’s faster and easier.
- Steamer basket or tamale pot– you can use a tamale pot with a built-in steaming rack, or any large pot paired with a steaming basket. The pot should be tall enough to hold the tamales vertically while they steam.
- Corn husks- these are not only for wrapping the tamales! You will also need some to cover the bottom of the steaming pot, and to cover the top of the tamales.
Storing Tamales
Tamales can last in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Let them cool off completely before storing them in the fridge. I recommend using an airtight container to reduce drying out the masa.
You can also freeze your tamales! If you already steamed all of them, just let them cool off completely then put them in vacuum sealed bags or an airtight container.
In my opinion, it’s better to freeze tamales uncooked (the masa) if you know you want to freeze some. The pros of freezing them uncooked is that they will taste much better when reheated (cooked). The downside is the inconvenience of having to cook them. You can decide which is better for you!
Reheating Tamales
There are several ways to reheat cooked tamales, here are your options:
1. Steaming (Best for Maintaining Texture)
- This is my least favorite way to reheat tamales, but it’s also the best way to maintain the texture of the masa and reheat a large amount of tamales. Steam the tamales for 10-15 minutes (or 30-40 minutes if frozen). Let them rest for a few minutes before eating.
2. Microwave (Quick and Easy)
- Wrap each tamale in a damp paper towel to retain moisture. Place them on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 1–2 minutes (add 30-second intervals as needed). Let them rest for 1 minute before eating.
3. Pan Frying (For a Crispy Texture)
- Remove the corn husk from the tamales. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add a little oil or butter. Fry the tamales for 3–5 minutes on each side until heated through and slightly crispy.
4. On a Comal (Skillet)
- Heat your comal (or skillet) over medium heat. Keep the tamales inside their corn husks and place them directly on the hot surface. Let the tamales heat for about 4–6 minutes per side, turning occasionally until the husks are charred and slightly crispy. The masa inside will heat through while taking on a slightly smoky flavor from the comal.
Frequently Asked Questions
My Top 10 Tips for Making the BEST Tamales
- Use meat with bones and keep it in one big chunk! Bones add flavor and collagen to the broth, and keeping it in one large piece rather than cutting it into small pieces ensures that it will be super tender and flavorful.
- Simmer (don’t boil) your meat properly! Never put raw meat into boiling water. It toughens the meat, limits flavor extraction, and traps some of the impurities inside. Start with cold water.
- Add salsa to your masa! This can sometimes make or break your masa. I like mine with lots of flavor, so I always add red or green salsa no matter what kind of savory tamales I’m making.
- Use fresh masa if you can. It tastes way better than instant masa in my opinion!
- Use unrefrigerated, brown rendered pork fat from a Mexican market (not the white hydrogenated lard), and melt it over the stove until it starts to smoke. My Tia says this part is important.
- Use the float test to determine if your masa is ready. Once your masa has enough air, drop a nickel-sized amount into a glass of water. If it floats, it’s ready. If it sinks, you might need to mix it more, or add more lard or broth/water.
- Taste test your masa by microwaving a small amount for 20 seconds (like I do with dumpings). It should be just a little bit saltier than you want, because some salt escapes during steaming.
- Use a towel to cover the tamales while steaming, to prevent water from dripping down the sides.
- Bring water to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium low when steaming tamales. You do not want the water boiling on high, but also not too low!
- Your tamales are done cooking when the husk easily peels away from the masa, but it may still look wet/uncooked to you. This is because you MUST let them rest for at least 10 minutes for the masa to set!
Yes! I actually recommend making the pork and salsa roja a day ahead to make the process easier on you. Tamales are a lot of work, so doing it all in one day can be a huge undertaking. Plus, it’s easier to remove the fat from the pork broth once refrigerated. The fat solidifies at the top, making it super easy to remove the next day.
You can, and a lot of people prefer this to have more control over the lard and salt content. The reason I don’t, is because its a lot more time/work mixing air into the masa to get the fluffy texture we want. Tamales already take a long time to make, so I try to reduce that time by using masa preparada, and doctoring it up to my liking.
To make masa with Maseca, here’s what you’ll need:
– ¾ cup rendered pork fat (lard)
– 3 cups instant corn flour for tamales (Maseca)
– 3 ½ cups of warm pork broth from the cooked pork (fat removed)
– ½ cup salsa roja
– 1 tbsp baking powder
– 1 tsp salt (add more to your taste)
First whip the lard with salt and baking powder for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the salsa and warm pork broth. Add the corn flour to the whipped lard, and slowly mix in the liquids. Once fully combined, mix on medium speed for 10-15 minutes. If mixing my hand, it may take up to 30-40 minutes.
Yes, but I am not sure if they will all fit in one go. Use the steam function for 30-40 minutes.
Yes you can! You can freeze them cooked or uncooked. I recommend freezing them uncooked, because they retain more flavor and better texture. For best results, let your tamales thaw in the fridge over night. You can steam them frozen if you want to!
If you froze your tamales without steaming them first, I recommend letting them thaw in the fridge for a day before steaming them. You can steam them frozen, but it will take a little longer.
Steam thawed, uncooked tamales for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add 10-15 more minutes if steaming them frozen.
This recipe make between 14-20 tamales, depending on how big they are and your ratio of masa to filling.
This time of year, Mexican markets will have brown lard for tamal making. It’s usually made in-house, or bought from a butcher shop. If you don’t have a Mexican market near you, you can try your local butcher shop! Sometimes they have it out already, but if not then you just have to ask them for it.
Red Pork Tamales
Equipment
- Corn husks
Ingredients
- 1 pack Corn husks, You need enough corn husks to make between 14-20 tamales, and some extra husks for the steamer.
Pork & Broth
- 3½ lbs bone-in pork butt, aka Boston butt (not shoulder)
- ½ large onion
- ½ head of garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black peppercorn
- Enough water to cover the pork
Salsa Roja
- 10 chile guajillo, dried guajillo chili pepper
- 2 chile ancho, dried ancho chili pepper
- 2 chile de arbol, optional, spicy!
- 5 garlic cloves
- 8 tomatillos, husked & rinsed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp Knorr chicken bouillon
- 1¼ cups pork broth, from the boiling pork butt
- 1 tbsp rendered pork fat (lard), for frying the salsa
Masa
- 1¾ lbs masa preparada, (corn dough prepared for tamales)
- ½ cup brown rendered pork fat (lard)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ⅓ cup salsa roja
- ¼ cup pork broth, from the boiled pork
Instructions
- Begin by soaking your corn husks in hot water to soften (or overnight with room temp water). Change this water a few times to rinse the husks while you're making the tamales.
Pork & Broth
- To a stockpot, combine the pork butt, kosher salt, black peppercorns, onion, half head of garlic, bay leaves, and enough room temperature water to cover the pork. *Please use a pot larger than the one photographed here- this was too small and I ended up moving it into a bigger pot.
- Bring to a gentle boil. Skim off any scum and excess oil that float to the surface, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer (NOT a rolling boil!), covered for 2 to 2 ½ hours. Add water as needed, if too much evaporates. *Tip: Once you cover the pot, the heat will naturally increase so make sure you check the strength of the simmer a couple minutes after you have covered it with a lid. You may need to adjust the heat. You don't want the water to boil too hot, or the pork will be tough and dry.
- Remove the pork butt from the pot and let it cool. Once cooled, shred the pork, but don't over-shred into super thin strips or your tamales will have a mostly mushy texture. Make sure you throw away any pieces of rubbery membrane & connective tissue. Then cover with aluminum foil and set aside so it doesn't dry out.*We just spent a lot of time creating a super flavorful pork broth, and a lot of it. You won't need it all for this recipe, so if you want to have some of this pork broth on hand in your kitchen, now is the time to reserve some before adding the dried chilis to the remaining broth. But make sure you leave at least a few cups of broth to boil the dried chilis & tomatillos, and to reserve some for the salsa.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the pork broth for the salsa and masa, and skim off the fat at the top if there is a lot and set this aside for later. You'll only need 1/4 cup for the masa, but keep a little extra just in case you'll need more broth to loosen the masa.
Salsa Roja
- Remove the stem and seeds from the dried chilis. If you have a low spice tolerance, don't use the chile de arbol, those are very spicy!
- To the leftover broth in the pot, add the dried chilis and tomatillos. Cover and gently boil for 10 minutes.
- Combine the softened chilis, tomatillos, raw garlic cloves, salt, cumin, Knorr chicken bouillon, and 1¼ cups of the chili/pork broth in the blender. Blend for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Taste the salsa and add salt if needed.
- Strain the sauce well and discard whatever is left over. You don't want these pieces of chili getting stuck in your teeth!
- Reserve 1/3 cup of salsa for the masa and set this aside.
Filling
- Melt 1 tbsp of lard in a saute pan over medium heat.
- Carefully pour the rest of the salsa (about 3 cups) into the pan, and fry the sauce for a couple minutes.
- Mix in the shredded pork and cook over medium low heat for 5-10 minutes.
- Add salt to taste (I added about 1 tsp), then turn off the heat and cover.
Masa
- Melt ½ cup of lard in a saucepan over the stove until it just starts to smoke. I'm not 100% sure why, but my Tia says that your lard needs to be smoking to make great tamales. Let the lard cool down until it is warm.
- Combine 1/3 cup of salsa roja and 1/4 cup warm broth in a measuring glass or cup.
- To a stand mixer or mixing bowl with a electric hand mixer, combine the masa preparada, lard, baking powder, and salt. Mix on medium speed until well combined (about 5 minutes) then set the speed to low to slowly incorporate the salsa/broth mixture. Once fully combined, increase the speed to medium-high again for 5 to 10 minutes.If you don't have and electric mixer, you can just use your hands but it will take a bit longer- about 25 minutes total.
Steam the Tamales
- You'll know the masa is ready once it is light & fluffy. My Tia never did the "float test" but I think it is really helpful in determining whether your masa is ready. Drop a coin sized amount into a glass of water. If it floats, your masa is ready. If it sinks, your masa may need some more pork broth and/or lard mixed into it.*The masa photographed here is from my green chicken tamales float test- your masa should be a reddish color!
- To taste test your masa for salt, microwave about 1 tablespoon of masa for 20-30 seconds. You want the masa to be just a bit over-salted, as they will lose some saltiness while steaming.
- Cover and let your masa rest for 20 minutes before you begin spreading it onto the corn husks.
Assemble Tamales
- Using a bench scraper or spoon, spread the masa evenly onto the corn husks, Make sure you spread it on the smooth side, not the ribbed side (look closely, it can be hard to tell). I prefer a thinner masa, but feel free to make yours to your liking!
- Add the cooked pork in salsa roja (cooled down). The amount I have is almost pushing it too far- careful not to overfill, especially if you have thinner masa.
- Fold one side of the husk over the filling so the masa wraps around it, then fold the other side over to enclose the masa and filling completely. Fold the narrow bottom end of the husk up toward the center. This creates a little pocket to hold everything together. Then stack them at an angle so they hold their shape while you fold the rest. *If desired, tear a thin strip of corn husk and use it to tie the tamale, securing the folded bottom. This is also helpful for identifying different types of tamales if you're making more than one kind.
Steam the tamales
- Fill the bottom of a large steamer pot (or large pot) with water. Make sure the water level is below the steamer basket or rack—you don’t want the water to touch the tamales. Place the steamer basket or rack inside the pot, then cover the bottom with some corn husks. Stand the tamales upright in the steamer with the open ends facing up. Lean the tamales against each other to keep them standing; this prevents them from falling over. If you don’t have enough tamales to fill the pot, use a ball of foil or extra corn husks to help prop them up.
- Place any leftover corn husks on top of the tamales. I like to tuck the thin ends behind the tamales on the outer perimeter to make sure no water drips back down onto them while steaming.
- Wrap a towel around the lid of the pot to collect water so it doesn't drip down the sides onto the tamales. Make sure the towel is securely tied at the top. I also put a weight on top of the lid so less steam escapes. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Do NOT walk away from the tamales at this point! Wait for it to start boiling, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle steam.
- Let the tamales steam for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the masa pulls away from the corn husks easily. The time depends on how many you are steaming. I would start checking at the 45 minute mark. Every 20–30 minutes, carefully check the water level to ensure the pot doesn’t boil dry. I do this by listening closely to the pot- you can hear if there is water simmering.
- The tamales are done when the masa easily pulls away from the corn husks. They masa may look undercooked, this is because you MUST let them rest for 10-15 minutes so the masa can set.
- That's it! I like my tamales with sour cream and lettuce. You may use some of the reserved salsa as well, but these tamales typically do not need extra salsa.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
