Tamales Rojos (Red Chile Pork Tamales)

Masa

1. Start by making homemade masa by following the instructions in my nixtamalizing corn for tamales post, but use half the quantity to yield enough masa for approximately 35 tamales. Specific directions for half a batch can be found in the notes section of that recipe card.

Corn Husks

1. Soak the corn husks in a large bowl or pot of hot water for 30-45 minutes, or until softened. This will make them pliable and easier to work with. Drain the husks in a colander.

Pork Chile Colorado

1. Cook and shred meat. To speed up the prep time, you can plan ahead and cook the pork the night before or in the morning.
2. Fill a medium-sized pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Break the stems off of all of the dried chiles and add them to the boiling water. Let the chiles boil for 15-20 minutes until soft.
3. Next, drain the chiles and place them in a blender or food processor. Add the cumin, oregano, ¼ teaspoon of salt, garlic, bay leaf, and 2 cups of chicken broth.
4. Blend until smooth.
5. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a different container. Use a spoon to mix and push the sauce to help it through the strainer and get rid of all the seeds and any unblended pieces. If you have a high-powered blender you may not need to strain.
6. Heat oil in a small Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Pour the sauce in the pot and bring to a boil.
7. Once the sauce is boiling, mix in the shredded pork. If the sauce looks too thick, add ¼-1/2 cups of additional chicken broth. Do not add too much broth or the sauce will become too thin and runny and will leak out of the tamales.
8. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes until heated through and to allow the flavors to come together.
9. Taste and add more salt if needed.
10. Turn off the heat and set chile aside.

Assemble Tamales

1. Choose a medium-sized to large corn husk. Lay the husk on the palm of your hand with the smooth side facing up (the rougher side should be facing out)
2. Add a generous tablespoon or two of masa to the center of the corn husk. Use the back of the spoon to gently spread the masa into an oval-shaped bed, avoiding the edges of the husk.
3. Spoon a generous teaspoon or two of the pork chile colorado down the center of the masa.
4. Fold the sides of the husk over the filling, one on top of the other. Then, fold the narrow ends down toward the center. Lay the folded tamales seam side down on a flat surface until all tamales are filled and wrapped.

Steaming

1. Add water and two pennies to the bottom of a tamal steamer pot (or a large pot with strainer). Ensure the water level remains below the steamer basket to prevent the tamales from getting wet. Line the steamer basket with soaked and drained corn husks.
2. Stand the tamales upright on the rack, open end facing up. Arrange them comfortably, ensuring there’s enough space between each tamal for even steaming. If needed, steam the tamales in batches
3. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. You should hear the pennies rattling at the bottom. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 45-60 minutes. If the pennies stop rattling, add more hot water to the pot, being careful not to pour over the tamales.
4. Carefully remove a tamal from the pot and unwrap the husk. A fully cooked tamal will hold its shape and easily separate from the husk without sticking.
5. Once the tamales are cooked, carefully remove them from the pot to prevent overcooking from residual heat. Place them in a separate bowl or container.