Authentic Homemade Tamales Recipe From Scratch

The first step in your tamale-making adventure involves prepping those corn husks. You’ll need about 50 corn husks, soaked for several hours in hot water until they become soft and pliable.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

While those are soaking, prepare your filling by cutting 2 pounds of lean boneless pork into three chunks and boiling them in water for around 45 minutes until tender. This step is essential not just for cooking the meat, but also for creating that flavorful pork stock you’ll use later—so don’t throw that cooking liquid away!

Once the pork is tender, remove any excess fat and shred it thoroughly (think pulled pork texture). In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded meat with 1 cup of the reserved pork stock and your aromatic spice blend: 4 tablespoons each of chili powder and toasted paprika, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon each of oregano and cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 4 pressed garlic cloves.

This mixture should rest in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble.

Meanwhile, prepare the masa by working 1/2 pound of shortening into 1 pound of cornmeal by hand or mixer, then adding 4 teaspoons of salt and 2 2/3 cups of warm pork stock, mixing until you have a thick paste.