Prep Time: 2 hrs | Cook Time: 4 hrs | Total Time: 6 hrs | Servings: 12 people
This recipe for homemade tamales is the real deal! This recipe is both for chicken and pork tamales. This is a must-try and an authentic recipe for the best homemade tamales.
Ingredients
CHICKEN FILLING:
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 pound tomatillos (10 to 12), husked, stemmed and rinsed
3 jalapenos, fresh, stemmed
1½ tablespoons olive oil
4 c. chicken, coarsely chopped cooked, roughly chopped, a roasted chicken from the supermarket works well
⅔ c. cilantro, fresh, cilantro
2 c. chicken stock
Salt – about 2 tsp
PORK FILLING:
4 cloves garlic, minced
16 medium guajillo and/or ancho chiles, dried, stemmed, seeded, and torn into rough pieces
½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1½ pounds pork, boneless, shoulder or butt works well, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tomatillos
Salt
¼ teaspoon cumin, ground
BATTER:
1½ teaspoon baking powder
2½ c. pork lard melted or shortening
1 16 ounces package of dried corn husks
7 c. of masa harina mixed with 4 1/2 c. hot water
1½ c. chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
How to make Authentic Homemade Tamales
HUSKS:
Step 1: In a large bowl, place the husks. Fill the bowl with warm water and weigh the husks down using a heavy pot. Allow the husks to soak for at least 2 hours.
CHICKEN FILLING:
Step 2: In a medium saucepan, place the tomatillos and jalapenos. Then, cover them with water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, decrease to a simmer. Let the veggies simmer for about 20 minutes.
Step 3: In a blender, add the cooked veggies and garlic. Pulse to smooth puree.
Step 4: In a large skillet, heat the oil. You can also use Dutch on medium-high heat. Add the puree once the oil is hot and cook for about 10 minutes while stirring until thickened and a bit darker.
Step 5: Pour in 2 c. of stock and let everything simmer for another 15 minutes on medium heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon.
Step 6: To taste, season with about 2 tsp salt.
Step 7: Add the chicken and cilantro. Stir and take the pot off the heat.
PORK FILLING:
Step 8: In a medium saucepan, place the peppers and the tomatillos. Pour in enough water to cover the veggies. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Step 9: Into the blender, add the peppers, tomatillos, garlic, black pepper, and cumin in batches if needed, and puree. Through a medium-mesh strainer into a medium saucepan, strain the mixture. Then, add the meat along with 3 c. of water and 1 tsp salt.
Step 10: Let the mixture simmer, uncovered while stirring on medium heat until the pork is fork-tender and the liquid thickened. This takes about 1 1/2 hours.
Step 11: Into small pieces, break the pork using a fork.
Step 12: If needed, season with extra salt to taste. Allow the pork filling to cool.
DOUGH/BATTER:
Step 13: Add the wet masa to a large pan along with salt and baking powder. Knead using your hands. Add the melted lard and mix until blended. Then, pour in the broth, 1 c. at a time. Continue kneading, using your hands until the consistency is like a cake batter. If needed, add more stock.
FORMING THE TAMALES:
Step 14: Rip a corn husk into string size pieces and pat off with a dish towel. Then, flatten the husk and scoop out about 1/4 c. of the butter using a spoon.
Step 15: Spread the batter in the upper, wider portion of the husk to the size of about a postcard, a short size at the top of the husk, and the body of the rectangle running down the length of the husk. Make sure to leave around an inch of space on each long side of the husk.
Step 16: In the middle of the batter, spread down about 2 tbsp of the chicken mixture.
Step 17: Now, fold over the right third of the husk, then fold in the left side and fold up the bottom. Do the same process, alternating between the chicken and pork filling. Lastly, tie the pork tamale with a string. On a large baking sheet, place the uncooked tamales.
STEAMING THE TAMALES:
Step 18: On each layer of the steamer, place the unused corn husks. On top of the tamales, place the corn husks. To the steamer, pour the water. Put the lid on and steam for 1 1/4 hours over medium heat. If needed, add more water. Once the husks easily peel away from the masa, the tamales are done.
Step 19: Allow the tamales to cool fully for the best results.
Note:
The tamales need at least 1 hour to completely set.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 229 kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 505mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
Authentic Homemade Tamales
Ingredients
- CHICKEN FILLING:
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 pound tomatillos 10 to 12, husked, stemmed and rinsed
- 3 jalapenos fresh, stemmed
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 4 c. chicken coarsely chopped cooked, roughly chopped, a roasted chicken from the supermarket works well
- ⅔ c. cilantro fresh, cilantro
- 2 c. chicken stock
- Salt - about 2 tsp
- PORK FILLING:
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 16 medium guajillo and/or ancho chiles dried, stemmed, seeded, and torn into rough pieces
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1½ pounds pork boneless, shoulder or butt works well, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 4 tomatillos
- Salt
- ¼ teaspoon cumin ground
- BATTER:
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2½ c. pork lard melted or shortening
- 1 16 ounces package of dried corn husks
- 7 c. of masa harina mixed with 4 1/2 c. hot water
- 1½ c. chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- HUSKS:
- In a large bowl, place the husks. Fill the bowl with warm water and weigh the husks down using a heavy pot. Allow the husks to soak for at least 2 hours.
- CHICKEN FILLING:
- In a medium saucepan, place the tomatillos and jalapenos. Then, cover them with water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, decrease to a simmer. Let the veggies simmer for about 20 minutes.
- In a blender, add the cooked veggies and garlic. Pulse to smooth puree.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil. You can also use Dutch on medium-high heat. Add the puree once the oil is hot and cook for about 10 minutes while stirring until thickened and a bit darker.
- Pour in 2 c. of stock and let everything simmer for another 15 minutes on medium heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon.
- To taste, season with about 2 tsp salt.
- Add the chicken and cilantro. Stir and take the pot off the heat.
- PORK FILLING:
- In a medium saucepan, place the peppers and the tomatillos. Pour in enough water to cover the veggies. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Into the blender, add the peppers, tomatillos, garlic, black pepper, and cumin in batches if needed, and puree. Through a medium-mesh strainer into a medium saucepan, strain the mixture. Then, add the meat along with 3 c. of water and 1 tsp salt.
- Let the mixture simmer, uncovered while stirring on medium heat until the pork is fork-tender and the liquid thickened. This takes about 1 1/2 hours.
- Into small pieces, break the pork using a fork.
- If needed, season with extra salt to taste. Allow the pork filling to cool.
- DOUGH/BATTER:
- Add the wet masa to a large pan along with salt and baking powder. Knead using your hands. Add the melted lard and mix until blended. Then, pour in the broth, 1 c. at a time. Continue kneading, using your hands until the consistency is like a cake batter. If needed, add more stock.
- FORMING THE TAMALES:
- Rip a corn husk into string size pieces and pat off with a dish towel. Then, flatten the husk and scoop out about 1/4 c. of the butter using a spoon.
- Spread the batter in the upper, wider portion of the husk to the size of about a postcard, a short size at the top of the husk, and the body of the rectangle running down the length of the husk. Make sure to leave around an inch of space on each long side of the husk.
- In the middle of the batter, spread down about 2 tbsp of the chicken mixture.
- Now, fold over the right third of the husk, then fold in the left side and fold up the bottom. Do the same process, alternating between the chicken and pork filling. Lastly, tie the pork tamale with a string. On a large baking sheet, place the uncooked tamales.
- STEAMING THE TAMALES:
- On each layer of the steamer, place the unused corn husks. On top of the tamales, place the corn husks. To the steamer, pour the water. Put the lid on and steam for 1 1/4 hours over medium heat. If needed, add more water. Once the husks easily peel away from the masa, the tamales are done.
- Allow the tamales to cool fully for the best results.
