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Chile Colorado Pork Tamales-Tamales de Puerco

Without this chile colorado pork tamal, my holidays would not be complete! Simple and staple ingredients are they key to tasty tamales! The quantity will depend on how big you make the tamales of course.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 6 hours
Servings 48 Tamales

Ingredients

For the Pork

  • 4 1/2 pounds pork butt or shoulder boneless if possible
  • 1 whole garlic bulb whole head of garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Salt

For Chile Ancho Salsa/Sauce

  • 20 medium chile ancho or a mix of chile guajillo or chile California
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic or 1 tbsp granulated garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 5 cups pork broth from cooking the pork shoulder

For the Masa Dough:

  • 5 cups masa harina corn flour for tamales like maseca brand
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 5  cups pork broth at room temperature or chilled From cooking the pork shoulder
  • 1 cup chile ancho salsa, chilled previously prepared and reserved
  • 1 3/4 cups pork lard, manteca, at room temperature

You Will Also Need:

  • 50 corn husks for  medium tamales plus more for steaming
  • A large steamer pot

Instructions

Directions:

  • Slice the pork into 2-3 inch chunks. Transfer to large pot. Cover with 15 cups of water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and whole head of garlic. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook at a steady simmer for 2 -3 hours, or until pork becomes tender. Skim the foam off from pork as it cooks. Flip pork over halfway through cooking time.
  • Place the corn husk in a large pot and cover with boiling water. Cover and let soak for a few hours. The longer the better. I soak mine for overnight, changing the water the next day.
  • If the dried chiles are extra large(5-6 inches long), only use 10-12 peppers. Remove the stems and seeds from chile ancho, transfer to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and cook for another 10  to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
  • Drain the peppers and transfer them to a blender. Add 3 cups of pork broth(from cooking pork), oregano, garlic, cumin, salt to taste, black pepper. Blend in two batches if needed. Blend until smooth, set aside 1 cup to add into the masa dough.
  • Once the pork is cooked, remove from the broth and let it cool for a little while. When cool enough, shred the pork or chop small. Heat 3-4 tablespoons of  manteca or avocado oil to medium heat in a large pot. Add the chile ancho sauce from the blender and cook for 5 minutes. Add in all of the pork. Cook at a low simmer for 40 to 50 minutes or until the broth reduces. Taste for salt.
  • Prepare the masa dough: Combine masa harina, baking powder and salt in large bowl,  gradually add 4 cups pork broth.  Add 1 cup of reserved chile ancho sauce. Using your hands, work into a soft dough. Mix in the lard/manteca really well. Mix hands for 7-10 minutes. The masa should have a frosting like texture. If the masa seems too thick, add a little more of reserved broth. Always taste the masa for salt. Very important. Keep masa covered with a damp paper towel  or plastic until ready to use.
  • To assemble tamales: Take a few of the husks at a time, shake off water, if they are more than 4 inches wide, just tear off the side a little. Place the corn husk in the palm of your hand with the wide side closest to you. Spread about 3-4 tablespoons of masa all over the bottom half of husk. Place a heaping 2 tablespoons of filling lengthwise down the center of the tamale. Fold one side in first, then the other side (it should overlap a little on the first fold). Fold down the empty top section down and lay tamale seam-side down until ready to cook.
  • Prepare large pot to steam tamales, Fill the bottom of a large steamer pot with water. Insert the steamer. Arrange all of your tamales standing up (open side up). I like to take a few extra corn husks and arrange them on top of the filled tamales. This will help keep them moist while they steam. Turn heat to high to begin steaming, then reduce to medium for the next 90 minutes.  After the 45 minutes, I add a little more hot water to the steamer. Steam for another 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 30-45 minutes before serving. This will yield 48 medium tamales. Serve with rice, beans and tomatillo salsa!

Notes

Tips~ When you mix the masa base, I always add equal parts masa harina and liquid/broth. This is before the manteca or extra broth is added to make it spreadable. So if adding chile sauce, that portion would count as a liquid. Example: For 5 cups Masa Harina add 4 cups broth and 1 cup chile sauce. The results, for me, is always a well flavored and moist tamal. Things I have learned over the years....and still learning.
Since this post, I have purchased a stand mixer. I now use it to mix my masa. Start by whipping the pork lard. Gradually mix in the dry masa harina. Mix in the baking powder, salt and chile sauce. At the lowest speed, gradually mix in the broth until the masa comes together. Continue mixing for 10 minutes. Ready! Taste for salt! The masa should be easy to spread!
While the pork is cooking, prep and cook the dried chiles for the sauce. You could also start the masa and keep it covered tightly, then just mix in the warm broth once pork is cooked.