Authentic Pork Shoulder Tamales

If you ask me, tamales are one of those comfort foods that just make everything better.

These homemade pork shoulder tamales bring together the classic flavors I grew up loving at my favorite Mexican restaurants. Tender, slow-cooked meat wrapped in soft masa dough and steamed in corn husks – it’s a recipe that feels like a warm hug.

The pork shoulder simmers with simple spices until it practically falls apart, making the filling rich and satisfying. When you wrap it all up in masa and steam it, something magical happens.

It’s the kind of cooking project that’s perfect for a weekend afternoon, and the results are worth every minute you put into it.

What Kind of Pork Shoulder Should I Use?

For tamales, both pork shoulder (also called pork butt or Boston butt) will give you excellent results. The shoulder cut is ideal because it has just the right amount of fat marbled throughout the meat, which keeps it tender and flavorful during the long cooking process. You’ll find this cut with or without the bone – either option works well, though boneless is easier to cut into pieces for this recipe. When shopping, look for meat that’s pink-red in color with white fat marbling (avoid meat that looks very pale or has dark spots). If your grocery store doesn’t have pork shoulder labeled as such, just ask the butcher for Boston butt, as they’re the same cut.

Options for Substitutions

While tamales are a traditional dish with some essential ingredients, here are some helpful substitutions you can try:

• Pork shoulder/butt: You can swap the pork for chicken thighs, beef chuck, or even mushrooms for a vegetarian version. Just remember to adjust cooking times – chicken will cook faster (about 2 hours), while beef might need a bit longer than pork.
• Masa harina: This is one ingredient you really can’t substitute – it’s essential for authentic tamales. It gives them their signature texture and taste, so try to find it in Mexican grocery stores or online.
• Shortening: You can use lard (traditional choice), butter, or vegetable oil instead. If using butter, the flavor will be slightly different but still good. Use the same amount as called for in the recipe.
• Corn husks: If you can’t find corn husks, you can use parchment paper or banana leaves as wrappers. If using banana leaves, quickly pass them over an open flame to make them more pliable.
• Red chili sauce: You can try different sauces like green chili sauce (salsa verde) or mole. Just make sure to keep the consistency similar to avoid affecting the texture of the filling.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making tamales is getting the masa consistency wrong – your dough should be light and fluffy, similar to the texture of cake frosting, so test it by dropping a small amount in cold water; if it floats, it’s ready, but if it sinks, keep beating.

Many home cooks make the mistake of overfilling their corn husks, which leads to messy, hard-to-wrap tamales – stick to about 2-3 tablespoons of masa and 1-2 tablespoons of filling, spreading the masa thinly while leaving the edges clean.

Before you even start assembling, make sure your corn husks are properly soaked (at least 2 hours or overnight) in hot water to make them pliable, and separate out any husks that are torn or too small – these can be used as ties or strips for securing the tamales.

When steaming, avoid the temptation to peek too often as each time you open the lid, you lose precious steam and extend the cooking time – wait at least 45 minutes before checking, and remember that properly cooked tamales will easily pull away from their husks.

What to Serve With Tamales?

When serving tamales, I love to keep things simple with some classic Mexican side dishes that complement these corn-wrapped bundles of joy. A scoop of Mexican rice and a side of refried beans make the perfect plate partners – they’re filling and help soak up any extra sauce. You can also serve your tamales with some fresh pico de gallo or a simple cabbage slaw for a nice crunch and brightness that balances the rich, meaty filling. For drinks, try serving these with Mexican hot chocolate in winter or an ice-cold horchata in summer – both drinks pair perfectly with the corn masa and spiced pork filling.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These homemade tamales will stay good in the fridge for about 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container. I like to keep them wrapped in their corn husks – they help maintain the perfect moisture level and make reheating super easy!

Freeze: Tamales are perfect for freezing! Keep them in their corn husks, wrap them in foil in groups of 4-6, then pop them in a freezer bag. They’ll stay fresh for up to 4 months. I always make extra just to freeze – they’re such a treat to have on hand for busy days.

Warm Up: To enjoy your tamales later, steam them straight from frozen for about 15-20 minutes, or if they’re from the fridge, about 10 minutes. You can also wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave them for 2-3 minutes. Just make sure to keep the corn husks on while reheating – they help the tamales steam perfectly!

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	150-180 minutes
Total Time	180-225 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4500-4800
• Protein: 150-170 g
• Fat: 250-270 g
• Carbohydrates: 400-420 g

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed of fat and cut into pieces
• 10 cups water
• 1 medium onion, cut into quarters
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups red chili sauce (refer to a traditional recipe)
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 6 cups masa harina
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 50 dried corn husks (approximately 8 inches long)

Step 1: Cook and Prepare the Pork

In a 5 qt Dutch oven, combine the pork, water, onion, garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer, covering the pot.

Let it cook for about 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender.

Remove the meat from the broth and allow both to cool.

Chilling the broth will make it easier to remove the fat if desired.

Once cooled, shred the meat using 2 forks, discarding any fat.

Strain the broth, reserving 6 cups for later use.

Step 2: Combine Meat with Chili Sauce

In a large saucepan, heat the red chili sauce and add the shredded meat.

Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together.

Step 3: Prepare the Masa Mixture

In a large bowl, beat the shortening on medium speed for 1 minute.

In a separate bowl, stir together the masa harina, baking powder, and 2 teaspoons of salt.

Alternately add the masa harina mixture and reserved broth to the shortening, beating well after each addition.

Aim for a thick, creamy paste consistency.

Step 4: Prepare Corn Husks

Soak the corn husks in warm water for at least 20 minutes.

Rinse them to remove any corn silk, then drain well.

Each husk should measure about 8 inches long and 6 inches wide at the top.

If the husks are small, overlap 2 small ones to form one husk.

If it is too large, tear a strip from the side.

Step 5: Assemble the Tamales

To assemble each tamale, spread 2 tablespoons of the masa mixture onto the center of a corn husk.

Place about 1 tablespoon of the meat and sauce mixture in the middle of the masa.

Fold the sides of the husk inward and fold up the bottom to enclose the filling.

Step 6: Steam the Tamales

Place a mound of extra husks or a foil ball in the center of a steamer basket placed inside a Dutch oven.

Lean the tamales in the basket, open side up.

Add water to the Dutch oven just below the basket level.

Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

Cover and steam the tamales for 40 minutes, adding more water as necessary.

Step 7: Storing and Reheating

To freeze tamales for future meals, leave them in their husks and place them in freezer bags.

To reheat, thaw the tamales, wrap them in a wet paper towel, and microwave for 2 minutes if heating one or two.

Alternatively, re-steam them until heated through.