Red Pork Tamales
Masa packets filled with shredded pork in red chile sauce, wrapped in corn husks and steamed. The ultimate collective dish.
Masa packets filled with shredded pork in red chile sauce, wrapped in corn husks and steamed. The ultimate collective dish.
Ah, tamales! You never make them alone, never! We get together, the aunts, the children, the neighbors, and each one has her station: one spreads the masa, another fills, another folds. It's there, hands in the dough, that we organized half of our fights — because where there is shared food, there is solidarity. Believe me, a woman who knows how to make tamales also knows how to bring people together.
- •Nixtamalized corn masa — a large amount (wrapper)
- •Lard — to whip into the masa (softness)
- •Pork shoulder — according to number of guests (filling)
- •Dried red chiles (guajillo, ancho) — a handful (sauce)
- •Garlic, cumin, oregano — to taste (spices)
- •Dried corn husks (hojas) — one package (wrapper)
- •Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Red Pork Tamales
Masa packets filled with shredded pork in red chile sauce, wrapped in corn husks and steamed. The ultimate collective dish.
Why this dish? Tamales are the heart of Chicano celebrations: they are made in family assembly lines for Christmas (the *tamalada*) or to celebrate a movement victory. Dolores, mother of eleven and a figure in Latina communities, shared countless tamaladas where masa was spread while talking about organizing and dignity.
Ah, tamales! You never make them alone, never! We get together, the aunts, the children, the neighbors, and each one has her station: one spreads the masa, another fills, another folds. It's there, hands in the dough, that we organized half of our fights — because where there is shared food, there is solidarity. Believe me, a woman who knows how to make tamales also knows how to bring people together.
Ingredients (period version)
- Nixtamalized corn masa — a large amount (wrapper)
- Lard — to whip into the masa (softness)
- Pork shoulder — according to number of guests (filling)
- Dried red chiles (guajillo, ancho) — a handful (sauce)
- Garlic, cumin, oregano — to taste (spices)
- Dried corn husks (hojas) — one package (wrapper)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Masa harina — 500 g (wrapper)
- Lard (or butter) — 200 g (softness)
- Warm chicken broth — ≈ 400 ml (masa hydration)
- Pork shoulder — 700 g (filling)
- Dried guajillo and ancho chiles — 6 + 2 (red sauce)
- Garlic — 3 cloves (spices)
- Cumin and dried oregano — 1 tsp each (spices)
- Dried corn husks — 1 package (≈ 30) (wrapper)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Soak the corn husks in hot water for 30 minutes to soften.
- Cook the pork shoulder in salted water with a little garlic until it shreds (1.5 hours), then shred.
- Seed the chiles, rehydrate in hot water, then blend with garlic, cumin, oregano, and a little soaking water into a smooth sauce. Mix with the pork and let reduce.
- Whip the lard until light, incorporate the masa harina, salt, and warm broth until an airy dough forms (it should float in water).
- Spread a layer of masa on each corn husk, place a spoonful of chile pork, close by folding the sides then the bottom.
- Stand the tamales upright in a steamer pot, fold side down.
- Steam for 60 to 75 minutes: the tamale is ready when the masa cleanly separates from the husk.
How it was made : The tamale is one of the oldest dishes of the Americas, attested well before the conquest. The tradition of the *tamalada* — the family gathering to make dozens in an assembly line — still structures Mexican and Chicano celebrations, especially at Christmas. They were wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves depending on the region.
The contemporary twist : Offer a vegetarian 'Sí se puede' version by replacing the pork with roasted squash and cheese, for modern tamaladas where everyone has a place at the table.
Dolores Huerta · Charactorium