She Strengthens

Tamales That Will Disappear in a Flash

Get ready to wow your friends and family with these mouthwatering homemade tamales that are sure to vanish in no time!

Gathering Essentials

Before you start, make sure to pick up some essential ingredients:

• 30 corn husks (found in Latin markets)
• Basic Masa Dough (check out our recipe intro for the link)
• 1 1/4 cups shredded pork from our Pork Mole Coloradito (link in recipe intro)
• 1 1/4 cups mole sauce

Preparing for Success

To ensure your tamales turn out perfectly, follow these simple steps:

Soaking Corn Husks

Place corn husks in a large bowl or baking dish, cover with hot water, and weigh down with a plate or bowl to fully submerge. Let them soak for at least 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Drain, squeeze out excess water, and wipe dry.

Setting Up Your Steamer

Place a steamer basket in a large pot and fill the pot with enough water to reach the bottom of the steamer. Cover and bring the water to a simmer over low heat.

Assembling Tamales

Lay a corn husk on a clean work surface with the wide edge toward you (this is the bottom). Measure 1/4 cup masa dough and spread 1/4 inch thick on the husk, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the bottom. Add 2 teaspoons of pork down the center of the dough, followed by 2 teaspoons of mole sauce. Bring the two sides of the husk together until the dough meets over the filling. Wrap the husk over the dough, making sure you don’t get any of the husk in between the dough and the filling. Fold the top of the husk back over the filled husk to close. Repeat to make 30 tamales.

Steaming to Perfection

Arrange tamales upright in the steamer with the open ends facing up. If your steamer is too big, place a small heatproof bowl upside down in the center to stabilize the tamales. Cover and steam until the dough is set and no longer raw-tasting, and the tamales pull away easily from the husks when unwrapped, about 1 1/2 hours. Turn the heat off and let the tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Tips and Variations

For a stress-free tamale-making experience, remember to:

• Make the dough and filling up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate in a covered container.
• Form the tamales up to 1 day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator until ready to steam and serve.
• Check out our step-by-step guide to forming tamales for extra help.

Get ready to enjoy your delicious homemade tamales!