Pork Carnitas Tamales with Chipotle Crema

Active Time
40 minutes
Total Time
3 hours, 30 minutes
Serving Size
8
Ingredients
Instructions
Ingredients
- Pork Carnitas Tamales with Chipotle Crema
- 16 large dried corn husks (or 8-inch-square sheets of nonstick aluminum foil)
- 1 small yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 lb boneless pork butt roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground red pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup crema Mexicana (or sour cream)
- 2 tablespoons chipotle pepper sauce
- 4 cups Tamale Dough
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro
- Tamale Dough
- 1 cup lard (or vegetable shortening)
- 3 cups corn masa flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ cups water (or chicken stock)
- Plastic wrap
Pork Carnitas Tamales with Chipotle Crema Steps
- Submerge corn husks in hot water and soak 30 minutes. Chop onion and garlic. Cut pork into 1-inch cubes (wash hands).
- Preheat large stockpot on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place oil in pot; add onions and garlic. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until onions are tender. Reduce heat to low; add pork, salt, pepper, stock, cumin, red pepper, and allspice. Cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until pork is 190°F (for shreddable). Shred pork, return to pot, and mix well.
- Meanwhile, combine crema Mexicana and pepper sauce until blended; chill until ready to serve.
- Drain corn husks. Place ⅓ cup tamale dough in center of smooth side of corn husk (or nonstick side of foil). Spread evenly, leaving 1-inch border around edges.
- Place ¼ cup pork mixture in center of tamale dough, then roll up like a burrito. (Use strips of corn husk or butcher's twine to tie tamales if desired.) Repeat with remaining tamale dough and pork mixture.
- Place 3–4 inches water in steamer (or saucepan fitted with strainer or vegetable basket) and bring to a simmer. Arrange tamales seam-side down in steamer and cover tightly.
- Steam 30–35 minutes (adding more water as needed) until tamales release easily from husks. Remove from steamer and let stand 5 minutes to cool. Remove cilantro leaves from stems (½ cup). Remove tamales from husks; top with chipotle crema and garnish with cilantro. Serve.
Tamale Dough Steps
- Set lard out to come to room temperature. Place masa flour, salt, and baking powder in bowl of stand mixer; mix with paddle attachment until combined. Add lard and beat 3 minutes until blended.
- Add water slowly and beat 2 more minutes until dough resembles creamy peanut butter, stopping mixer every 45–60 seconds to scrape down sides of bowl.
- Remove dough from bowl; wrap in plastic wrap and let stand 30 minutes at room temperature. (Makes about 6 cups dough.)
Ingredients
- Pork Carnitas Tamales with Chipotle Crema
- 16 large dried corn husks (or 8-inch-square sheets of nonstick aluminum foil)
- 1 small yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 lb boneless pork butt roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground red pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup crema Mexicana (or sour cream)
- 2 tablespoons chipotle pepper sauce
- 4 cups Tamale Dough
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro
- Tamale Dough
- 1 cup lard (or vegetable shortening)
- 3 cups corn masa flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ cups water (or chicken stock)
- Plastic wrap
Pork Carnitas Tamales with Chipotle Crema Steps
- Submerge corn husks in hot water and soak 30 minutes. Chop onion and garlic. Cut pork into 1-inch cubes (wash hands).
- Preheat large stockpot on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place oil in pot; add onions and garlic. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until onions are tender. Reduce heat to low; add pork, salt, pepper, stock, cumin, red pepper, and allspice. Cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until pork is 190°F (for shreddable). Shred pork, return to pot, and mix well.
- Meanwhile, combine crema Mexicana and pepper sauce until blended; chill until ready to serve.
- Drain corn husks. Place ⅓ cup tamale dough in center of smooth side of corn husk (or nonstick side of foil). Spread evenly, leaving 1-inch border around edges.
- Place ¼ cup pork mixture in center of tamale dough, then roll up like a burrito. (Use strips of corn husk or butcher's twine to tie tamales if desired.) Repeat with remaining tamale dough and pork mixture.
- Place 3–4 inches water in steamer (or saucepan fitted with strainer or vegetable basket) and bring to a simmer. Arrange tamales seam-side down in steamer and cover tightly.
- Steam 30–35 minutes (adding more water as needed) until tamales release easily from husks. Remove from steamer and let stand 5 minutes to cool. Remove cilantro leaves from stems (½ cup). Remove tamales from husks; top with chipotle crema and garnish with cilantro. Serve.
Tamale Dough Steps
- Set lard out to come to room temperature. Place masa flour, salt, and baking powder in bowl of stand mixer; mix with paddle attachment until combined. Add lard and beat 3 minutes until blended.
- Add water slowly and beat 2 more minutes until dough resembles creamy peanut butter, stopping mixer every 45–60 seconds to scrape down sides of bowl.
- Remove dough from bowl; wrap in plastic wrap and let stand 30 minutes at room temperature. (Makes about 6 cups dough.)
Nutritional Information
Pork Carnitas Tamales with Chipotle Crema: Amount per ⅛ recipe serving: Calories 460, Total Fat 34g, Sat Fat 13g, Trans Fat 0g, Chol 70mg, Sodium 600mg, Total Carb 27g, Fiber 2g, Total Sugar 3g, (Incl. 0g Added Sugars), Protein 13g, Vitamin D 6%, Calc 8%, Iron 6%, Potassium 6%
Tamale Dough: Amount per 1⁄24 recipe serving: Calories 130, Total Fat 9g, Sat Fat 3.5g, Trans Fat 0g, Chol 10mg, Sodium 140mg, Total Carb 11g, Fiber 1g, Total Sugar 0g, (Incl. 0g Added Sugars), Protein 1g, Vitamin D 0%, Calc 2%, Iron 0%, Potassium 0%