Pork Carnitas Tamales with Red Chile Crema

Total Time
varies
Serving Size
8
Ingredients
Instructions
Ingredients
- Pork Carnitas Tamales with Red Chile 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 Mexican crema (or sour cream)
- 2 tablespoons chipotle hot sauce
- 4 cups Tamale Dough (below)
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- 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)
Pork Carnitas Tamales with Red Chile Crema
- Prepare pork. 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 pot with lid and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until pork is 190°F (for shreddable). Meanwhile, combine crema and hot sauce until blended; chill until ready to serve.
- Prepare tamales. Drain corn husks. Place ⅓ cup tamale dough in center of smooth side of each corn husk (or nonstick side of foil). Spread dough evenly, leaving a 1-inch border around edges.
- Shred pork in pot and mix well. Place ¼ cup shredded pork in center of tamale, then roll up like a burrito. (Use strips of corn husk or butchers twine to tie tamales if desired.)
- Fill steamer (or saucepan fitted with strainer or vegetable basket) with 3–4 inches of water and bring to a simmer. Place tamales in steamer, seam-side down, and cover steamer tightly.
- Steam 30–35 minutes (adding more water as needed) or until tamales release easily from husks. Remove from steamer and let stand 5 minutes to cool. Remove husks from tamales; top with red chile crema and garnish with cilantro. Serve.
Tamale Dough
- Set lard out to come to room temperature. Place masa flour, salt, and baking powder in bowl of electric mixer; mix with paddle attachment until combined. Add lard and beat 3 minutes until blended.
- Slowly add water 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 Red Chile 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 Mexican crema (or sour cream)
- 2 tablespoons chipotle hot sauce
- 4 cups Tamale Dough (below)
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- 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)
Pork Carnitas Tamales with Red Chile Crema
- Prepare pork. 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 pot with lid and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until pork is 190°F (for shreddable). Meanwhile, combine crema and hot sauce until blended; chill until ready to serve.
- Prepare tamales. Drain corn husks. Place ⅓ cup tamale dough in center of smooth side of each corn husk (or nonstick side of foil). Spread dough evenly, leaving a 1-inch border around edges.
- Shred pork in pot and mix well. Place ¼ cup shredded pork in center of tamale, then roll up like a burrito. (Use strips of corn husk or butchers twine to tie tamales if desired.)
- Fill steamer (or saucepan fitted with strainer or vegetable basket) with 3–4 inches of water and bring to a simmer. Place tamales in steamer, seam-side down, and cover steamer tightly.
- Steam 30–35 minutes (adding more water as needed) or until tamales release easily from husks. Remove from steamer and let stand 5 minutes to cool. Remove husks from tamales; top with red chile crema and garnish with cilantro. Serve.
Tamale Dough
- Set lard out to come to room temperature. Place masa flour, salt, and baking powder in bowl of electric mixer; mix with paddle attachment until combined. Add lard and beat 3 minutes until blended.
- Slowly add water 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 Red Chile Crema
Amount per ⅛ recipe serving: Calories 460, Total Fat 34.00g, Sat Fat 13.00g, Trans Fat 0.00g, Chol 70mg, Sodium 600mg, Total Carb 27g, Fiber 2.00g, Sugars 3g, Protein 13g, Calc 8%, Vit A 0%, Vit C 0%, Iron 6%
Tamale Dough
Amount per 1/24 recipe serving: Calories 130, Total Fat 9.00g, Sat Fat 3.50g, Trans Fat 0.00g, Chol 10mg, Sodium 140mg, Total Carb 11g, Fiber 1.00g, Sugars 0g, Protein 1g, Calc 2%, Vit A 0%, Vit C 0%, Iron