Authentic Homemade Tamales

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These gems are the real deal. They take some time and a little tender, love, and care – but that’s part of what makes them so magical.

Families have gathered for many, many years, often just before the holiday season, and each person would have their job – working together, laughing, reminiscing, and creating delicious treats for everyone to enjoy whenever anyone wants one during the holiday season, or anytime you’re in the mood with this classic Mexican treat. Serve with homemade guacamole and salsa!

An overhead view of a white rectangular serving platter that is filled with a tall pile of unopened homemade tamales with a glass of beer nearby.

How to Make Homemade Tamales


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The Tools and Ingredients You Will Need

You may need to take a quick trip to pick up a couple of key ingredients to make authentic tamales, such as dried corn husks, masa harina, and pork lard. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

The Tools You Will Need

Roasting pan – You’ll need a large vessel to mix the masa batter together. We find that a large roasting pan is perfect.
Steamer – Anything you would use to steam food. We have used a wok with bamboo steamers before, as well as our pressure cooker.

The Ingredients You Will Need

Corn husks – Found in the Hispanic section (or in the produce section) of some supermarkets, at Hispanic markets, or online.
Fillings for tamales – See the recipe for a chicken filling and a pork filling. You could also go with just melty cheese and canned chopped chiles.
Masa harina – Corn flour, found in the baking aisle (near the flour) of many well-stocked supermarkets, at Hispanic markets, on online.
Pork lard – Found at Hispanic markets and some well-stocked supermarkets. There is really no substitution for is. Shortening can be used in a pinch, but you won’t get the authentic taste.
Seasoning – Salt.
Baking powder – Check to make sure it’s not past its ‘best used by’ date.
Chicken broth – Homemade or purchased.

EXPERT TIP: We love making two fillings for our tamales. Our favorites are green chili chicken and shredded pork. Both can be made days in advance of making the tamales. In fact, that is recommended. The flavors just get better with time, plus, you won’t have to worry about the fillings once you are ready to start making tamales!

Two images with the first an overhead view of a skillet filled with a shredded green chicken sauce and then the other an overhead view of a skillet filled with shredded Mexican pork.

Tips for Making Perfect Homemade Tamales

Choose the Right Masa – Use masa harina specifically labeled for tamales, as it has the right texture and flavor. To achieve the perfect consistency, mix the masa with the appropriate amount of lard or vegetable shortening until it’s light and fluffy, then gradually add broth until you reach a spreadable consistency.

Soak Corn Husks – Before assembling your tamales, soak dried corn husks in warm water for at least 30 minutes to make them pliable. This step prevents the husks from tearing during assembly and helps them wrap tightly around the masa.

Fill Evenly – When spreading the masa onto the corn husks, leave enough space at the top and bottom to fold the husks over the filling. Use a generous but not excessive amount of filling to ensure the tamales are flavorful without being overstuffed, which can lead to bursting during cooking.

Steam Properly – Arrange the tamales upright in a steamer basket, ensuring they are tightly packed to prevent them from falling over. Steam them for about 1 to 1.5 hours, checking occasionally to ensure there’s enough water in the steamer. They’re done when the masa easily pulls away from the husk.

EXPERT TIP: Once you are ready to spread the masa dough onto the husk, you won’t need too much. Just a thin (about ¼” thick) layer works perfectly. This is because the dough will expand in size as it is being steamed.

Four images with the first a person spread homemade tamale masa dough over an opened corn husk and then a chicken filling being added, and then the person folding up the sides and then folding up the end of the tamale.

How To Serve

Tamales make for a wonderful appetizer before a Mexican, or Tex-Mex, feast. They can also be served with the main course.

We recommend letting the tamales cool completely before reheating and serving. They freeze beautifully and can easily be thawed and then reheated in the microwave on HIGH in 1-minute increments, or in a covered baking pan in the oven at 325°F for about 20 minutes.

We love to serve them with Tex-Mex queso or the chili con carne sauce that we for our smothered beef burritos. Homemade guacamole is perfect for serving alongside the tamales, too.

EXPERT TIP: If using a pressure cooker, you’ll only need to steam the tamales on HIGH for 25 minutes with a 10 Natural Release. You’ll only need 1 cup (8 oz) of water. If steaming with any kind of steamer, you’ll need to steam the tamales for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

A person placing un-cooked homemade tamales into a pressure cooker with a steaming basket in the bottom.

Other Authentic Mexican Dishes to Try:

These are all amazing, but, in the meantime, isn’t this classic Mexican culinary masterpiece calling your name?

A close-up view of a pork tamale that has been cut in half and one end is resting on the other end so filling is visible.

If you’ve always wanted to try making tamales but figured it was just a little too far out of reach, think again!

Follow these foolproof steps and we promise you’ll get some of the best tasting tamales you’ve ever experienced.

And have fun with the fillings! The sky is the limit! We love chicken, we love pork, but whatever is your favorite, you can’t go wrong!

A close-up view of a homemade tamale that has been cut in half so the chicken and chilis filling is revealed.

Ready to make the best Mexican treat this side of the Rio Grande? Go for it!

And when you make them, take a picture, post them on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and #HowToFeedaLoon!

An overhead view of a white rectangular serving platter that is filled with a tall pile of unopened homemade tamales with a glass of beer nearby.

Authentic Homemade Tamales

Authentic Homemade Tamales are something magical. This is a recipe for both chicken and pork tamales. They are the real deal. About as good as you'll find and so heart-warming and steeped in history and cherished by families generation after generation.  We absolutely love them. They freeze very well, too. 
4.91 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer / Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicken tamales, homemade tamales, pork tamales
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 4 hours
Resting time: 1 hour
Total Time: 7 hours
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 229kcal

Equipment

  • Steamer

Ingredients

Getting Started

  • 16 oz dried corn husks at least 30 to 40 (you'll have extra)

Chicken Filling

  • 1 lb tomatillos (10 to 12), husked, stemmed and rinsed
  • 3 jalapeños fresh, stemmed and seeds removed
  • 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt
  • ½ cup cilantro fresh, cilantro
  • 4 cups chicken cooked, roughly chopped, a rotisserie works well

Pork Filling

  • 16 medium guajillo and/or ancho chiles dried, stemmed, seeded and torn into rough pieces
  • 4 tomatillos
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • tsp Kosher salt divided
  • ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • ¼ tsp cumin ground
  • lbs pork boneless, shoulder or butt works well, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

For the Tamales

  • 7 cups masa harina
  • 2 tsp salt
  • tsp baking powder
  • cups warm water
  • cups pork lard melted, or shortening
  • 2 cups chicken stock

Instructions

Prepare the Husks

  • Place the husks in a large bowl, or even your kitchen sink with the stopper in. Fill with warm water and weight the husks down with heavy pot(s).
    16 oz dried corn husks
  • Let soak for at least 1 hour.

Prepear the Chicken Filling

  • Place the tomatillos and jalapenos in a medium sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil then lower to a smooth simmer.
    1 lb tomatillos, 3 jalapeños
  • Simmer the veggies for 20 minutes.
  • Add the cooked veggies, plus the garlic in your blender, and process to a smooth puree.
    4 cloves garlic
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet, or Dutch over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the puree all at once and stir until thicker, and a little darker, about 10 minutes.
    1½ tbsp olive oil
  • Add 2 cups of the stock and simmer over medium heat until thick enough to coat a spoon, about another 15 minutes.
    2 cups chicken stock
  • Season generously with salt, about 2 teaspoons.
    2 tsp Kosher salt
  • Stir in the cilantro and chicken, and remove heat.
    ½ cup cilantro, 4 cups chicken

Prepare the Pork Filling

  • Add the peppers and the tomatillos to a medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a smooth simmer for 20 minutes.
    16 medium guajillo and/or ancho chiles, 4 tomatillos
  • Working in batches, if necessary, add the peppers, tomatillos, garlic, ½ tsp salt, black pepper, and cumin into a blender and puree.
    4 cloves garlic, 2½ tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp cumin
  • Strain the mixture through a medium-mesh strainer into a medium saucepan.
  • Add the meat, 2 cups of the chili simmering water, and 2 teaspoons of salt.
    2½ lbs pork
  • Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the pork is fork-tender and the liquid is reduced to the consistency of a thick sauce, about an hour and a half. If the sauce becomes too thick, think with a little more soaking water.
  • Use a fork to tear the pork into small pieces. Set aside.

Prepare the Dough/Batter

  • Place the masa harina, salt (2 tsp), and baking powder in a large pan. Stir to combine. Slowly pour the warm water over the masa, using your fingers to incorporate the water.
    7 cups masa harina, 2 tsp salt, 1½ tsp baking powder, 4½ cups warm water
  • Pour in the melted lard, and continue to incorporate with your hands. Now, add in the broth, one cup at a time (you may not need all of the broth).
    2½ cups pork lard, 2 cups chicken stock
  • Keep mixing with your hands. The consistency should be like a thick cake batter...but not runny. It should hold its shape in a spoon. Add more stock if necessary.

Forming the Tamales

  • Remove the corn husks from the water and pat them dry with paper towels.
  • Flatten a husk, and with a spoon, scoop out about ⅓ cup of the batter.
  • In the upper, wider portion of the husk, spread the batter to the size of about a postcard (or smaller, depending on the size of the husk). With the short side of the rectangle at the top of the husk, and the body of the rectangle running down the length of the husk. Leave about an inch of space on each long side of the husk (watch the video for reference). Don't worry about making the batter thick...it will expand as it steams. The layer of batter should be about ¼-inch in thickness.
  • Now, scoop out about two tablespoons of the filling mixture and spread it down the middle of the batter.
  • Fold over the right third of the husk, then fold in the left side.
  • Fold up the bottom.
  • Repeat, alternating between chicken and pork filling.

Steaming the Tamales

  • Add water to the steamer and then layer the tamales into the steamer, preferably standing upright (with the folded end at the bottom). Just allow enough room between the tamales to allow steam to move around them.
  • Heat and steam over constant medium heat for about 1 and 1/4 hours. (See NOTES if using a Pressure Cooker).
  • Watch carefully to make sure that all the water doesn't boil away, add more water as necessary.
  • Tamales are done when the husks peel away from the masa easily.
  • The tamales will need to stand for at least half an hour for the dough to firm up.
  • For the best tamales, let them cool completely, then steam again to warm (you can easily heat in a microwave at this point).

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel
Pork lard is best (and better for you), but shortening can be used in a pinch.
The dried peppers, masa harina, dried corn husks, and pork lard can all be found in many well-stocked supermarkets, at Mexican food markets, or online.
If steaming in your pressure cooker, add about 1 cup of water and then steam on HIGH for 25 minutes and then Natural Release for at least 10 minutes. Allow the tamales to cool somewhat before attempting to remove them from the pressure cooker or steamer. 
Be sure to allow the tamales to rest for at least an hour.  They need this time to fully 'set.'

Nutrition

Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 505mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

POST UPDATE: This was originally published June 2014, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in December 2024!

53 Comments

  • Hi! Love these! Thanks so much for making them simple to understand. When it felt daunting to make before. Do you have a recipe for sweet corn tamales.
    Thanks Erica

  • 4 stars
    Made them today and very happy with the results! It was my first time making tamales so I’m glad they turned out delicious. A couple things maybe you can help out with though. My masa mix was thick. Like the consistency of cookie dough, even after adding an extra .5 cup of chicken stock. Any suggestions? Also I think next time I’ll do less chicken stock for the chicken mix. Ended up cooking it an extra fifteen minutes because I couldn’t get it to thicken up. The last thing is how fine the puree should be for the pork mix? My strainer did nothing so I dumped it all in. Would love for you to add it to the video for consistency! The Chilis I used were too mild so I’ll do better shopping next time!

  • 5 stars
    My fiancรฉ and I just made our first batch! Weโ€™ve been making food from scratch since we moved out of our RV, and we stumbled across your recipe!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with the world!

    • That is so awesome!!! There’s nothing much better than homemade tamales. They take a little practice, but sounds like you and your fiancรฉ handled them like pros!!! Woo hoo!! Thank you so much for sharing and for the wonderful review! Please stay in touch and stay tuned…so much more fun and food on the way!!

    • Hi Dawn! Yay! We are so so happy you and your family loved the tamales! Aren’t they fun to make? Thank you so so much for sharing and for the GREAT review. That means the world to us! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    These are the best Tamales and also the first ones I’ve ever made. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. In the chicken recipe, it calls for 3 1/2 cups stock but instructions call for 2 cups? Could you please clarify. Thanks

    • Hi Kerrie! We are so so thrilled you had such great success with the tamales! And thanks for the heads up with the chicken stock. It should be 2 cups for the filling, and 1ยฝ cups for the batter. We’ve updated the recipe to reflect this. Thanks again and thanks so much for the GREAT review. That means the world to us!!! Kris & Wesley

  • Thank you so much for this detailed recipe! I am currently making these (through a week-long process) with my high school culinary class!

    I have each group making 1 batch of chicken and 1 batch of pork. Do you happen to know the approximate yield on this recipe?

    • Hi Jyll!!! That is so exciting!! It really depends on how much batter and filling is used per tamale, but if you keep it scant (remember, the batter will expand as the tamales steam), then you should get about 15 to 20 chicken tamales and the same for the pork. Please keep us posted on how they turn out and please give our best to those wonderful young culinary kiddos!! AWESOME!!! Kris & Wesley

  • Hi, my daughter and I just made these and they are delicious! Thanks for the step by step video too! Just curious, can you freeze them? And if yes for how long do they keep? Thanks guys.
    Dawn

    • Hi Dawn! Woo hoo!! So so glad you and your daughter made our tamales and had such great success! That is so awesome! Actually, tamales freeze amazingly well. They will stay perfectly fine for up to 2 months. Just let them thaw, and then heat in the microwave or a steamer. Happy Holidays!! xoxo Kris & Wesley

  • My boys loved them . Itโ€™s so easy to make . I also made sweet tamales, for my grandkids. Thank you both so much. Hugs and kisses to you both. God be with you both always.

  • These were delicious. It was my first time making them, so I took the opportunity to make both the chicken and the pork recipe. I also made your Tex-mex queso to serve over top! OMG!

    I cooked mine in my pressure cooker. 1 cup of water, Hi for 27 minutes, then a 10 min. natural release.

    I will be making again! Thank you for your delicious recipe and awesome videos!! Cheers!

    • Hi Crystal! That is so wonderful to hear! We are beyond thrilled to hear that you had such success, and kuddos for making them in your pressure cooker! That is just awesome! Thanks for letting us know!! Stay in touch!! All the best, Kris & Wesley

    • Hi Ryan, you can make the dough up to a day in advance, it will probably harden a little. We recommend heating the dough somewhat to loosen it up and add more stock. Should be the consistency of pancake batter, or a little thicker. Also, fully prepared tamales heat up wonderfully after 1 to 2 weeks in the microwave. Hope this helps and let us know if you have any other questions! All the best, Kris & Wesley

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