Red chile pork tamales

Step 1

Add the pork shoulder, a quarter of the onion, 6 garlic cloves, the bay leaf, and 1 tablespoon of salt to a large pot. Add enough water to cover the pork by 2 inches, then simmer over medium heat until fully cooked, about 30 minutes. Transfer the cooked pork to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes, then shred into thin pieces with your hands. Reserve the cooking liquid, discarding the solids.

Step 2

Add the guajillo, ancho, arbol, and piquin chiles, the remaining 10 garlic cloves, remaining three-quarters of the onion, and 1 tablespoon of salt to a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the chiles are tender, about 30 minutes.

Step 3

Transfer the softened chiles, onion, garlic, and ½ cup of the chile cooking liquid to a blender. Add 1 cup of the reserved pork cooking liquid, then blend until smooth. Strain the sauce into the bowl with shredded pork. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 4

Prepare the masa: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the masa on low speed until broken apart, about 3 minutes. Drizzle in the melted lard and season with ½ tablespoon of salt. Increase the speed to medium and whip until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.

Step 5

Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the masa in a rectangular shape over the top center of a soaked corn husk. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the pork filling and some sauce to the center of the masa. Fold the sides of the husk over the masa to cover, then fold the bottom of the husk up and lay it flat over the open side to close. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. To speed up the process, add all of the masa to the husks first, then add the filling and close.

Step 6

Add aluminum foil to the bottom of a large pot to create a nest about 3 inches above the bottom of the pot, then fill the pot with water about three-quarters of the way from the bottom of the pot to the top of the nest. Bring to a simmer, then arrange the tamales in the pot, seam side down and overlapping as needed. Cover the pot with aluminum foil, then simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour, until the masa is fully cooked through.

Step 7

Remove the tamales from the pot and allow to cool for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.

Step 8

Unwrap the tamales and plate, then garnish with a drizzle of Mexican crema, crumbled queso fresco, and chopped cilantro. Serve with Modelo!

Step 9

Enjoy!