# Tamales

A healthier, step-by-step, easy-to-follow recipe for tamales.

- Total time: 150 min
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Category: Soup
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 2.5 lb beef chuck roast
- 1 whole onion
- 1 whole garlic head
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 2 tbsp salt
- 5 guajillos
- 1 or 2 chile ancho
- 9 tomatillos
- 5 6 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp pepper
- 1 cup broth or water
- 4 cups masa harina (or maseca)
- 6 oz avocado oil shortening
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 4 cups hot broth
- 0.75 cup red sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- slice potato
- slice carrot
- 1 slice jalapeno slice

## Instructions

1. Simmer beef chuck roast with onion, garlic head, bay leaves, and 2 tbsp salt until tender, about 2.5 hours. Shred beef and save and strain broth for the masa.
2. Prepare the red sauce: Simmer guajillos, ancho chile, tomatillos, garlic cloves, oregano, cumin, 1 tsp salt, and pepper with 1 cup of broth or water. Blend until smooth and adjust salt to taste.
3. Beat shortening for 5 minutes on medium to high speed.
4. Add baking powder and mix for 1 minute until incorporated.
5. Add masa harina and salt, and slowly start incorporating hot broth while mixing.
6. Add reserved red sauce to the masa or mix it into the broth for color and flavor.
7. Mix for 25 minutes on medium speed to incorporate air for fluffy tamales.
8. Taste test a small piece of masa and adjust salt if necessary.
9. Wrap tamales with your desired filling (potato, carrot, jalapeno slice).
10. Steam tamales on low heat for 1.5 hours.
11. Allow tamales to rest for 15-30 minutes before serving.

## Equipment

- hand mixer
- steamer basket
- tamal pot

## Tips

- You can use your protein of choice: beef, pork, or chicken.
- You can really use any tomato for the red sauce.
- Adjust salt to taste. Saltiness all depends on your broth and sauce.
- You can use any fat of choice, beef tallow, lard, or shortening.
- Mixing enough air ensures you get nice fluffy soft tamales.
- Wrap your tamales as thick as you like.
- Allow your tamales to rest for 15-30 minutes before serving.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR2GAkskXGC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/c14d85cf-b3a7-4eac-bc41-11e090eb0dd6
- Extracted: 2025-12-15

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt