Pork tamales without lard can be and are absolutely delicious! While it may not be the traditional way to make tamales they are still none the less super tasty. Not everyone can or wants to use lard, thankfully there are other options out there.
These tamales de puerco without lard feature a flavorful masa filled with tender shredded pork mixed with a rich homemade red chile sauce. They’re definitely a labor of love but so very worth it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made without lard
- Flavorful masa
- Delicious homemade chile sauce
- Feeds a crowd
Ingredients Overview
This recipe is made with simple ingredients that come together to create flavorful homemade pork tamales without lard. You may need to visit a Mexican supermarket to find some of the ingredients. Here are a few of the key ingredients you’ll need.
Pork butt – I only use Pork butt for my pork tamales. After cooking low and slow with the homemade red chile sauce it becomes tender and is easily shredded.
Dried chilies – Guajillo, ancho, and morita chilies are used to make the red chile sauce that flavors the pork. Guajillo chilies add a mild heat and bright flavor, ancho chilies provide depth and sweetness, and morita chilies add a subtle smokiness and just a little bit of spice.
Maseca for tamales – This is the corn flour used to make the masa. Make sure to use the variety specifically labeled for tamales. However, I have used the variety for tortillas as well and have had great results.
Vegetable oil – Instead of traditional lard, vegetable oil is used in this recipe to create a soft and fluffy masa.
Chicken bouillon – This adds extra flavor to both the pork filling and the masa.
Corn husks – Corn husks are used to wrap the tamales before steaming. They need to be soaked in hot water until softened so they’re easy to fold.
How to Make Pork Tamales without Lard
Making pork tamales without lard is easier than you might think. Instead of lard, this recipe uses vegetable oil, which still creates a soft and fluffy texture. The process involves preparing the chile sauce, browning and cooking the pork, mixing the masa, assembling the tamales, and steaming them until fully cooked. Theres a lot of steps but it isn’t anything complicated or that you should be intimidated by.
Prepare the red chile sauce
So the first thing I do is make the chile sauce as the pork will be simmering in this. I simply toast my dried chilies in a skillet until fragrant then I remove them and set them aside. Next I toast the garlic and onion until lightly charred. Then I remove the onion and garlic and set them aside. Next I return the dried chilies to the skillet and cover with water. Then I bring to a boil, turn off the heat and cover and let them soak for about 20 minutes to soften.
Peel the garlic and transfer to a blender along with the onion, chicken bouillon, oregano and cumin. Blend until smooth. Strain the sauce and make sure to reserve 1 cup of the sauce which will be added to the masa later on.
Brown and Cook the Pork
The next step is to brown the pork. I haven’t always done this when making pork tamales but I really recommend it. Browning the meat adds an additional layer of flavor and creates fond that you can’t get when simply simmering the meat. First I make sure the pork chunks are sufficiently seasoned with salt and pepper. Then I brown the chunks in oil until golden. Once that is done I add the red chile sauce and I let it simmer until tender. Once the pork is tender go ahead and shred it with two forks.
Soak the corn Husks
While the meat is simmering go ahead and soak the corn husks in hot water for 1 to 2 hours until softened and flexible.
Make the Masa
In a stand mixer bowl add the Maseca, baking powder, chicken bouillon, ground cumin, garlic powder and salt. Mix well. While mixing on low speed, slowly add the water and the reserved red chile sauce. Then slowly add the vegetable oil and mix on medium speed for about 10 minutes until fluffy.
Assemble the Tamales
Shake off the excess water on the corn husks. Working with one corn husk at a time spread a heaping spoonful of the masa onto the corn husk. Then add a heaping spoonful of the shredded pork to the center. Fold the sides of the husk inward and fold up the bottom to seal. Then repeat with the remaining corn husks and shredded pork.
Steam the Tamales
Stand the tamales upright in a steamer pot with water at the bottom. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Steam for 1½ to 2 hours. Take one tamal out and let it rest for about 10 minutes before opening. If the husk peels away easily from the masa, the tamales are ready.
Tips for the Best Pork Tamales without Lard
- Toast the chilies quickly and carefully. Toasting helps bring out their flavor but they can burn quickly so do this fast. Burnt chilies will impart a bitter flavor to the sauce and we don’t want that.
- Don’t skip soaking the corn husks. Without soaking, the corn husks will be hard and will tear easily.
- Mix the masa until light and fluffy. Beating the masa for about 10 minutes helps incorporate air, which creates lighter tamales. The masa should look smooth and slightly fluffy when it’s ready.
- Don’t overfill the tamales. Nobody wants a huge block of masa and little meat. A heaping spoonful of masa is usually just right and the same goes for the meat.
- Let the tamales rest before serving. Once the tamales are finished steaming, let them rest for about 10 minutes. This allows the masa to set and makes it easier for the husk to peel away cleanly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does tamale masa have to float?
So, you may have heard of the “float test”. It’s where a small piece of masa is dropped in a glass of water to see if it floats. If it doesn’t float it needs more mixing. In my experience the masa doesn’t have to float. I’ve had time where the masa floats and times when it didn’t and my tamales have always turned out great.
How do you know when tamales are done steaming?
To see if the tamales are done steaming simply take one out and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Gently open the tamal. If the corn husk separates easily from the masa then it is done. If the masa sticks to the husks and is still mushy then it needs to steam a bit longer.
Can tamales be frozen?
Yes, tamales can be frozen. Once the tamales have finished steaming, allow them to cool completely. Place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to eat them, tamales can be reheated straight from the freezer. The best way to reheat them is by steaming them for about 20–25 minutes, or until heated through. You can also microwave them by wrapping a tamal in a damp paper towel and heating it for 1–2 minutes, adding more time if needed.
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Pork Tamales without Lard
These delicious pork tamales without lard feature deliciously seasoned masa with tender pork and a homemade red chile sauce.
Ingredients
For the Meat and Chile Sauce
- 7 lbs boneless pork butt cut into small chunks
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbs vegetable oil plus more as needed
- 8 guajillo chilies stems and seeds removed
- 8 ancho chilies stems and seeds removed
- 6 morita chilies stems and seeds removed
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1/4 white onion
- 4 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
For the Masa
- 5 cups Maseca for tamales
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 5 tsp chicken bouillon
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup reserved red chile sauce
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- corn husks
Instructions
For the Meat and Sauce
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Heat up a skillet over medium heat. Once hot toast the chilies for about 15 seconds per side. Remove and set aside.
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Add the garlic and onion to the skillet and roast on all sides for around 5 to 8 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant and the onion has charred a bit. Remove the garlic and onion from the skillet and set aside.
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Return the chilies to the skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat, cover and let soak for 20 minutes.
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Once cool enough to handle, peel the garlic cloves and add them to a blender along with the piece of onion, chicken bouillon, oregano and ground cumin.
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Transfer the soaked chilies to the blender as well as 1 1/2 cups of fresh water. Blend until smooth. Strain into a bowl and reserve 1 cup of chile sauce for the masa.
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Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Heat up a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil. Once hot brown the pork in batches until golden and crispy, adding more oil as needed.
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Return all of the meat to the pot and add the chile sauce. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 2 hours or until tender. While the pork is cooking go ahead and soak the corn husks in hot water so they can soften.
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Uncover and let cook an additional 10 minutes just to reduce the sauce.
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Remove the pot from heat and let cool a bit. Shred with 2 forks and set aside.
Masa and Assembly
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In a stand mixer bowl, combine the Maseca, baking powder, chicken bouillon, ground cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Mix well.
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With the mixer on low, slowly add the water and reserved chile sauce.
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Gradually add the oil and mix on medium speed for about 10 minutes until fluffy.
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Shake off the excess water on the corn husks. Working with one corn husk at a time spread a heaping spoonful of the masa onto the corn husk. Then add a heaping spoonful of the shredded pork to the center.
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Fold the sides of the husk inward and fold up the bottom to seal. Then repeat with the remaining corn husks and shredded pork.
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Stand the tamales upright in a steamer pot with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and steam for 1½ to 2 hours.
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To check for doneness, remove one tamal and let it rest for 10 minutes. If the husk peels away cleanly from the masa, they’re ready!