By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 18
189 cal · 300 min
Steamed Pork Tamales
Recipe GLPR370d1aba87f70e
Tender, slow-cooked pork shoulder infused with a rich blend of guajillo and chipotle chiles, aromatic garlic, warm spices, and herbs. These authentic tamales are steamed to perfection, creating a savory filling that celebrates traditional Mexican cuisine. Perfect for gatherings and meal prep.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
10 guajillo chiles
8 cups hot water
10 garlic cloves
2 cans canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp dried oregano
3 lb boneless pork shoulder
Directions
Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo chiles. Place them in a large bowl and pour 8 cups of hot water over them. Let soak for 15 minutes until softened.
Transfer the softened guajillo chiles and soaking liquid to a blender. Add the 10 garlic cloves, canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, black pepper, cinnamon, and oregano. Blend until smooth.
Strain the chile sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pot, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all liquid and flavor.
Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks and add to the pot with the chile sauce. Season with kosher salt to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 3.5 to 4 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily shreds with a fork. Stir occasionally.
Remove the pork from the sauce with a slotted spoon and shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
Return the shredded pork to the pot with the chile sauce and stir to combine, ensuring the pork is well coated. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Use the seasoned shredded pork filling immediately for assembling and steaming tamales, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Comments
Guajillo and chipotle chiles will require a special trip to a Latin market—Charlotte chains like Harris Teeter and Food Lion stock them inconsistently, and you'll likely end up at a dedicated Hispanic grocer to guarantee availability. The pork shoulder itself is cheap and widely available, keeping the per-serving cost around $0.60–0.80, but the stated 300 minutes masks the real commitment: soaking chiles, making sauce, preparing masa (not listed but essential), filling, and steaming easily runs 4–5 hours for a beginner, and the recipe glosses over masa-making entirely. This is a weekend project for someone patient with technique and willing to invest the time; it rewards that effort with 18 servings that freeze and reheat beautifully, but it is not a weeknight dinner and demands advance planning to source chiles.
Sign in or create a free account to add your review.
