Instant Pot Pork Tamales [VIDEO]

Tamales are not hard. They are just labor intensive. Grab a few friends so it can go faster.

This is an authentic recipe for red pork tamales (or tamales de puerco) just like my mom, grandma, and aunts make back in Mexico.

I’m making them in the Instant Pot so we can get to the eating part faster!

Also try Instant Pot Chicken Tamales.

Cooking the Pork

• Chop the pork meat into smaller pieces.
• Add the garlic, onion, water, and spices. Cook until tender.

This is pork shoulder. You can also use pork butt. I asked the butcher for a pork bone just for some extra flavor.

The pork broth that’s made is going to be used to flavor the masa as well. Not just the meat.

Pork is really fatty. When it’s cooking, be sure to skim the fat off every so often. Let this cook for a long, long time.

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips:

• The trick to tamales faster is making everything in stages and ready to go.
• I highly suggest making the filling in a slow cooker or making it the day before. You can even make it two days before.
• Invite friends to help and reward them with tamales.
• Don’t be afraid to buy prepared masa.
• Tying an extra knot around the tamales is extra work. It’s ok to just fold them and skip the tying.

🌽 Corn Husks

• The corn husks need to be soaked.
• I usually soak them the night before. Then the day of, I drain and soak them again.

Yes, you can soak the husks that day. 20 minutes in warm water. That will do the trick, but test the corn husks to see if they are pliable enough.

Will they wrap, bend, move easily? If so, then great! They are ready. If not, add more hot water and let them soak longer.

🌶️ Making the Chile Sauce

• You need a lot of ancho chile. You can also use a combination of ancho and guajillo.
• Clean them, devein them, and remove the seeds.

What can I say? This is the way my grandmother made them. My grandmother being the original Mama Maggie, my namesake.

If guajillo is on sale that week, use guajillo! Ancho chile, though, is preferred.

In Mexico, dried chiles tend to be dusty. It mainly has to do with the way that they are stored. I’ve even found little bugs. EEK!

How to Clean Dried Chiles

• Get a damp paper towel and gently wipe off any dust.
• Do not rinse them under the faucet. I feel like that takes away some of the flavor.

This is another reason why you should not use the rehydrating water when cooking.

I know that’s the way most of our moms made food, but I’ve started to go away from doing this. No bugs for me!

• Blend until smooth.
• Put the sauce through the strainer and push with the back of your cooking spoon.
• Set Aside.

Sometimes the blender won’t get all the chile, and there are bits and pieces of chile still in the sauce.

You can even make this sauce ahead of time. It will last in the fridge up to 3 days. Or a few months months in the freezer.

This sauce is the same sauce used for beef tamales and very similar to the sauce for Huevos Ahogados.

• Save some of the sauce in a separate container.
• From here, add the reserved red sauce to the masa.
• Mix the masa and the red sauce.

Make your own Masa for Tamales or buy some at the Mexican market. Whatever works for you.

Notice how the masa turns orange. Yes, you can skip this step and use all the red sauce in the pork.

However, the sauce gives the masa a good flavor.

• Once the pork is cooked, you want to let it cool slightly.
• Shredding meat is harder when it is hot.
• Then add the remaining sauce to the pork.

Some people like their the filling to be really saucy. Mexican food is alllll about the sauce. It’s boss!

• If you want it saucier, add some pork broth to the stock pot with the red pork.
• Add more pork broth until you get the consistency, texture, and taste you want. If need be, add more salt.

Taste this filling. Remember that if the filling is good, the tamales will be good.

From here, the next step is to assemble!

🫔 How to Assemble Tamales

• Shake off any excess water from the corn husk.
• Add about a tablespoon of masa to the lower part of the corn husk.
• Add a tablespoon of the pork filling. You can also add more sauce if you like.
• Then fold one side over.
• Then fold the other side over.
• Lastly, fold the corner top into the center of the tamal.
• Repeat until done.

Here, we’re making savory tamales. Have you ever tried sweet tamales? Yum!

Dessert Tamales

• Tamales Dulces
• Strawberry Tamales
• Pumpkin Tamales

⏰ Cooking Tamales in the Instant Pot

Seriously, whoever invented the instant pot is a genius. You know how tamales usually take 1 ½ hour but closer to 2 hours to cook?

Instant Pot Tamales cook in half the time. SAY WHAT??!! That’s right. No waiting around for hours on end for the tamales to cook.

For Frozen Tamales:

• Set the time for 45 minutes. Then full release.
• Let them sit for about 5-10 minutes before removing the lid.

For Fresh Tamales:

• Set the timer for 35 minutes. Then full release.
• Let them sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

We’re talking under an hour to cook the tamales. Happy Dance! 🕺🏻

For More Tamale Recipes:

• Tamale Masa Recipe with Oil
• Pickled Jalapeño and Cheese Tamales
• Beef Tamales
• Chicken Salsa Verde Tamales
• Tamales de Frijol

Downside to Instant Pot Tamales

• There’s a downside though. It couldn’t all be good, right? You can only cook a few at a time.
• This recipe is for 3 dozen tamales. I can only fit about 18 full-sized tamales and 2 small tamales.

My advise is to cook one batch. Serve and while everyone is eating, make the other batch. By the time the next batch is ready, your family will be done with the first batch.

Or, you can freeze the second batch. Unless your family is hungry. My family’s motto: “Leave no tamal behind.” lol.

Don’t have an instant pot? Try the original Tamales Rojos recipe made in a steamer.

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