Green Pork Tamales

5 from 46 votes

Green Pork Tamales are simply amazing. Made with tender, shredded pork in a savory tomatillo sauce and wrapped in corn husks. Serve with plenty of salsa verde.

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time3

Total Time4 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 173kcal

Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

For the Pork:

4 lbs Pork Butt or Pork Shoulder (chopped into pieces)
1 garlic head
1 onion
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoon salt
½ tablespoon pepper
water (see below for exact amount)

For the Masa:

1 ⅓ cups shortening (or lard)
4 cups masa harina
2 ½ tsps salt
2 tsps baking powder
3 ½ cups pork broth

For the Salsa Verde:

24 tomatillos
1 onion
8 jalapenos (or serrano peppers)
4 garlic cloves
water (enough to cover the tomatillos)
cilantro (handful)
juice of 2 limes
salt (to taste)

Also Needed:

45 corn husks
water for soaking and steaming

Instructions

For the Pork:

Rinse and chop up the pork.
Place the pork, garlic, onion, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
For Instant Pot: Add enough water to cover ¾ of the meat. Cover with lid, move valve to sealing, press Stew/ Meat button. Quick release the valve.
For Stove Top: Add water. About 4 inches above the meat. Cover and cook for 2 ½ hours, or until fork tender.
Skim the fat off the top of the broth.
Remove the meat and let it cool down slightly.
Reserve the broth.

How to Make Masa for Tamales

Beat the shortening with your mixer until smooth for about 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the masa harina, salt, and baking powder.
Add the dry ingredients in small batches to the mixer.
Alternate with the broth until completely mixed.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as need.
Look for a smooth texture in the masa.

For the Salsa Verde:

Place the tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapeno in a stock pot.
Cover with water.
Bring to a boil.
Cook for 8 minutes.
Discard the water and let ingredients cool slightly.
Put the tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and cilantro in a blender.
Blend until smooth.

How to Make the Filling:

Add the shredded pork, salsa verde, and 2 cups pork broth in a stock pot.
Cook for 20 minutes. Set aside.

For the Corn Husks:

Separate and remove any debris like hair and bugs.
Submerge in hot water for 20-30 minutes. Overnight is best.

How to Assemble Tamales:

Make a workstation - masa, corn husks, pork filling.
Spread a thin layer of masa on a corn husk, except for the pointy top.
Add a generous amount of the pork filling to the center of the masa.
Fold one of the sides of the corn husks to the center.
Fold over the other side of the husk in.
Take the point top of the corn husk and fold to the center.
Place upright while assembling the rest of the tamales.
Repeat until there are no more ingredients.
Add water to the pot. Just above the steamer insert.
Place all the tamales upright into the steamer pot.
Cover with the lid.
Cook for 1 ½ hours to 2 hours.

Video

Notes

Do everything in stages. Two days before, make the filling. The day before, make the sauce. Soak the corn husks the night before. Buy pre-made masa. That way, the day of, all you have to do is assemble.

Pro Tip:

If the masa is still mushy after 2 hours, add more water to the pot and steam for another 30 minutes.

Still not completely done? Leave them in the pot with the lid on and the heat turned OFF. Sometimes, just leaving them alone, they will come together.

Nutrition