Authentic Mexican Chile Colorado Tamales

Here is a fully traditional, no-shortcuts recipe for Authentic Mexican Chile Colorado Tamales, exactly how they’re made in many central & northern Mexican homes 🇲🇽🌽🌶️
(This is the deep red, savory version — not sweet, not Tex-Mex.)

---

Authentic Chile Colorado Tamales

Makes ~24 tamales

---

Ingredients

Corn Husks

• 24 dried corn husks
• Hot water (to soak)

---

Red Chile Colorado Filling

Meat

• 2 lb (900 g) pork shoulder (most traditional) or beef chuck
• ½ onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1½ tsp salt

Dried Chiles (authentic blend)

• 6 guajillo chiles
• 2 ancho chiles

Seasoning

• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp Mexican oregano
• Salt to taste

---

Masa for Tamales

• 5 cups masa harina for tamales (not tortilla masa)
• 1½ cups lard (traditional — gives correct texture & flavor)
• 4–4½ cups warm meat broth
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp salt

---

Instructions

---

1. Cook the Meat

1. Simmer pork with onion, garlic, and salt in water for 1½–2 hours until very tender.
2. Remove meat and shred finely.
3. Reserve all broth — this is essential for flavor.

---

2. Make Chile Colorado Sauce

1. Remove stems & seeds from chiles.
2. Lightly toast chiles (a few seconds per side — do not burn).
3. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
4. Blend chiles with:
   • Garlic
   • Cumin
   • Oregano
   • Salt
   • 2 cups reserved broth
5. Strain sauce (very traditional).
6. Simmer sauce 10 minutes.
7. Add shredded meat to sauce. Set aside.

---

3. Prepare Masa (Key Step)

1. Beat lard until light and fluffy (5–7 minutes).
2. Mix masa harina, salt, baking powder.
3. Slowly add warm broth until masa is soft, spreadable (like peanut butter).
4. Fold masa into whipped lard.
5. Float test: a small piece dropped in water should float.

---

4. Assemble Tamales

1. Spread ~¼ cup masa on soaked husk.
2. Add 1–2 tbsp chile colorado filling.
3. Fold sides inward, then fold bottom up.
4. Do not overfill.

---

5. Steam

1. Place tamales upright in steamer.
2. Steam 1½–2 hours, checking water level.
3. Tamales are done when husk peels away cleanly.

---

How They’re Served (Traditional)

• With frijoles de la olla
• Mexican rice
• Salsa roja or pickled jalapeños
• Coffee or atole (very traditional)

---

Authentic Tips (Very Important)

• ❌ No tomatoes in true chile colorado
• ✅ Lard is traditional (oil/shortening changes texture)
• Masa must be soft, not stiff
• Tamales improve after resting 10–15 minutes
• Even better the next day

---

If you want, I can also:

• Adjust this to northern Mexico style
• Make extra-red masa (masa tinted with chile)
• Convert to Instant Pot steaming
• Scale it down for a small family batch

Just tell me 😊