Here’s a traditional, authentic Mexican Chile Colorado Tamales recipe—the kind made for fiestas and family gatherings 🇲🇽🌽
Rich red chile pork, fluffy masa, slow-steamed and full of flavor.
Chile Colorado Tamales (Rojos)
Makes about 25–30 tamales
Ingredients
For the chile colorado (red chile pork)
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2½ lbs pork shoulder or pork butt
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8–10 dried guajillo chiles
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2–3 dried ancho chiles
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2 cloves garlic
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¼ white onion
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1 tsp cumin
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1 tsp Mexican oregano
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½ tsp cloves (optional, traditional)
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Salt to taste
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Water or pork broth
For the masa
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4 cups masa harina for tamales
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3–3½ cups warm pork broth
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1¼ cups lard (traditional)
(or vegetable shortening) -
2 tsp baking powder
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2 tsp salt
Other
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30–35 corn husks, soaked in hot water
Instructions
1️⃣ Cook the Pork
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Cut pork into large chunks.
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Simmer with salt, garlic, and onion for 1½–2 hours until tender.
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Reserve all the broth.
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Shred the pork and set aside.
2️⃣ Make Chile Colorado Sauce
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Remove stems & seeds from dried chiles.
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Toast lightly (do NOT burn).
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Soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
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Blend chiles with garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, cloves, salt, and some soaking liquid until smooth.
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Strain sauce.
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Simmer sauce 10–15 minutes until thick.
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Add shredded pork and simmer 10 more minutes.
👉 It should be rich, red, and not watery.
3️⃣ Prepare the Masa
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Beat lard until fluffy (very important).
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Mix masa harina, baking powder, and salt.
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Slowly add warm broth and lard.
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Mix until soft and spreadable (like peanut butter).
Float test (traditional):
Drop a small piece of masa in water — if it floats, it’s ready.
4️⃣ Assemble Tamales
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Spread masa on soaked corn husk (about ¼ inch thick).
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Add pork chile colorado down the center.
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Fold sides in, then bottom up.
5️⃣ Steam
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Stand tamales upright in a steamer.
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Steam 1½–2 hours.
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Ready when husk peels away cleanly.
Traditional Tips
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Flavor comes from lard + broth, not shortcuts
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Sauce should be deep red, not orange
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Let tamales rest 10–15 minutes after steaming
If you want:
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Chicken chile colorado tamales
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Extra spicy northern-style
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No-lard version
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How Mexican abuelas season them