Guatemalan Red Tamales

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Guatemalan Red Tamales are the crown jewel of Central American holiday cooking. A richly spiced tomato-and-chile recado stains the masa a deep brick red, while the filling layers shredded pork with briny olives, sweet raisins, and tangy capers, all steamed inside banana leaves for an earthy, aromatic finish.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 520 kcalCalories
• 24 gFat
• 8 gSaturated Fat
• 56 gCarbs
• 6 gFiber
• 9 gSugar
• 22 gProtein
• 780 mgSodium
• 640 mgPotassium
• 95 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 14 mgVitamin C
• 120 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the pork and broth

• 2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 small white onion, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 tsp kosher salt

For the recado (red sauce)

• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 2 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 1 dried ancho chile, stem and seeds removed
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 tsp achiote paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp kosher salt

For the masa

• 4 cups masa harina for tamales
• 1 cup lard or vegetable shortening, room temperature
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3 1/2 cups reserved pork broth, warm

For assembly

• 18 large banana leaves, cut into 8×10-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives, sliced
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 2 tbsp capers, drained
• Butcher's twine or strips of banana leaf, for tying

Directions

1. Place the pork in a large pot with the onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Cover with water by 1 inch, bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer covered for 1 hour 30 minutes until fork-tender. Reserve 3 1/2 cups broth and shred the pork into bite-sized pieces.
2. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes. In the same skillet, char the tomatoes, onion, and garlic until blackened in spots, about 8 minutes.
3. Drain the chiles and transfer to a blender with the charred vegetables, achiote, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and salt. Blend with 1/2 cup of the reserved broth until completely smooth, then strain into a bowl.
4. Whisk the lard until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the masa harina, baking powder, and salt, and beat on medium speed. Slowly drizzle in the warm broth, alternating with spoonfuls of the recado, until the masa is smooth, spreadable, and reddish-brown. Stir 1 cup of the recado into the shredded pork.
5. Pass banana leaves briefly over an open flame or hot burner until pliable and bright green, then wipe clean. Trim the stiff center rib from each leaf. Place 2 leaves together (one slightly offset) shiny side up on a flat surface.
6. Spoon about 1/3 cup of masa onto the center of each leaf and spread into a 4×6-inch rectangle using the back of a spoon. Top with 2 tablespoons of the pork filling, then scatter with olives, raisins, and capers.
7. Fold the long sides of the leaves over the filling to overlap, then fold up the short ends to form a neat rectangular packet. Tie each tamale firmly with twine or banana-leaf strips.
8. Set a steamer basket in a large pot with water just below the basket. Stand tamales upright in the basket, folded-side up, packing them snugly. Cover and steam over medium-low heat for 75-90 minutes, adding more hot water if needed, until the masa pulls away cleanly from the leaf.
9. Let tamales rest in the pot for 15 minutes before unwrapping so the masa firms up. Serve warm with extra recado or a simple cabbage salad on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• Authentic Guatemalan tamales are traditionally tied with thin strips of banana leaf rather than twine; soak strips in warm water to make them flexible.
• If masa sinks or feels gummy after steaming, the tamales were undercooked; give them another 15 minutes and check again.
• Char the banana leaves lightly over flame to sterilize them and release their signature aroma into the masa during steaming.
• Recado can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated; it actually deepens in flavor overnight.
• Leftover tamales reheat beautifully by steaming again for 15-20 minutes; avoid microwaving which makes the masa dense.

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