Muy Bueno: Fiestas 
Tamal Dough made with Masa Harina
If you have the Muy Bueno cookbook or have been following my blog you know that I usually recommend purchasing fresh ground corn (unprepared masa) from a tortilleria (tortilla factory) or in the refrigerated section of a Latin supermarket to make Tamal Dough (Masa para Tamales).
If you do not have access to a tortilleria or Latin supermarket do not worry — I have an alternative recipe for you.
It calls for masa harina (corn flour), which is used to make corn tortillas, sopes, tamales, and many other Mexican and Central American foods. Masa harina is readily available in the Hispanic aisle of your grocery store and online.
This recipe makes about one dozen tamales so feel free to double, triple, or quadruple this recipe, as needed.
This recipe can easily be made my hand in a bowl, but whipping the lard in a stand mixer makes for fluffier and lighter tamales.
If you are making tamales with chile – add a bit of chile sauce to your masa for added flavor.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE TAMALES
The key to moist, flavorful tamales is not being shy about adding fat. Lard is traditional in Mexico. If you do not want to use lard — try using shortening or softened butter for a vegetarian version.
- lard or shortening
- baking powder
- salt
- masa harina (corn flour)
- chicken broth
- red chile sauce, only add if making red chile pork tamales
- corn husks
- filling of your choice (see below)
NEED FILLING OPTIONS? TRY SOME OF THESE
Now that you have masa for tamales go and make your favorite filling for tamales. Try these savory fillings:
- Roasted Chicken and Salsa Verde Tamales
- Cheese with Roasted Chile Tamales (Tamales de Rajas Con Queso)
- Red Chile Lamb Barbacoa Tamales
- Zucchini and Corn Tamales
- Red Chile and Pork Tamales
- Chicken Mole Tamales
Tamal Dough made with Masa Harina
Ingredients
- 2/3 cups lard, or shortening
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups masa harina, corn flour - see notes
- 1 ½ to 2 cups warm homemade chicken stock, or store-bought low-sodium broth
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chile sauce, optional
Instructions
- Combine lard, salt, and baking powder using an electric mixer, beat at medium-high speed until well whipped, about 1 minute.
- Add one-fourth of the masa at a time to the lard, beating between additions until thoroughly incorporated.
- Slowly add chicken stock and continue beating until dough is light and has a soft and spreadable hummus-like texture. If it’s too dry, mix in a little more broth; if your dough is too loose, add more masa harina until you get the desired texture. Add chile sauce (if using) and stir to combine.
- Test the masa by taking a small piece (1/2 teaspoon) and dropping it into a cup of warm water. If it floats it is ready; if it sinks, add a little more lard, beat for another minute and test it again. Repeat this process until the masa floats.
- Cover the masa and set aside and make tamales with your filling of choice.
Notes
- Masa harina is readily available in the Hispanic aisle of your grocery store and online.
- If you are making tamales with chile – add a bit of chile sauce to your masa for added flavor.
Photography: Jenna Sparks
25 Comments on “Tamal Dough made with Masa Harina”
I am also born n raised in El Paso, Texas.
Hey there – how much meat do I buy if I want to make your masa recipe?
I ordered prepared masa from store but it didn’t float what do I need to add or is that ok to use without floating
I always recommend using unprepared masa so that you are in control of lard and spices. I would recommend maybe whipping with some warm broth and adding a bit more lard. Hope that’s helpful. IF it still doesn’t float, you should still be ok 😉
Can I use the pork broth (pork juice and fat blended together) as described in your “fresh masa” recipe instead of the chicken broth listed in this one?
Yes, absolutely!!
Does it matter yellow or white harina?
What is the difference between the two?
This is the first time I will be trying to make tamale and I am following your receipt, but I missed how you cook the red chilies and how many do I use. Could
you please send me the instructions.
Thank you,
Gloria Evans
Just wondering, can I use the pork broth from the leftover juices and fats from your Authentic Mexican Pork Tamale Rojos recipe instead of the chicken stock in this recipe?
YES, Absolutely!
The masa they sell in store here say it’s instant, do I still have to add the lard salt baking powder, or are the in already
Packaging can be so confusing. I’m not sure why they call it “instant” but YES, you will still need to add lard, salt, and baking powder.
Which side of the corn chuck do you spread masa??
It truly doesn’t matter Sylvia. The corn husk has two sides, a rough and a smooth side. I would recommend spreading masa on smooth side. Spreading works best with soft room temperature masa.
Thank you for the masa recipe…I have tried and failed so many times. What really helped is dropping the masa in warm water to see if it fliats!! Key instruction!!
how long do you steam the tamales for 1 hour or more?
How long to cook in pressurecooker
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I usually skim off any fat from cooking the beef—for shredded beef filling—and use that in place of the lard or shortening. I use a lot less fat than the recipe calls for and the masa still turns out great. The baking powder is key to keeping the masa a little lighter and fluffier. I quadruple the recipe and steam 60 tamales in one shot. Great recipe.
I tried making the masa from this recipe and no matter what I did it sank like a rock No matter what it did on the water test.
Can prepared mass for tamales be left out from refrigerator over Nite on the counter so it don’t get hard or does it have to be refrigerated till you make the tamales
Great question! I’d recommend refrigerating and leftover masa.
My question is “What do you mean by Chile sauce?”
I live in the metro Phoenix area, so am luck to have access to tortillerias & Hispanic supermarkets. I buy unprepared masa, but instead of beating/adding the manteca separately, we’ve always melted it in broth from the cooked meat, then added it to the masa. Will try your method next year; sounds like more work upfront, but may be worth it. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so lucky to have a tortilleria so close to my home. Makes everything so much easier. I start the tamales on Sat.
Living in Germany I don’t have acces to a tortilleria so I have been making my own masa for seven years now. This year we will be making several dozen for our New Years Eve celebration.