What Are Tamales? Fluffy Red Pork Tamales by Enrrique Alejandro

If you’ve ever walked into a kitchen and immediately thought, “Something important is steaming in here,” chances are you were near tamales. But let’s start at the beginning, because a lot of people still ask: what are tamales, exactly?

Tamales are little bundles of joy made from corn-based dough (called masa), filled with something flavorful, wrapped in corn husks, and steamed until tender. They date back thousands of years to ancient Mesoamerican cultures, where they were the ultimate travel snack: portable, hearty, and impossible to eat just one of. If you want to do a deep dive, check out here the history of tamales. 

At COCINA, we’ve told a lot of food stories, but Enrrique Alejandro’s tamales stick with us in a special way. Enrrique is a young Mexican-American creator who shares his life with Type 1 Diabetes and uses his platform to lift up other families going through similar journeys. When he’s not on the soccer field, he’s most at home in the kitchen, guided by the voices and recipes of his mamá, abuelita, and great-grandmother. What they passed down to him wasn’t just how to cook — it was how to love people loudly, show up bravely, and keep culture alive through flavor. His tamales are a delicious reminder that what are tamales is also a question about memory, family, and joy — not just ingredients.

And when Enrrique makes tamales, he makes them like he means it.

So grab a bowl and maybe an apron you don’t mind getting messy. We’re walking you through what tamales are and how to make Enrrique Alejandro’s legendary Tamales de Puerco en Salsa Guajillo–Árbol step by step.

First Things First: The Fluffy Masa 

Before we get to the filling, let’s talk about masa — the heart, soul, and emotional support system of a tamal.

Ingredients (Masa)

• ½ bag Maseca Para Tamales (Makes ~36 Tamales)
  
  
• 1 pound pork lard
  
  
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
  
  
• 2 tablespoons salt
  
  
• 4 cups warm pork broth
  
  

Instructions

In a large bowl, whip the lard, baking powder, and salt for 15–20 minutes until light and fluffy. You want it airy, almost cloud-like. This is the step where your kitchen starts to feel serious.

Next, alternate adding dry Maseca and warm pork broth. Mix, then add more Maseca. Mix again, then add more broth. Keep going until the masa is soft, smooth, and spreadable. It should feel like a thick frosting you’d happily spread on everything if that were socially acceptable.

Cover the masa and let it rest for 20–30 minutes. Good tamales, like good gossip, need time to settle.

The Star Filling: Red Pork (Puerco)

This is where the magic gets deep, rich, and very difficult to “just taste once.”

Ingredients (Pork)

• 8 lbs pork shoulder, boneless
  
  
• 1 onion, cut in halves
  
  
• 1 garlic head, cut in halves
  
  
• 4 bay leaves
  
  
• 4 tablespoons chicken bouillon
  
  
• Water to cover
  
  

Instructions

Put everything into a large pot, cover with water, and let it boil for about 2 hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender. Shred the meat and set it aside. We trust you. Mostly.

The Bold Red Sauce (Guajillo–Árbol)

If tamales had a soundtrack, this sauce would be the dramatic, emotional background music.

Learn more about these chiles here.

Ingredients (Sauce)

• 40 guajillo peppers
  
  
• 4 chiles de árbol
  
  
• ½ onion
  
  
• 6 garlic cloves
  
  
• 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon
  
  
• Water to cover chiles
  
  
• 3 tablespoons oil
  
  

Instructions

Boil the chiles for 20 minutes until softened.
Blend them with onion, garlic, bouillon, and about 6 cups of water.
Heat oil in a pot and fry the sauce for 10–15 minutes, stirring often.
Add the shredded pork and stir until every strand is coated in flavor.

At this point, your kitchen should smell like someone’s childhood memory.

How We Wrap the Love (Assembling the Tamales)

You’ll need

• Soaked corn husks
  
  
• Prepared masa
  
  
• Red pork filling
  
  

Spread masa onto a corn husk with the back of a spoon.
Add a spoonful of pork filling down the center.
Fold the sides inward, then fold the bottom up to seal.

No two tamales look the same. If yours look unique, you’re doing it right.

The Long Steam (Where Patience Is Tested)

Line the tamales upright in a steamer pot.
Bring to a strong boil, then reduce to medium heat. 

Steam for 1 hour and 50 minutes to 2 hours.

They’re done when the masa cleanly separates from the husk. This is the moment where everyone suddenly “just happens” to be near the kitchen.

One Last Tamal: What Are Tamales to Us?

After all this stirring, folding, waiting, and sneaking tiny tastes, the answer to what are tamales becomes pretty clear.

Tamales are stories you can eat. They’re time, care, family, and memory wrapped into one warm little package. Enrrique shares his life with Type 1 Diabetes to inspire families, but his kitchen creations tell another story: one of heritage, love, and resilience. Enrrique honors the women who raised him and the culture that shaped him. His tamales are a delicious reminder that what are tamales is also a question about memory, family, and joy — not just ingredients.

At COCINA, we’ll never get tired of recipes like this — the kind that leave your hands messy, your kitchen steamy, and your heart full.

And yes, you will probably eat three. That’s called respecting the recipe.