Masa for Tamales
This foundational recipe yields a soft, spreadable dough perfect for tamales. It provides detailed guidance for preparing the masa either manually, which takes about 20 minutes, or using an electric mixer to reduce the time. The process involves whipping fat, combining dry ingredients, and gradually adding warm stock until the dough passes a float test. The finished masa can be used immediately or stored briefly before assembling your tamales.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups lard or vegetable shortening, at room temperature
- 4 cups masa harina
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 3 3/4 cups warm chicken stock or water, divided (see Recipe Note)
Method
- Place the lard or vegetable shortening into a large bowl. Knead it by hand until it is light and airy, which takes about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can beat it using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed for approximately 8 minutes. The colour will shift from yellowish to white.
- Mix the masa harina, baking powder, and salt into the whipped fat. Continue mixing by hand, using your fingers to break apart any large clumps until the texture resembles wet sand. If using a mixer, pause occasionally to scrape the bowl's sides and bottom with a spatula.
- While mixing, slowly pour in 3 1/2 cups of the warm chicken stock. Continue to mix by hand for around 15 minutes, or with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 10 minutes.
- To test the dough, drop a small, quarter-sized ball into a glass of cold water. If it floats, the masa is ready. If it sinks, incorporate the remaining 1/4 cup of stock, knead for 5 more minutes, and test again. Repeat until the ball floats. The final masa will be sticky and spreadable. It can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours or refrigerated in a sealed container for 48 hours.
Nutrition (per serving)
Sodium414 mg
Recipe details
CategoryMain course
Cuisinelatin american
AuthorEricka Sanchez
