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Writer's pictureMangia McCann

Christmas in Guatemala: Pork Tamales

This being the month of Christmas, a holiday celebrated among 160 of the 195 countries that make up this planet, I’ve decided to do a monthly installment of how different countries around the world celebrate this special holiday in their kitchens and feature their signature holiday meals. Some may be sides, some may be mains, maybe a dessert or two, some may be a complete dinner. Only time will tell by which country my girls have randomly pulled out of Santa’s hat.


Merry Christmas…or should I say Feliz Navidad? Guatemala’s most favorite Christmas dish is Tamales! It is also very fitting for today as it is National Tamales Day. While I’ve made Mexican tamales before (using corn husks as the wrapper), Guatemalan tamales use banana leaves which are a bit more tricky to use. First, they’re very large and need to be trimmed. Second, they rip apart easily, especially when wrapping up the tamale, which made me worry they would blow-out during the steaming process. Some did, but it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. These turned out great.

Guatemalan Tamales adapted from Food & Wine, Alex Stupak

  • 10 dried guajillo chiles

  • Garlic

  • 2 canned chipotles in adobo

  • Black pepper

  • ½ tsp cinnamon

  • ½ tsp dried oregano

  • 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder

  • 2.5 cups masa harina, or Maseca

  • 1 cup cold lard

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • 1.5 tsp Kosher salt

  • 1 cup cold chicken stock

  • 2 packs of banana leaves

Tear, seed and toast the dried chiles in a cast iron skillet over high heat, for a minute or so, until fragrant. Transfer the toasted chiles to a blender. Add in 2 cups of hot water and let sit for 15 minutes. Then add in 10 garlic cloves, the chipotles, 1 tsp of black pepper, the cinnamon and oregano and blend until smooth.


Pour the blended chile sauce through a strainer and into a dutch oven. Add in the pork and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, partially cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer for 3-4 hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender, flipping the meat after a couple of hours.


Meanwhile, prepare the banana leaves by trimming the rough edges and cutting them into 8-inch squares. Keep some scrap leaves to line the strainer for cooking.


Remove the pork to a cutting board and allow it to cool. Continue to reduce the sauce until only 4 cups remain. Meanwhile, shred the meat then add it back to the pot and cook until the sauce is nearly fully reduced, just barely coating the meat. Let cool.


Meanwhile, prepare the masa by combining the Maseca and 1.75 cups of hot water. Stir to combine and set aside.


Then, fit your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and slowly incorporate the lard, baking powder and kosher salt, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes on high speed. With the paddle still going, add in small handfuls of the masa. Then, pour in the chicken stock and increase the speed to high and continue to mix for 3 minutes.


Place some water in the bottom of a pot lined with a strainer/steamer. Place banana leaf scraps into the bottom and covering about 2 inches of the walls of the strainer.


Lay out a trimmed leaf square on a cutting board with the banana leaf lines running side-to-side. Place about ⅓ cup of the masa mix onto the leaf and spread thin, leaving a sizeable gap at the top. Place some pork mixture on the bottom half of the masa mixture and roll up and tuck downward making the filling snug. Continue to roll all the way up, leaving the seam at the bottom and tuck the sides under. Place in the prepared pan and repeat.


Steam for 80 minutes, adding in more water after 30 minute intervals. Then turn off the heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove the tamales from the basket, cut away the butcher string and place on serving plates.


Serve with your favorite sides.

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Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.


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