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Masa for Tamales

This masa recipe delivers tender, moist tamales with a light crumb that falls apart on your tongue. You control every ingredient, skip preservatives, and create something far superior to packaged alternatives.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 60 tamales
Course: Main Ingredient
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 180
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 4 cups masa harina corn flour made from nixtamalized corn
  • 2 cups lard room temperature, or vegetable shortening
  • 2 cups warm chicken or vegetable broth about 100 to 110 degrees
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper optional

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or electric hand mixer)
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Wooden spoon (for testing consistency)
  • Kitchen scale (optional but helpful)
  • Thermometer (to check broth temperature)

Method
 

  1. Remove your lard from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour to ensure it incorporates properly.
  2. Pour the four cups of masa harina into a large mixing bowl and sift in the baking powder, salt, cumin, and white pepper if using them.
  3. Warm your broth to between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit, checking with a thermometer if available.
  4. Place the room-temperature lard in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  5. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat the lard for three to five minutes until it resembles fluffy clouds; the lard will lighten in color and increase in volume.
  6. With the mixer running on medium speed, add half of the masa harina mixture, then pour in the warm broth slowly while beating.
  7. Stop the mixer and add the remaining masa harina, beating again until fully combined and smooth.
  8. Continue beating on medium speed for five to seven more minutes until the masa is light, fluffy, pale in color, and holds soft peaks.
  9. Drop a small teaspoon of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats immediately, your masa is ready. If it sinks, beat it for another minute or two and test again.
  10. If the masa feels too thick, add broth one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency; if too thin, beat it longer to thicken naturally.

Notes

The most common mistake is not beating the masa long enough, resulting in dense tamales. Use high-quality masa harina and keep lard at room temperature for the best results. Masa can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen as assembled tamales for up to 3 months.