Sweet Corn Tamales With Pork

It doesn't get more authentic than this! Sweet corn tamales stuffed with pork are a family recipe passed down from generation to generation. One single bite will make you a believer!

I don't know about you, but whenever I think of authentic Mexican family recipes, tamales are the first thing that comes to my mind. At first, they might seem intimidating or complicated, but I am here to reassure you that they are actually really easy.

This recipe is so simple that even if this is your first time making tamales, you will create the ultimate family dinner that everyone will love. It's basically a no-fail recipe.

 Why You'll Love This Tamales Recipe

Spicy and tender pork stuffed into a tamale shell - what is not to like? This is one of those recipes that is passed down through the generations and once you make it, you'll want to celebrate with a huge family dinner!

These tamales are savory and spicy, wrapped in sweet corn husks. The aroma alone will send your taste buds soaring! As they cook, you'll wish for dinner time so you can sink your teeth into them.

🌎 History Behind Mexican Tamales

Chanchamitos is the common name for these Sweet Corn Tamales stuffed with pork in Chipotle sauce in the south of Veracruz. In the region known as the "Tuxtlas". The process to make them is similar to making the famous Uchepos from the State of Michoacán but those ones are made without the filling.

These savory and sweet corn tamales are from the southern region of the state of Veracruz. I found out about them while living in the city of Coatzacoalcos, a coastal town famous for its oil refineries, as well as for being the hometown of the famous Mexican actress Salma Hayek.

My husband and I were newlyweds when we arrived to live in Coatzacoalcos back in the 80’s. We both had jobs, and sometimes we liked to go out for dinner after a long day at work. One Friday evening, we discovered a lady sitting outside the municipal market with two large metal buckets covered with cloth napkins and plastic.

We asked her: “what are you selling?”, to which she answered “Chanchamitos”. My husband and I had never heard of them. She then explained that they were tamales made with fresh corn and stuffed with pork in a chipotle salsa.

“You can try one”, she said. “If you like it, you pay for it, and if not, that’s fine with me”. We loved them, of course, and as a matter of fact, these have been my husband’s favorite tamales ever since!

To make them, it’s best to use fresh corn, but frozen corn works too, just make sure to drain the corn very well. Remember that Mexican corn is not as sweet and juicy compared to the corn you find here in the States.

This recipe is my adaptation using the ingredients available here in the USA and is based on my knowledge and the help of one of my friends in the State of Veracruz, Chef Arodi Orea.

🙋‍♀️ FAQ

Before I share my tamales recipe, here are a few questions I've been asked about homemade sweet corn tamales.

Are sweet corn tamales healthy?

You might look at this recipe and think it's so high in salt and fat that there is no way they are good for you. You'd be wrong! Sweet corn tamales are actually good for you. They are high in fiber and vitamins.

Onions and peppers are very high in antioxidants. Tomatoes are a fantastic source of vitamin A. Pork is a lean source of protein. This is a delicious recipe you can enjoy guilt-free.

Should you use dried or fresh corn husks?

I used fresh corn husks for these sweet corn tamales as it is the traditional way to make them. I softened them and they worked perfectly. You can use dried corn husks if you want, but you'll have to soften them in the same way.

What is the best kind of lard to use?

Any type of lard or baking fat will work perfectly well for these tamales. Authentically, most Mexican tamale recipes call for pork back lard because it has a mild pork flavor that enhances the overall flavor.

If you don't have pork back fat lard, you can use vegetable shortening or even just regular butter.

📋 Ingredients

These Mexican tamales are very delicious with wholesome ingredients and traditional Mexican spices.

Here is the list of ingredients you will need:

• Tomatoes
• Ancho pepper
• Guajillo peppers 
• Chipotle pepper 
• Sweet corn ears with husks 
• Masa harina 
• Lard
• Pork shoulder 
• Salt
• Sugar
• Epazote leaves

Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

🔪 Instructions

To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to make sweet corn tamales into sections.

Make The Salsa

• Place the cleaned peppers and tomatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat until they’re soft. (Please check the ingredients list below)
• Place the contents of the saucepan in your blender and process until you have a smooth sauce. Set aside.

Make The Dough

• Detach the husk from the cobs and place it in a large pot with hot water to soften (see notes).
• Remove the kernels from the cob with a sharp knife, then place them in your blender or food processor. Process until they’ve been around, but still have some texture. Pour into a large bowl.
• Stir in the softened lard (or butter) and mix well. Add the masa-harina little by little as needed. Depending on how watery your dough is, you will need to add or reduce the amount of masa-harina. Mix the dough until it looks like a smooth and thick cake batter.
• Season with salt and sugar. The amount of sugar and salt will depend on the corn flavor, and your taste. Sometimes, the corn is too sweet and other times they are just plain in taste. Remember that some of this seasoning gets lost when you are steaming the tamales.

Assemble the Tamales

• Remove the husks from their warm bath and drain well. Place the smallest husks at the bottom of your steamer.
• Place two husks together, with the wide sides facing each other and slightly overlapping (if the husks are too small, you can place more than two together). Spread ⅓ cup of the corn masa dough and add 3 - 4 small cubes of the raw pork meat, then top with 3 tablespoons of the sauce. Finally, place an epazote leaf (if using) on top of the salsa.
• Fold the sides of the husk to the center and then do the same with the narrow edges of the husks. To tie the tamales, do so in the same way as if you were tying a package.

Cook the Tamales

• Place the steaming rack in your pot, add 2 cups of hot water, and cover the steaming rack with the small husks. Place the tamales in the pot, arranging them in a vertical position. You can also place them in a horizontal position like I did in the pictures (my pot is too small to hold them vertically).
• Cover the tamales with extra corn husks and then place the lid on the pot. Cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check the pot during the cooking time to see if you need to add more hot water.

🍽 Side Dishes

These Mexican tamales taste incredible with any side dish that you place on the table. Start out with a tasty vegetable beef soup with rice. It has many of the same Mexican spices.

For the salad, keep the corn flavors going and serve a summer corn salad with avocado. It is refreshing and vibrant and a definite crowd-pleaser.

📚 More Authentic Mexican Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe for sweet corn tamales, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:

• Cream of Corn Soup
• Mexican Sweet Corn Cake
• Mexican Street Food With Corn
• Mexican Zucchini and Corn
• Corn Dough Quesadillas

I hope you enjoy these sweet corn tamales and their delicious pork with chipotle filling.

Provecho!

Mely Martinez,

📖 Recipe

Sweet Corn Tamales

Mely Martínez

Chanchamitos is the common name for Sweet Corn Tamales stuffed with pork in Chipotle sauce. The process to make them is similar to making the famous Uchepos from the State of Michoacán but without the filling.

4.91 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Antojitos, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 16 LARGE TAMALES

Calories 376 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 medium size tomatoes
• ▢ 1 Ancho pepper seeds and veins removed
• ▢ 2 Guajillo peppers seeds and veins removed
• ▢ 1 Chipotle pepper if you don’t find dried, use canned*
• ▢ 11 sweet corn ears with husks about 11 cups**
• ▢ 3 Cups of Masa Harina have some extra in case your corn is too watery
• ▢ 1½ cups lard or softened butter 10 oz.***
• ▢ 1 Pound pork shoulder cut into bite-size cubes
• ▢ 2 teaspoons of salt
• ▢ ½ cup sugar
• ▢ 16 Epazote leaves if you find them in your area.

CHECK VIDEO RECIPE

Instructions

 

FOR THE SALSA:

• Place the cleaned peppers and tomatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat until they’re soft.
• Place the contents of the saucepan in your blender and process until you have a smooth sauce. Set aside.

FOR THE DOUGH:

• Detach the husk from the cobs and place in a large pot with hot water to soften (see notes).
• Remove the kernels from the cob with a sharp knife, then place them in your blender or food processor. Process until they’ve been around, but still have some texture. Pour in a large bowl.
• Stir in the softened lard (or butter) and mix well. Add the masa-harina little by little as needed. Depending on how watery your dough is, you will need to add or reduce the amount of masa-harina. Mix the dough until it looks like a smooth and thick cake batter.
• Season with salt and sugar. The amount of sugar and salt will depend on the corn flavor, and your taste. Sometimes, the corn is too sweet and other times they are just plain in taste. Remember that some of this seasoning gets lost when you are steaming the tamales.

ASSEMBLING THE TAMALES:

• Remove the husks from their warm bath and drain well. Place the smallest husks at the bottom of your steamer.
• Place two husks together, with the wide sides facing each other and slightly overlapping (if the husks are too small, you can place more than two together). Spread ⅓ cup of the corn masa dough and add 3 – 4 small cubes of the raw pork meat, then top with 3 tablespoons of the sauce. Finally, place an epazote leaf (if using) on top of the salsa.
• Fold the sides of the husk to the center and then do the same with the narrow edges of the husks. To tie the tamales, do so in the same way as if you were tying a package.

TO COOK THE TAMALES:

• Place the steaming rack in your pot, add 2 cups of hot water, and cover the steaming rack with the small husks. Place the tamales in the pot, arranging them in a vertical position. You can also place them in a horizontal position like I did in the pictures (my pot is too small to hold them vertically). Cover the tamales with extra corn husks and then place the lid on the pot. Cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check the pot during the cooking time to see if you need to add more hot water.

Video

Notes

One chipotle pepper won’t render a spicy sauce. If you like spicy, you can add two or more peppers.

Not everyone can find lard in their area, but butter works very well for these types of tamales.

You can also use dried husks (the ones sold in packages) for this recipe, or a combination of both

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Nutrition

Serving: 1TamalCalories: 376kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 9gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 490mgPotassium: 456mgFiber: 4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1540IUVitamin C: 8.9mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2.5mg

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