Masa for Tamales

4.78 from 131 votes

This masa for tamales recipe is the starting point to making the best homemade tamales! Just 5 ingredients to make light, tender and flavorful tamale dough!

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Total Time15

Course: Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: Tamales

Author: Isabel Orozco-Moore

Ingredients

8 ¼ cups masa harina (half of a 4.4 lb bag Maseca)
1 ¾ tablespoons fine salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 ¾ cups canola or avocado oil (see Notes for making masa with lard)
7 cups broth (chicken, beef or vegetable), plus more as needed

Instructions

In a very large mixing bowl or pot, add the masa harina, salt, and baking powder. Stir together to combine.
Add the oil and mix it together using your hands. Work the dough through your fingers until everything is well combined and incorporated. The dough should feel a little crumbly, almost like wet sand, and should lightly hold its shape when pressed together.
Add the broth and mix for about 3-5 minutes until the dough is fairly wet and well-saturated. The dough should be soft and spreadable like thick hummus. If the dough is too dry, add more broth. If it’s too wet, add more masa harina.
Use the dough immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

Yields: The recipe makes 45-50 tamales and fits in a 16-quart steamer pot or larger. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but they fit.
To make the masa using lard: You’ll need 2 cups lard, 8 ¾ cups masa harina, 1 ¾ tablespoons fine salt, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 8 cups of broth. In a large bowl, beat the lard for 1 minute using an electric handheld mixer or a stand mixer until whipped and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the masa harina, salt, and baking powder. Add it to the bowl with the lard and mix together to combine. While mixing, slowly add in the broth. Continue to mix until the dough is smooth, fluffy, and has the texture of thick hummus.
Cooking time for tamales made with lard: 90 minutes.
Make ahead: The masa can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
Filling ideas: Red chile pork, rajas (roasted poblanos and cheese), green chicken, chile verde pork, birria, chicken tinga, mole.

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