New Year, New Tradition
Homemade Tamales with the Tortillada Press
8/9/20253 min read
New Year, New Tradition: Homemade Tamales with the Tortillada Press
When we got married, we knew we wanted to keep old traditions alive while making new ones of our own. And, with our shared love of food, it only made sense that many of those traditions would be celebrated in the kitchen. That’s why, when we started looking for a New Year tradition, homemade tamales immediately came to mind.
I had made tamales before at a friend’s house, but never completely on my own. This time, I was ready to take the plunge. First things first—ingredients were key, but so was having the right equipment. That’s when I discovered the Tortillada – Premium Tortilla Press Cast Iron.
I went with the 10-inch model, and when it arrived… wow. At 12 pounds, it’s no lightweight. They’re not kidding when they say cast iron! Right out of the box, it was fully assembled and ready to go. The design is simple, and for good reason—this is the kind of timeless kitchen tool that’s been doing the job perfectly for generations.
Armed with my new press, I found a recipe that would let me fine-tune the classic tamale, leaving room to tweak and enhance it as I perfected the craft. This was more than just cooking—it was starting a tradition that could last a lifetime.
🫔 Tortilla Press Tamales Recipe
Using the tortilla press makes tamale assembly faster, more consistent, and way less messy. Here’s how I made mine for our New Year’s tradition.
Ingredients
For the filling:
3 lbs pork shoulder or butt, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
Water to cover
6–8 dried guajillo or ancho chiles, stems & seeds removed
2 cups pork broth (from cooking the pork)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
Salt to taste
For the masa dough:
4 cups masa harina (Maseca for tamales)
1 ⅓ cups lard (or vegetable shortening)
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
3–4 cups warm pork broth or chicken broth
Other:
30 dried corn husks, soaked in hot water 30–60 minutes
Tortilla press + 2 sheets of plastic wrap or cut freezer bag
Step 1 – Make the Filling
In a large pot, combine pork, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Cover with water and simmer for 1½–2 hours until tender.
Remove pork, shred it, and set aside. Save 3–4 cups of broth.
Toast chiles in a dry skillet until fragrant. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
Blend chiles with 2 cups broth, cumin, oregano, and salt until smooth.
In a skillet, mix shredded pork with chile sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors soak in.
Step 2 – Make the Masa
Beat lard until light and fluffy (about 3–5 minutes).
In a separate bowl, mix masa harina, baking powder, and salt.
Add dry mix to the lard, alternating with warm broth, until the dough is soft and spreadable.
Float test: Drop a small ball into cold water—if it floats, you’re ready.
Step 3 – Press the Masa
Lay one sheet of plastic on your tortilla press. Place a golf-ball-sized piece of masa in the center.
Cover with the second piece of plastic and press gently until it’s about 4–5 inches wide.
Peel off the top plastic and transfer the masa circle to a corn husk.
Step 4 – Fill & Fold
Spoon 1–2 tbsp pork filling into the center.
Fold the sides of the husk over the filling, then fold the bottom up.
Tie with a strip of husk if you like, or just place seam-side in the steamer.
Step 5 – Steam
Stand tamales upright in a steamer with open ends facing up.
Cover with extra husks and a damp towel.
Steam for 1–1½ hours, checking water levels to prevent drying out.
Tamales are ready when the masa pulls away from the husk cleanly.
🌟 Why I Love the Tortillada Press for Tamales
Consistent thickness = evenly cooked tamales.
Faster assembly = more time enjoying the tradition, less time spreading masa by hand.
Durable cast iron = this thing will be around for many, many tamaladas to come.
Making tamales this way turned a labor-intensive recipe into a fun family cooking project—and that’s exactly how traditions should feel.
Here’s where I got mine: https://amzn.to/4lm6o18