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–+ servings

Colombian Tamales (Arriero Style)

5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 4 hours
Course Christmas, Main Course
Cuisine Colombian
Servings 15 tamales

Ingredients
  

Marinade

  • ½ white onion
  • 4 green onions, stalks only
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 4 tbsp all-purpose seasoning with food coloring* (Triguisar, Sazón Goya or homemade)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups (472 ml) water

Guiso (Sofrito)

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ white or yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped (stalks only)
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 4-5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • ½ red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
  • 1 chicken bouillon (optional)
  • 1 tsp all-purpose seasoning with food coloring (Triguisar, Sazón Goya or homemade)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Water (to thin out the guiso)

Filling

  • 1½ lb pork belly, cut into 15 pieces**
  • 1½ lb pork ribs, cut into 15 pieces
  • 4 medium red potatoes, peeled and sliced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 15 sprigs of parsley

Masa (Dough)

  • 8-10 cups (2-2.30 liters) water or chicken stock
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 chicken bouillon (optional)
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning with food coloring (Triguisar, Sazón Goya or homemade)
  • Salt to taste (start with 3 tbsp and add more, if needed)
  • 1-1¼ lb pre-cooked corn meal
  • 1 cup frozen or raw sweet peas

Wrapping

  • 3 lbs frozen or fresh banana leaves***
  • cooking twine

Instructions
 

Make the Marinade

  • The day before, blend all the ingredients for the marinade until smooth.
  • Place the pork belly and pork ribs into separate resealable bags or plastic/glass containers. Add the marinade to each bag, seal them, and refrigerate overnight.

Make the Guiso or Sofrito

  • In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the white onion for about 3 minutes or until it softens. Add the green onion and garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and red bell pepper (if using) and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Season with the chicken bouillon, all-purpose seasoning, salt, and pepper. If you notice that it is too thick, you can add about ½ cup (118 ml) of water to loosen it. (You can make this guiso the day before to save time).

Prep the Rest of the Ingredients

  • Cut the banana leaves into 20-inch (50 cm) pieces. Clean both sides of the leaves with a damp cloth. To make them more pliable, pass them over the stove top until they soften.
  • Peel and slice the carrots, then soak them in water using a small container. (We're going to use about 2-3 slices for each tamal).
  • Peel and slice the potatoes, then soak them in water using a small container. (We're going to use about 2-3 slices for each tamal).
  • Divice the parsley into 15 sprigs, rinse with cold water, and pat them dry.
  • Cut the cooking twine into 15 long strings to wrap the tamales.

Make the Masa (Dough)

  • Place the water or chicken stock in a large pot, season with the onion powder, garlic powder, chicken bouillon, all-purpose seasoning, and salt. Bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat and slowly add the pre-cooked cornmeal while stirring with a spatula. Once it thickens, add the peas and stir to mix. Remove from the heat.

Assemble the Tamales

  • Place two banana leaves, one on top of the other, with the ridges side up. Add the rest of the ingredients in layers starting with about ¼ cup of dough, one tbsp of guiso, one sprig of parsley, 2-3 slices of carrots, 2-3 slices of potatoes, 1 piece of pork belly, and 1 piece of pork ribs.
  • Fold in the sides of the leaves, then fold in the ends, and tie them up with a piece of cooking twine. Continue this process until you assemble all 15 tamales.

Cook the Tamales

  • Fill the bottom of a tamalera (large pot) with salted water. Place the insert at the bottom and place any leftover banana leaves on top (this prevents the tamales from getting any water inside).
  • Place the tamales on top of the banana leaves, (I can usually fit between 7-8 tamales). Cover with the lid, bring the water to a boil, and steam them for a total of 2 hours. Check the water level every 30 minutes and add more water if needed.
  • Take the tamales out of the tamalera and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

  • *If using Triguisar for the marinade, you only need about 4 tablespoons. If using food coloring that does not contain ground cumin, such as Sazón Goya or Bijol, you can use 2 tablespoons and add 2 tablespoons of ground cumin.
  • **I use a total of 3 lbs of pork meat. You can divide the 3 lbs into your favorite cut of pork. You can also use beef and/or chicken.
  • ***You can find frozen or fresh banana leaves in the US at most Latin grocery stores. If frozen, you can thaw them out overnight in the refrigerator.
  • I highly recommend marinating the meat and making the guiso or sofrito the night before to save time.
  • Freeze any uncooked tamales for up to 3 months. You can then steam them from frozen for about 2½ hours. No need to thaw them out.
  • Refrigerate cooked tamales for up to 3-5 days. You can reheat them for a few minutes in the microwave before serving.
Nutritional values are approximate and calculated per serving.
Keyword colombian tamales, tamales
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