Northern tamales: what they are and where they're typical

What is it?

Northern tamales are the version made in Sinaloa, Sonora, Chihuahua and the border states of northern Mexico. Unlike the tamales of central Mexico, they are smaller, more elongated and thinner pieces, with firm and slightly drier dough, filled with shredded pork in red chilli (ancho or dried California chilli). They are steamed by the dozen in large tamalera pots during December, when whole families gather at tamaladas before Christmas and New Year. The dough is slightly less fluffy than the chilango one, but its deep chilli flavour and the juiciness of the pork make them unmistakable. They are a central part of the northern Christmas tradition and one of the most prized edible gifts of the border winter.

Origin and history

The northern tamale has its roots in the pre-Hispanic tradition of the tamale shared by all of Mesoamerica, but its current form was shaped in the colonial and mestizo transition of northern Mexico. Animal Gourmet documents that Sinaloa, Sonora and Chihuahua adopted the small, thin tamale for practical reasons: economy of dough and meat, portability and faster cooking. TV Pacifico and Maseca explain that northern family recipes usually use red chilli (dried ancho or California chilli, called chile colorado in the north) instead of mole poblano or green salsa, and abundant pork lard to give it richness. The tradition of the December tamalada, where 5 to 10 people gather to make hundreds of tamales in a single day, is documented at least since the early 20th century and remains the most important social culinary event of the northern winter.

Characteristic ingredients

The dough is made with finely ground nixtamalised maize or nixtamalised flour (Maseca type), abundant pork lard (key to the juicy texture), salt, baking powder and pork broth. It is beaten less than in the centre: the northern dough ends up denser and richer rather than fluffy. The traditional filling is lean pork (shoulder or leg) cooked with garlic, onion and bay leaf until it shreds, then stewed in a red chilli salsa (dried ancho or California chilli hydrated and blended with garlic, cumin and oregano). In Sinaloa olives and raisins are added; in Chihuahua sometimes potatoes; in Sonora it is kept simple. The dried maize husks are hydrated in hot water and spread with a thin layer of dough, the stew goes on top and they are closed into small rectangles of about 12 cm. They are steamed for 1 hour.

Cultural significance

Northern tamales are synonymous with Christmas in north-western Mexico. The Christmas tamalada brings several generations together around a long table where husks are spread and tamales are formed by the dozen. In Sinaloa, where barbon tamales and northern tamales coexist, December is the high season for street sales and gifting between families. TV Pacifico and Luz Noticias stress that the north has resisted the homogenisation of the chilango tamale and keeps its small, red-chilli version as a regional badge of identity. For many families who have migrated to the United States (Arizona, California, Texas), the northern tamale is one of the nostalgic anchors of the Mexican winter. Maseca even publishes specific PDF recipe books for the northern tamale, recognising its commercial and cultural weight. The tradition is also linked to the informal economy: many women of the north support their households selling hundreds of tamales a day in December.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a northern tamale and a central tamale?

The northern tamale is smaller and thinner, with firm and slightly dry dough, and contains pork in dried red chilli (ancho or California). The central tamale is usually larger, with fluffy dough, and contains chicken in mole, green salsa or rajas with cheese. The key difference is in the chilli used, the consistency of the dough and the compact size of the northern tamale versus the bulky central one.

What chilli goes in the northern tamale?

It has chile colorado, the name by which the dried ancho or dried California chilli is known in northern Mexico. It is a dark red ancho chilli, fruity in flavour and moderately spicy. It is hydrated and blended with garlic, cumin and oregano to make the salsa that seasons the meat. In Chihuahua it is sometimes combined with guajillo chilli; in Sinaloa it may have some pasilla chilli.

What do northern tamales taste like?

They taste of maize, lard, pork and dried red chilli. The dough is rich but less fluffy than the chilango one, with a more concentrated maize flavour. The chile colorado adds fruity sweetness and mild heat, and the shredded pork gives juiciness. The whole is hearty, slightly earthy and very comforting in the winter cold. Some have olives and raisins, which add a savoury-sweet contrast.

When are northern tamales made?

They are made above all in December, during the Christmas season, in family sessions called tamaladas where 5 to 10 people gather to produce hundreds of tamales. They also appear at birthdays, christenings and New Year celebrations. In Sinaloa, Sonora and Chihuahua their street sale is intense from November to January, although specialist stalls offer them all year round.