Granana
Deceased
I had Mexican Housekeepper for 20 years.She would make Tamales and bring me some. There were some things about hers that I didn't like so I wrote my own recipe. I did it in steps so anyone can follow it. They are wonderful but mucho mucho work.
Homemade Tamales
Ingredients
Tamale Filling:
2 lbs pork loin
1 large onion halved
1 clove garlic
4 dried New Mexico or California chili pods
1 1/2 -teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon red pepper ( optional)
1 1/2 -teaspoon chicken bullion
Tamale Dough:
3 cups Masa harina (I use the one in the peach bag (MASECA for Tamales) as it is far superior)
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon garlic salt with herbs
1 cup lard (do not substitute Crisco or oil)
1 8oz package dried corn husks
Step1.
Remove stems and seeds from chili pods using rubber gloves. In large dutch oven, place chili pods, cover with water, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from water and let cool. Place chili’s in blender and add 2 cups of the broth from the cooked chili pods. Blend until smooth then strain. Add salt and the optional red pepper and set aside.
Step 2.
In the dutch oven add pork, onion, garlic and bullion to the remaining chili pod broth. Add water to cover the meat, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 3-4 hours until meat is tender.(I cook for 3-4 hours because meat shreds very easily this way)
Step 3. Place corn husks in large pan and simmer ½ hour then let soak until ready to use.
Step 4:
Shred meat and add 1/1/3 cup chili sauce. Add garlic salt to taste if you like.
Step 5:
In mixing bowl, beat lard and 2 Tablespoons of meat broth with an electric mixer until fluffy. Combine the MASECA flour, baking powder and garlic salt and stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough. (It should spread like peanut butter. (I mix until a teaspoon of the dough floats in a cup of cool water.) You will need to add more broth as you make the tamale’s as it will dry out.
Step 6.
Take corn husks from water. 6 inches across is just about the right size for the husks. Spread the dough in the bottom wide 2/3 of the husk leaving about 1 inch on either side. Fill the center of the dough with the meat sauce then gently roll one side of the husk towards the middle until the dough meets. Fold both edges to one side and fold up the remaining 1/3 of husk. You should not have to tie the tamales. I dab a bit of dough on the outside seam if I think it will come undone.
Step 7.
Stack upright (with the open end on top) in a tamale steamer or large pot. Lay the pot on it’s side for easier stacking.(I put a pizza pan with holes in it, upside down in the bottom of the pot). Cover and steam for 1 hour.
Step 8.
Cool and enjoy. You can mix the remaining chili sauce with sour cream to drizzle over top if desired.
Homemade Tamales
Ingredients
Tamale Filling:
2 lbs pork loin
1 large onion halved
1 clove garlic
4 dried New Mexico or California chili pods
1 1/2 -teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon red pepper ( optional)
1 1/2 -teaspoon chicken bullion
Tamale Dough:
3 cups Masa harina (I use the one in the peach bag (MASECA for Tamales) as it is far superior)
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon garlic salt with herbs
1 cup lard (do not substitute Crisco or oil)
1 8oz package dried corn husks
Step1.
Remove stems and seeds from chili pods using rubber gloves. In large dutch oven, place chili pods, cover with water, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from water and let cool. Place chili’s in blender and add 2 cups of the broth from the cooked chili pods. Blend until smooth then strain. Add salt and the optional red pepper and set aside.
Step 2.
In the dutch oven add pork, onion, garlic and bullion to the remaining chili pod broth. Add water to cover the meat, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 3-4 hours until meat is tender.(I cook for 3-4 hours because meat shreds very easily this way)
Step 3. Place corn husks in large pan and simmer ½ hour then let soak until ready to use.
Step 4:
Shred meat and add 1/1/3 cup chili sauce. Add garlic salt to taste if you like.
Step 5:
In mixing bowl, beat lard and 2 Tablespoons of meat broth with an electric mixer until fluffy. Combine the MASECA flour, baking powder and garlic salt and stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough. (It should spread like peanut butter. (I mix until a teaspoon of the dough floats in a cup of cool water.) You will need to add more broth as you make the tamale’s as it will dry out.
Step 6.
Take corn husks from water. 6 inches across is just about the right size for the husks. Spread the dough in the bottom wide 2/3 of the husk leaving about 1 inch on either side. Fill the center of the dough with the meat sauce then gently roll one side of the husk towards the middle until the dough meets. Fold both edges to one side and fold up the remaining 1/3 of husk. You should not have to tie the tamales. I dab a bit of dough on the outside seam if I think it will come undone.
Step 7.
Stack upright (with the open end on top) in a tamale steamer or large pot. Lay the pot on it’s side for easier stacking.(I put a pizza pan with holes in it, upside down in the bottom of the pot). Cover and steam for 1 hour.
Step 8.
Cool and enjoy. You can mix the remaining chili sauce with sour cream to drizzle over top if desired.