[WolfRunnerWoman]

Tamales


Step 1, the shells

½ pound dried corn husks (select ones with little or no discoloration or corn silk)
water 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (helps soften them)

Place in a large tub, cover with hot water and add the oil. Soak overnight.

Step 2, the filling

2-½ pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder or equal quantities of a “shreddy” beef cut (chuck or shoulder roast) or poultry
2-½ quarts water
4 dried Ancho chiles
2 dried Guajillo chiles
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 teaspoons lard or shortening
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt

Combine meat and water, simmer 35 to 45 minutes. Drain, reserving broth. Break meat into coarse shreds. Remove stems from chiles and remove seeds if you want a milder sauce. Cover dried chiles with boiling water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain chiles and place in blender jar. Add spices and 1 cup reserved broth. Blend until smooth. Add additional broth if desired. Blend to desired consistency. In large pot, cook onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons lard until tender. Add meat and salt, mixing until blended. Stir in chili mixture; simmer 15 minutes.


Step 3, the masa

2/3 cup lard or shortening
4 cups Quaker Masa Harina de Maiz
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups of the reserved broth
1/3 cup lard or shortening, melted

In a large bowl, beat 2/3-cup lard until fluffy. Combine masa, salt and paprika.. Alternately add the dry ingredients and broth to the beaten lard, mixing well after each addition. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup melted lard, mixing to consistency of thick cake batter.


Step 4, assembly

Drain husks as you use them
Spread approximately 2 tablespoons masa in center of each husk. Spoon about 1 tablespoon meat filling lengthwise down the center of the masa. Fold husk over filling, allowing plain part of husk to wrap around the tamale. Fold bottom end over enclosed filling. Refrigerate until ready to steam.


Step 5, steaming

In steamer or 4-qt Dutch over, place rack 2 inches above gently boiling water. Arrange tamales upright in steamer basket. Do not pack tightly. Cover and steam 2 hours. Remove with tongs.
Yield 3 dozen

WolfRunnerWoman’s method: Save your large coffee cans. Remove label and poke holes in the bottom with an ice pick. Wash well. I have a large water bath canning pot with a rack. Fill with water to just below the rack and bring to low boil. Fill 2 of the cans with tamales, open end up. Put the 2 cans into the large canner pot, cover and steam 2 hours. This works well as it keeps the tasty little packages upright. Also you can continue to slap the tamales together and fill cans while the first batch steams.


Note: I usually triple the meat mixture recipe, but use 1 pork roast and 2 beef chuck roasts. I prepare the meat filling the day before and refrigerate. Just before I go to bed, I put the husks on to soak. The next day, depending on my mood and how many I need to feed, I’ll usually just make up one batch of dough and assemble tamales. Unused meat can be frozen in Tupperware for later use. It also makes a great burrito or enchilada filling.

[carlo3b]

Tamales... YUMMMMMMMM, I will give that a try

Non-Alcoholic Wassail
(Really great for kids, too)

• 2 qts. apple juice (not cider)
• 2 c. orange juice (fresh, not frozen)
• 1 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 1/4 c. pineapple juice
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 t. cloves
• 1/2 of 3" cinnamon stick

Combine in Dutch oven. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover, then simmer 20 minutes. Strain and discard the cinnamon stick. Serve hot.
Reheats nicely. I omit the cinnamon stick when I'm making it for me and my husband - while we like cinnamon, I don't like it in drinks.
 

 

[ladyinred]

Thanks so much for the Tamale recipe. I am so excited because I am about to get new neighbors. The mother is an elderly Mexican lady who has already promised to make homemade tortillas for us. They should have been settled before Thanksgiving, but were rain and snow delayed, so I have to wait!