Tamales

From Food & Wine Oh!

Making tamales has always been one of life's mysteries to me. About 4 years ago I attempted to make a batch. Needless to say, they were bland, thick and doughy. Everyone agreed that tamales were best left to the professionals and those families with a history of tamale making passed down from mother to daughter. Oh, and did I mention that my tamales were thick and doughy?

I guess enough time has passed that the memory of those ill fated tamales faded slightly and the challenge to make tamales set in again. So on my weekly grocery store run (a trip to Fiesta International Foods) which supposedly was only for flour, carrots, celery and yeast--I ended up with tamale masa, country style pork ribs and dried corn husks and a resolve to make tamales.

Himself just rolled his eyes and mouthed "not again!"

Well he can kiss mine--this time I was successful. I did it! I did it! The tamales were flavorful and tender. Some were a little too thin, but I know how to fix that. No more store bought tamales and I don't have to wait until Christmas to buy a couple of dozen from someone whose family makes tamales.

By the way Himself has eaten at least 2 dozen since Saturday night.

From Food & Wine Oh!

New Mexico Red Chile Pork Tamales

2.5 lbs country style pork ribs (any cheap cut will do)
2 tbs salt
2 oz + 2 tbs New Mexico Red Chile powder (reserve 2 tbs for masa)
olive oil
1 medium onion diced
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 bay leafs, finely ground
6 whole allspice, finely ground
3 tbs cumin
.5 cup dry red wine (optional--after all it is Wine With Life Please)
1 large chicken bullion cube
enough water to cover pork
1 large package of dried corn husks
2 lbs masa dough (I bought pre-mixed masa at Fiesta)
1.5 c butter, softened
.5 c shortening
1-2 tbs Adobo seasoning (it has salt in it)
1 tbs garlic powder
*Note you will want to cook the pork prior to mixing your masa dough and soaking your corn husks.

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Coat pork with salt and chile powder and set aside.

3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron or heavy bottomed dutch oven. Brown pork on all sides and remove from pan and set aside.

4. Add more oil if necessary and saute' onion and garlic until translucent. Mix in ground bayleaf, alspice and 2 tbs cumin and red wine and bring to a boil. Add in bullion cube and dissolve.

5. Add back to pot the browned pork and cover with water. Cook in the oven for at least 2.5 hours or until the pork shreds easily with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool.

From Food & Wine Oh!

6. Meanwhile, put the butter and shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) and whip until light and fluffy, as when beating butter for a cake.

From Food & Wine Oh!

7. Continue beating the butter mixture and gradually add in the wet masa dough. When all of it has been added and the mixture is light and spreadable, beat in the Adobo powder, garlic powder, remaining chile powder and cumin. (You can just add in 2 tbs of salt if you don't have Adobo.) Cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent mixture from drying out.

From Food & Wine Oh!

8. Put corn husks in a large bowl or pot and cover with hot water. Weight down the husks so that they are totally submerged and soak for 30 minutes.

9. Remove cooled pork (meat only) from dutch oven and shred into a bowl. Add just a small bit of chile sauce to moisten slightly. You don't want this drippy just moist. Cover and set aside.

From Food & Wine Oh!

10. Drain the corn husks and pat dry with a clean dish towel. Place one large corn husk (or overlap two smaller ones) on your board. With the back of a spoonula spread the masa mixture onto the center of the husk to the edges of the long side (see image). Leave space at the top and bottom of the corn husk for sealing.

11. Place a tablespoon, more of less, of the shredded pork into the center of the masa. Fold one of the long sides of the corn husk over the filling making sure the masa on that edge completely seals in the filling. Fold over the other long side to seal the packet. Pinch the masa at the bottom and top of tamale to seal the ends and then fold up the bottom of the corn husk. Stack on tray, folded side down until finished making tamales. Note: The top of the corn husk will be open, but the masa seals the top of the tamale filling.

From Food & Wine Oh!

12. Place the tamales in a steamer basket over simmering water in a large pot with lid and steam for 90 minutes. Top the water off as needed--I checked mine every 30 minutes or so. Check for doneness. The husk should peel away cleanly. Let the tamales rest for 10 minutes. Pile tamales on a plate and start shucking. (These freeze well. Reheat in microwave.)

Makes 4 - 5 dozen