Gift from Home

Shortly after christmas I received an overnight package from my mother and when I opened it I found Tamales. As I ate those tamales I thought about all the christmas seasons I used to complain about making tamales and now how I wished I had been home for christmas to help my mother make tamales.

Since I've been thinking of tamales I thought I would share a receipe for them. It's a long process to make tamales but the ending result is worth the time.

Soak corn husks in water overnight.

Cook meat (pork roast, beef roast, or chicken) in a large pot of water (or in a slow-cooker filled with water) with an onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook for the day (4 hours minimum). The more broth you can get from the meat, the better!

After the meat is cooked (it should fall apart and shreds easily), remove from pot and set aside to cool. When the meat cools shred meat finely and store covered in refrigerator. Next puree the onion and garlic with the broth. You can season the broth mixture to taste with chili powder and salt.

Rinse and clean corn husks thoroughly. Drain well and pat dry.

Season shredded meat with chili powder, salt, and cumin to taste. As you season the meat, add a small amount of broth to moisten meat, but it should not be runny.

To make the masa (dough) for the corn shucks you will use: 2 cups of masa harina (can get it at Mexican stores or some grocery stores), add ½ cup of shortening or lard, 1tsp. of salt, and enough chili powder to make a pink dough. Add broth mixture a little at a time to masa (dough) and mix with your hands to get a smooth, spreadable consistency. If you run out of broth, you can use hot water, but you will wish you had plenty of broth. (my mom says if you use about 6 pounds of meat, you will likely use about 8 cups of masa harina).

Now it’s time to assemble the tamales: spread the masa about 1/8 inch thick on corn husk with fingers, or spoon leaving about ½ inch border along the sides and 2 inch border along the top and bottom of husk. Use about 2-4 Tbsp. of shredded meat to fill the tamale (like a cigar). Overlap the sides of the husk, fold one end, and place tamale folded side down in a steamer. Hint: I use thin strips of the corn husks to tie a “little belt” around each tamale to keep the husk from coming apart.

To cook, steam tamales for 15 minutes or until masa is no longer sticky. Enjoy!