TENDER MEAT FILLED TAMALES

Making tamales is always a labor of love. There are many steps and it takes hours of time, but bringing the family together is worth it. Some make tamales to share and celebrate the holidays with family and friends. Some sell tamales to support their livelihood. With that said, this recipe can be doubled, tripled and quadrupled should you need to make a large amount. I am more than sure there are hundreds of ways to make tamales and everyone has a family recipe. This is just one way to make them and I tried to simplify it for the beginner cook or those that want to make tamales at home.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups beef or chicken broth

4 lbs (1.81 kg) beef chuck roast or pork shoulder roast (meat of your choice)

1 small onion (I used dry minced onion in the crockpot)

3 to 4 cloves garlic

2 tsp salt

1 to 2 dried bay leaf

reserve broth and rendered fat from the crockpot (At least 4 cups liquid)

8 dried guajillo chiles (stems and seeds removed)

2 dried Pasilla chiles (stems and seeds removed)

2 dried ancho chiles (stems and seeds removed)

2 cloves garlic

4 cups (475 g) instant corn flour (I used Maseca brand)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup (150 g) lard or shortening

salt to taste

2 Tbsp oil (to simmer puree)

45 to 50 corn husks

16 quart steamer pot

PRINTABLE RECIPE

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INSTRUCTIONS

*Note: Use the method of your choice to cook beef, pork or chicken until tender. For the recipe you will need at least 2 lbs of cooked meat

-In a 4.5 crock pot add beef or , bouillon cube, dried bay leaf, onion, garlic, 2 cup water, cover with lid, set to high and cook for 6 hours or until beef is tender

- Once beef is cooked, remove onion, set aside and reserve

- Remove beef from crock pot, shred or chop to desired texture

- Strain out any liquid from crock pot and reserve

CHILE PUREE

- remove stems, seeds and rinse the dried chiles

- place in a small pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, remove from heat and steep until soft and pliable

- Once chiles are soft, remove from boiling liquid and place in to a blender along with 1 2/3 cup of broth or water, 2 cloves of garlic, reserved onion from crock pot and puree well

- Strain puree for any bits that did not puree

- Reserve 1/3 cup of chile puree to add to masa dough

MEAT FILLING

- In a preheated skillet add 2 Tbsp oil, strained chili puree, salt to taste and simmer for 3 minutes over a medium heat

- Now add chopped beef to simmering chili puree and continue to combine and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes

- Now set aside until ready to assemble tamales

MASA PREPARATION

- In a large bowl add instant corn flour, baking powder, salt to taste and combine well

- Now add lard or shortening, 1/3 cup of chile puree and combine well

- Next start by adding 2 cups of warm broth or water and mix well

- Now add an additional 1 to 1 1/2 cups of broth or water until masa dough is the texture of play dough and can squeeze through your fingers easily

NOTE: Keep extra warm water or broth on the sided just in case masa dough starts to dry out

TAMAL ASSEMBLY

- Take your softened presoaked corn husk and spread from the center 3 to 4 Tbsp of masa dough on the corn husk leaving a one inch space from the top of the husk

- Next add meat filling and enclose the tamal

- Now fold the bottom part of the husk up and continue the process

COOK TAMALES

- In a 16 quart steamer pot add 2 1/4 liters of water to the pot then place the steamer plate in

- Place a small heat proof ceramic or stone bowl upside down in the center and start stacking all of your tamales around the bowl

*NOTE: the cook time will vary depending how tightly you pack the pot

- Now place extra corn husks on top to cover tamales, a cloth and cover with the lid

- Bring the water to a boil first, lower the heat to a medium heat and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour and a half or once a tamal comes out easily from the corn husk

- Remove all the tamales from the pot and allow to set for at least 20 minutes then serve

- This recipe makes at least 30 tamales

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