Tamales

 

Tamales de Puerco (Pork Tamales)

 

5 lbs prepared masa

5 lbs pork roast

½ to 1 lb fresh lard (buy at Mexican store)

1 pkg hojas (dried corn husks) (Walmart or Mexican store)

1 28 oz can Las Palmas Red chili sauce (Walmart)

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced, or garlic powder to taste

comino (powdered cumin) (Walmart—Mexican foods section)

California chili powder (Walmart—Mexican foods section)

 

Meat

Leave all fat on meat before cooking.  Boil pork roast several hours in salted water with a little garlic, until meat is fork tender and flakes easily.  Meat may also be pot roasted at 300-350, tightly covered, for several hours.

 

When cool enough to handle, cut meat in chunks.  Discard bones and gristle.  Do no throw out white fat or stock.  Pour off stock and save.  Cut fat off meat and set aside.

 

Pour enough of the chili sauce over the cut up meat to moisten well.  Add salt, comino, and garlic to taste.

 

Hojas (Corn Husks)

Put corn husks in a large pot.  Pour enough boiling water to cover.  Keep husks immersed in water, using a heavy plate as a weight, if necessary.  When husks are soft and pliable, separate and clean them under warm tap water, removing cornsilk, etc.  Keep hojas covered and damp until ready to use.

 

Masa (dough)

Put the prepared masa in a large bowl and work in cooked fat from the pork roast plus enough lard to equal 1 lb. of fat total.  Work enough stock from the pork roast to make a dough about the consistency of stiff chocolate chip cookie dough.  Add salt to taste and a little chili powder of color.  Mix vigorously by hand or with the dough hook attachment of a heavy-duty mixer.

 

Assembling the tamales

1. Spread the top half of the rough side of an hoja with a couple of spoonfuls of masa (about a 4 inch by 4 inch area).

2. Place a spoonful of meat in the center of the masa.

3. Roll up the corn husk.

4. Fold up the bottom of the husk.

 

Cooking the tamales

The directions for steaming them are simple.  Set on a rack over boiling water.  Put a tight lid on thetamales, and let them steam for about 1 to 1 ½ hours.  The dough should slightly fall away from the husk and taste cooked.  (it will not fall away completely until they are cooler.)  After cool, freeze on a cookie sheet in a single layer.  When frozen, store in Ziploc bags or wrap in aluminum foil and freeze.