Pork Tamales - Easier than you think!

We just wrapped up our second Christmas celebration complete with a whole roasted pig and homemade tamales.  My husbands family celebrates Christmas on January 6 every year, it's one rich in traditions and lots of food.  I love making this holiday, but remember it being a whole lot easier a few years back.  My cousin Robbyn calls me the energizer bunny; but even the bunny runs out of juice sometimes.  I spent most of the day curled up on the couch with my dogs exhausted, but now I'm recharged and ready to share some tamales with you.  

I know what you are thinking, "Not everyone has roasted pork meat on hand", but you could easily sub out shredded chicken, cheese, or anything you have on hand.  You need a few basics down and you can let your imagination be your guide from there.

Chile Colorado

10-12 dried Pasilla chilies

10-12 dried California chilies

2 medium onions, chopped

5-6 cloves minced garlic

1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

4 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, stems removed

4-5 cups liquid from chilies

First thing you are going to want to do is give your chilies a good soaking.  Using kitchen scissors, cut the tops off and shake the seeds out of the dried chiles.  Place all the chiles in a medium sized pot and pour enough boiling hot water over them to submerge them.  Let sit for 30-40 minutes.

In a large skillet heat a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil, add onions and garlic, cook for 5 minutes or so on medium heat.  Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.  Set aside.

Place half of the soaked chile peppers, chipotle peppers, and half the tomatoes in a blender cover with 2 cups liquid from the chilies, and process till smooth.  Strain through a fine sieve to remove skins and seeds. Repeat with rest of ingredients and add the liquid to the skillet.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes until thickened.  I like to put the sauce in a bowl and run an immersion blender in it for a few seconds.  I make my sauce the day before making the tamales.  Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Other ingredients:

1 large package dried cornhusks

5-8 pounds fresh masa harina

I buy the masa pre-made at the Mexican grocery store.  I can easily use 20 lbs. and 2-3 packs of husks, but a good place to start is one batch of sauce, 5-8 pounds of masa and one package of husks.  You can also buy masa harina flour and make it yourself.

Place the dried corn husks in a large bowl of water, place a plate on top to weight them down and let them sit for a couple of hours to soften.

Shred the pork.  You will need about 6 cups of shredded meat and 2 cups of sauce at a time.  You want the meat to seem a little wet.  Mix well.

Grab one husk and place a handful of masa, about the size of a large golf ball in the center. 

Spread the masa out into a rectangle and place meat down the center.  My preferred method is to use a larger amount of meat than masa.

Grab one side of the tamale and pull it over to the other side, tucking it to meet the other side and keep rolling till it's a fat cigar shape.

I always see tamales all cutely tied, but there really is no need if you make them on the smaller side.  Roll them, and fold one end over, that's it.  

Place the tamales upright with the folded side to the bottom in a colander and lower the colander into a larger pot (a tamale pot with a steaming rack is preferred) with water on the bottom (fill it to the bottom of the rack).  Steam for 60-75 minutes.  You don't need to have the heat higher than medium.  If you make them too thick, they may need additional time.  I will usually unroll one to check and make sure the masa isn't still wet, it will be soft when hot, but not wet.  I can usually fit about 16-18 per batch in the colander.

I will usually freeze some for later if there are any left.  Don't worry I'm going to show you the pig this pork came from, I have more photos to process and then you too can be a professional pig roaster and tamale maker.

Enjoy,

Gina