Mexican Tamales Food

MEXICAN TAMALES

Steps:

• Place all filling ingredients into a crock pot and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. (I usually do this procedure overnight).
• When meat is done, remove meat from sauce and shred in bowl this give you the opportunity to remove the fat out of the meat.
• Run sauce through sieve to remove skins of chiles, garlic and etc. Your sauce should be thick and a beautiful deep red color! Reserve 1 cup of meat sauce for the tamale dough.
• While meat mixture is cooling, place husks in warm water to soften.
• Mix all the ingredients of tamale dough plus 1 cup reserved meat sauce together (I do this in my kitchen aid -- makes the job much easier!).
• Take approx 3 tbsp of dough and place in the middle of corn husk. Spread thinly place filling in the middle with an olive and wrap until dough meets, the Woman who taught me how to make these -- says an olive in the middle brings good luck!
• Fold ends and roll package so that corn husk has covered all of filling.
• Place in steamer. Steam for 40 minutes.
• Spoon sauce over tamales on plate.
• These freeze very well. I freeze after they are steamed so the prep of dinner is quick, I do know those who freeze before they are steamed and it seems to work as well.

TíA CHITA'S TRADITIONAL MEXICAN PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• There are a few steps to making tamales and it is usually an all-day affair.
• Cooking the meat: Chop the pork butt into 3-inch cubes; reserve the bone.
• Add the oil to a large pot or Dutch oven and place over medium-high heat (we use a Dutch oven because it seems to cook faster). Add the pork butt to the pot. Sear the sides slightly until just golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves, onion, 3 cloves of the garlic and 1 tablespoon salt. Add 2 to 4 cups of water, or enough to cover the pork butt, then add the reserved bone. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and bring it to a boil. Cook on medium heat until very tender, about 2 hours.
• Preparing the corn husks: Separate the corn husks and take off all the little hairs and dust from them. Allow them to soak in hot water while the pork is cooking (or soak overnight).
• Carefully remove the pork from the broth with tongs to a plate or cutting board. Pour the leftover broth through a colander into a large bowl so that all the onion and other ingredients stay behind. Set the strained broth aside for later (about 4 cups).
• Shred the meat with 2 forks into small bite-size pieces. (You want it small enough that you aren't getting large pieces or chunks into the tamal.) Transfer to a medium saucepan.
• Preparing the chile: Cut the stems from the ancho chiles, open them and remove all the seeds and veins. Put them in a 3-quart saucepan, cover with water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, remove from the heat, set aside, cover and let steam for 5 minutes.
• To a blender, add the softened chiles, ground cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt and blend. Press in the remaining clove of garlic and slowly add 2/3 cup of the reserved pork broth. Continue to blend until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the chile mixture for the masa, then pour the remaining red chile sauce over the shredded pork and mix together to combine. Keep warm over low heat.
• Preparing the masa: Melt the lard in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Pour the melted lard into a large bowl. Add the masa harina to the bowl of lard, then add the baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, reserved 1/4 cup of the red chile sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved pork broth. Knead well. Add more pork broth as needed until the dough is moistened and fluffy.
• Assembling the tamales: Drain the husks and pat them dry with a clean towel. Spread the kneaded masa onto the smooth side of the corn husks with a spoon in the center of the husks (2 to 3 tablespoons of masa per husk). Add the meat to the center of the masa, 1 to 2 tablespoons per husk. Fold over the husks in half vertically so that the masa wraps around the filling completely. Fold the pointy side up at the end to hold the tamale in place.
• Cooking the tamales: Arrange the tamales open-side up around the inside of a steamer basket that fits into a large (10-quart) pot, packing the tamales together. If there's extra space in the steamer basket, place a mason jar or small heatproof ceramic bowl upside down in the center, arranging the tamales around it. Arrange a layer of husks around the sides of the steamer basket and up over the top of the tamales and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Fill the large pot with 1 to 2 inches of water. (Note: You can put a penny at the bottom of the pot so you can hear it rolling when you need more water.) Bring the water to a rolling simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium low, set the steamer basket inside of the pot and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Allow the tamales to steam for 1 to 2 hours or until the masa pulls away from the husks. Let sit to cool down for 5 to 10 minutes. Use tongs to remove the tamales afterwards and set on a jelly roll pan to cool down.

TAMALES

Steps:

• Put the lard in the bowl of a mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Add the masa harina and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the baking powder and salt and continue to beat until incorporated, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and continue to beat until the masa is soft and fluffy (the masa should come off the bowl easily). Set aside, cover with a damp towel and let rest for about 10 minutes, or until ready to use.
• Put the corn husks in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until soft, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• To fill the tamales: Holding an open softened corn husk in one hand, spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough on the husk beginning 1 inch from the wider top and ending at least 1 1/2 inches from the narrower bottom, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on either side. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of filling down the center of each tamal. Fold the sides of the husk up and over the filling, tucking the ends under. Continue with the remaining dough.
• Put the folded tamales in the steamer basket of a large pot. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pot by several inches, but not enough to touch the tamales themselves. Bring to a boil, cover with a towel and lid and steam over medium-low heat for 1 hour, adding additional water to the pot as necessary; do not allow the pot to boil dry. Open a tamal and check for doneness; the tamal should be firm and pull away from the husk without sticking. If still sticky, continue steaming until done, up to another 15 minutes.
• Char the poblanos directly over a gas flame on the stove or under the broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in a plastic bag and let steam for about 10 minutes.
• Peel, stem, seed and devein the chiles. Slice into 1/4-inch strips lengthwise and season with salt. Place 2 to 3 rajas (pepper strips) and 1 tablespoon shredded cheese in each tamal.
• For the guajillo chicken filling: Put the chicken, 3 cloves of the garlic, the halved onion and the bay leaves in a large heavy saucepot and add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, then skim and cover the pot. Continue to simmer until the chicken is fully cooked, 30 more minutes. Set aside until the chicken is cool enough to handle.
• Add the chiles, remaining 4 cloves garlic and the quartered onion to a pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Transfer the ingredients to a blender. Add the cumin and cloves and process until smooth.
• Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy saucepot. Transfer the chile mixture to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Shred the chicken, discarding the bones and excess fat. (Reserve the cooking liquid for another use.) Transfer the shredded chicken into the simmering salsa. Cook until reduced by two-thirds and the flavors are incorporated, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• When blending hot liquids, first let cool for 5 minutes or so, then transfer to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open; this will prevent the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters and pulse until smooth.

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN TAMALES

Steps:

• To make tamales, cook meat by boiling in a large covered pot with enough water to cover completely.
• Add salt to taste and slow boil till completely done.
• Cool meat and save broth.
• When meat has cooled, shred and mix in the chili sauce.
• Clean oujas (corn shucks or outer husk) in warm water.
• (make masa by hand or with mixer) Mix the masa, lard, salt and enough broth to make a smooth paste.
• Beat till a small amount (1 tsp) will float in a cup of cool water.
• Spread masa (1/8 to 1/4 inch thick layer, or to preference) on ouja, add a small amount of meat and roll up.
• Fold up ends of ouja and place (fold down) on a rack in a pan deep enough to steam.
• Add 1 to 2 inches water, cover with a tight fitting lid and steam about 1 1/2 hours.
• (a cloth can be used under the lid to make a tighter fit) You can use a combination of beef and pork, use chicken or even fried beans.
• One or two olives may be added to the center or try adding a few raisins.
• This recipe will make 4 to 5 dozen Mexican tamales.

REAL HOMEMADE TAMALES

Steps:

• Place pork into a Dutch oven with onion and garlic, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours.
• Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from the chile pods. Place chiles in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer the chiles and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture, stir in salt, and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in one cup of the chile sauce.
• Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water. In a large bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough.
• Spread the dough out over the corn husks to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the center. Fold the sides of the husks in toward the center and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour.
• Remove tamales from husks and drizzle remaining chile sauce over. Top with sour cream. For a creamy sauce, mix sour cream into the chile sauce.

MEXICAN PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• Cook the Pork.
• Remove the skin from the shoulder and chop into big chunks, pop in large saucepan and cover with at least 20 cups of water add seasoning's and bring to the boil, simmer for around 2 hours till meat can be shredded. When pork is ready remove from broth and leave to cool, DO NOT DISCARD THE BROTH.
• Prepare the MASA.
• In a large mixing bowl add 6 cups of Masa Flour, cumin, salt, pepper,garlic powder, paprika and baking powder. Add 6 cups of retained broth and beat in well, dissolve the lard in a bowl in a microwave, when liquid beat in to the dough for about 10 mins to get some air into the mix, makes for a fluffier masa. Leave covered to cool.
• Put your husks in a mixing bowl and cover with hot water to soften (about 30 mins).
• To make the Mole.
• fry onions till brown, add tomatoes, seasoning's and chillis add the remaining broth bring to the boil then turn down to simmer, add 1 cup of masa flour and stir until the mole thickens a bit. Leave to cool.
• Prepare the filling.
• Shred the pork with your fingers or 2 forks and put into a mixing bowl. Add mole until you have a nice moist mixture (not to runny)
• Make your Tamales.
• Take a husk place on a flat surface, take one tablespoon of masa dough and spread over husk to within 1 inch of the edges. Place one tablespoon of filling onto the centre of the masa, pick up husk and roll the masa over the filling roll into a tube flip up the pointed end to make a packet and tie with butchers string or a strip of husk. Place in your steamer and steam for 90 mins, till cooked.
• Once cooked you can eat them or store in the freezer for later. I vacuum seal mine in pairs they will keep for 6 months (if you can keep your hands off them). Best eaten hot with a good slosh of salsa and a nice crisp salad. To reheat steam for about 10 mins or re heat in microwave for about 2 mins well covered until piping hot.