Red Chile And Pork Tamale Filling Food

RED CHILE AND PORK TAMALE FILLING

Steps:

• Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact.
• Meanwhile, remove stems and seeds from chiles while rinsing under cold running water.
• Place them on the griddle and toast, 3 or 4 at a time, just until the aroma is released, 30 to 60 seconds. Be careful not to burn them.
• Place the chiles in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let soak until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Drain the chiles and discard the liquid.
• Place chiles, oregano, 2 garlic cloves and the water or stock in blender and process to a smooth puree. Add more water or stock if it is too thick.
• Work puree through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl.
• Discard any solids that remain.
• Pour in a little more liquid to help rinse the sauce through the sieve.
• In heavy, medium-size saucepan, heat lard or oil over medium-high heat until rippling.
• Add remaining garlic and brown in the hot fat, pressing down with the back of a cooking spoon to release flavor.
• Remove and discard garlic.
• Add flour, stirring constantly until golden.
• Add strained chile puree and salt to the pan and reduce the heat to low.
• It will splatter, so be careful.
• Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the raw taste is gone and the flavor of the chiles has mellowed, about 10 minutes.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of chile to mix with masa dough.
• Mix shredded pork into remaining mixture. Makes enough filling for 45 to 50 tamales.

PORK RED-CHILE TAMALES

Steps:

• Make the pork: Combine the pork with the garlic, 1 tablespoon salt and 3 quarts cold water in a large pot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil, partially cover, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the pork is tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning the pork halfway through and adding more water as needed to keep the pork submerged. Remove the pork to a plate, reserving the broth. Let the pork cool slightly, then shred.
• Make the salsa: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the chiles and simmer until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the saucepan; transfer the softened chiles to a blender along with the granulated garlic, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add 1 1/2 cups of the pork broth and puree until smooth.
• Wipe out the reserved saucepan. Heat the canola oil in the pan over medium heat. Add all but 3/4 cup salsa to the pan and cook, stirring, until it thickens and darkens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shredded pork and 1 cup pork broth. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes. Season with salt.
• Make the masa: Mix the masa harina, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Using clean hands, gradually mix in 3 1/2 cups warm pork broth, the reserved 3/4 cup salsa and the melted lard until smooth and fully combined; the mixture should be fluffy, almost like frosting. Season with salt.
• Assemble the tamales: Place a softened corn husk on a work surface. Spread 1/4 cup masa across the wider end of the corn husk. Add 2 tablespoons pork mixture in a line down the center. Fold in the sides of the husk to encase the filling, then fold in the narrower end so the goodness doesn't come out. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Cook the tamales: Fill a tamale steamer or large pot with a steamer insert with 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stand the tamales up in the steamer basket with the open end up. Steam, covered, until the tamales are softly set, about 1 1/2 hours, checking halfway through and adding more water if needed. Remove the tamales and let cool 10 to 15 minutes to firm up. Serve with salsa, cheese and sour cream.

RED CHILE CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• For the filling: Toast the chiles on both sides in a dry skillet over medium heat until pliable, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with boiling water; let stand until soft, about 30 minutes.
• Reserve 1 cup of the soaking water and drain the rest. Puree the chiles, reserved soaking liquid, garlic, onion, oregano and cumin in a blender until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until hot. Add the chile puree and fry, stirring (be careful, the mixture may splatter), until very thick and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and 1 teaspoon salt, then add the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, turning the chicken occasionally, until cooked through, about 35 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Increase the heat to medium high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Shred the chicken into small pieces and then coarsely chop. Transfer to a bowl and add enough of the sauce to coat it well; season with salt. Reserve the remaining sauce to serve on the side. Refrigerate both until ready to use.
• Soak the corn husks in a large bowl of hot water until pliable, about 1 hour. Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water and place a steamer insert inside.
• For the masa: Mix the masa harina with 2 cups of the chicken broth, kneading by hand to incorporate. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
• Beat the lard, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the masa harina mixture in 2 batches and beat very well to combine. Add the remaining 3/4 cup chicken broth and beat until lightened and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Form a small ball of masa and see if it floats in a glass of water. If it does not, continue to beat the masa for a few minutes until the masa floats. Cover with plastic and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Assemble the tamales: Drain the corn husks and wring them dry.
• Lay a corn husk on a work surface, smoother side up, with the wide part of the husk closer to you. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of masa onto the bottom half of the husk and use an offset spatula to spread in a thin, even layer (leaving the top half of the husk bare). Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture onto the masa. Then roll the husk up to enclose the filling. Fold the narrow side of the tamale under and arrange the tamale, open-side up, in the steamer insert. Repeat with the remaining masa, husks and filling.
• Bring the water in the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot and steam until the masa is cooked through and separates easily from the husk, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• Warm the reserved sauce and serve on the side.

PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• Make the filling: Put the pork in a deep saucepan and cover with cold water (about 6 cups). Add 2 teaspoons salt, the onion, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and peppercorns; cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the pork is tender, 1 hour, 30 minutes to 2 hours. Transfer the pork to a plate and shred. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid; keep warm.
• Meanwhile, soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, 1 hour.
• Combine the pork, cumin, 1/3 cup chili powder, the garlic, flour, sugar, vegetable oil and 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid in a large skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dough: Mix the masa harina, lard, 2 teaspoons salt, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and 2 2/3 cups of the reserved cooking liquid in a bowl until combined.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down a husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the pork filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing up in the steamer, folded-side down. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and steam until the dough is firm, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly before unwrapping.

RED CHILE PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• For the braised pork: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds black pepper and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and guajillo, ancho and pasilla chiles and bring to a boil. Cover, turn off the heat and let sit until the chiles have softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender with the cumin, oregano, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds black pepper and puree until very smooth.
• Pour the sauce back into the Dutch oven, then add the pork and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low to maintain a steady simmer and cook until the pork is very tender and the sauce is brick red, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, about 1 hour.
• Discard the bay leaves from the pork, then shred the pork with 2 forks. Stir in the apple cider vinegar; taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper. Set aside to cool slightly.
• For the masa dough: Beat the lard, baking powder, chile powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and light in texture, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.) Reduce the speed to low and add the masa harina. Once just incorporated, slowly add 2 1/2 cups of the chicken broth and mix until combined, 2 to 4 minutes. Test the dough by placing a 1/2-teaspoon dollop in a cup of cold water--it should float. If not, add the remaining 1/2 cup broth and mix until combined, about 2 minutes more. This will ensure that the masa dough is light and fluffy.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end of a husk, spread about 3 tablespoons of the masa dough down the length of the husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of the pork filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing open-end up in the steamer. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and steam until the dough is firm, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the steamer and cool slightly before unwrapping. Serve with lime wedges if desired.

CROCK POT PORK TAMALE FILLING

Steps:

• Toss all ingredients in a Crock pot and cook for min 10 hours (usually I'll start this the night before and let cook all night).
• Take out roast and strain the broth, reserving about 3 cups.
• Take all the"stuff" you strained out and put into a blender (you'll get a nice paste mixture).
• Mix in some of the reserved broth (but you don't want it to be too running) and blend once more.
• Shread your pork and place into a large bowl.
• Now mix all the stuff you blended into the meat.
• Make sure to taste it and adjust if you need more broth or salt and pepper.
• Spread mixture on your prepared masa or on a burrito shell.
• It's wonderfully flavored.