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EASY TAMALES RECIPE.

EASY TAMALES RECIPE.

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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 48 more or less

Equipment

  • steamer

Ingredients
  

  • FOR THE MASA DOUGH
  • 8 cups masa harina
  • 5 cups broth use the one where you cook your meats either chicken or pork
  • 1 ½ tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon baking powder
  • 4 cups lard you can use butter (no margarine) oil or shortening as well. but lard gives them a really goos flavor.
  • PORK IN RED SAUCE
  • 6 guajillo peppers no tail and seeds
  • 5 tomatoes
  • 1 piece of a medium onion
  • 4 lbs meat more or less is just an estimate
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cloves or garlic
  • PANELA CHEESE AND JALAPEÑOS
  • 500 grs panela cheese usually all cheese in the market are 500grs.
  • 1 can jalapeños in vinegar (you find them in the latin section at the store or you can use green peppers as well

Instructions
 

  • Tamale Dough
    Prepare the Dough:
    In a large mixing bowl, combine 4 cups masa harina, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon baking powder. Mix well.
    In a separate pot, heat 2 cups chicken or meat broth and 1 cup lard over medium-low heat until the lard melts. Remove from heat.
    Pour the melted lard and broth into the bowl with the masa harina mixture.
    Mix thoroughly using a stand mixer or by hand until you achieve a smooth, pliable dough. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed.
    Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out until ready to use.
    For the Pork Filling
    Cook the Pork:
    In a large pot, place 3 pounds of pork (such as pork shoulder) and cover with water. Add ¾ of a chopped onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 tablespoon of salt.Simmer over medium heat for about 2 hours, or until the pork is tender. Alternatively, use a pressure cooker for 45 minutes, or a slow cooker for 10-12 hours.
    Prepare the Sauce:
    In a small pot, combine 4 tomatoes and 4 dried guajillo chiles (seeds and stems removed). Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes.Blend the tomatoes and chiles with ¼ of a chopped onion, 2 additional cloves of garlic, ⅓ cup of the cooking water, and 1 teaspoon of salt until smooth.
    Combine and Cook the Filling:
    Once the pork is tender, shred it and place it in a large pot. Strain the blended sauce over the shredded pork, discarding any seeds.Simmer the mixture over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
    Panela Cheese Tamales:
    Slice 1 block of panela cheese into thick strips, similar in size to bell pepper strips. Alternatively, use pickled jalapeño peppers. This amount should be sufficient for about 2 dozen tamales.
    Prepare Tamale Husks
    Soften the Husks:
    The night before, place the dried tamale husks in a large container or pot and cover with very hot water. Ensure the husks are fully submerged. You may weigh them down with a plate or container.Let them soak for a few hours or overnight until they become pliable.
    If you run out of husks, you can use aluminum foil instead. (you can watch the video if need it).
    Assemble the Tamales
    Form the Tamales:
    Remove tamale husks from the water and pat them dry.Place a husk on a flat surface. Spread about 3 tablespoons or so of masa dough in the center, leaving about 1.5 inches at the bottom free of dough.Add 2 tablespoons( this is an estimate, add more if you desire) of the pork filling on top of the masa.Fold the sides of the husk over the masa and filling, then fold up the bottom to seal.(watch the video if need it).
    Cook the Tamales:
    Arrange the tamales upright in a steamer basket. Add water to the bottom of the steamer, making sure it does not touch the tamales.Cover the tamales with a clean kitchen towel to help trap steam.Steam over medium-low heat for 1.5 hours. Let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.
    Microwave Cooking
    Cook Tamales in the Microwave:
    Place a cup of water in the center of the microwave and heat for 1 minute.Arrange tamales around the cup of water and microwave on high for 1 minute and 20 seconds. Check for doneness. If necessary, continue to heat in 15-second increments, up to 1 minute and 45 seconds total.Let the tamales rest for 3 minutes before enjoying.