Tamales

Tamales

Serves 8

For the Pork

2 lb pork shoulder steak

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

3-4 bay leaves

1 T garlic powder

½ t ground oregano

1 t cumin

1 t chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups water

For the Chili Sauce

4 California chiles

2 cloves garlic

2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo

1 t ground oregano

1 t cumin

1 t chili powder

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup pork cooking liquid

1 T oil

1 T flour

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Masa/Tamales

4 cups masa

3 cups broth (beef, chicken or other)

2 t baking powder

1 t salt

1 t cumin

1 and 1/3 cups lard or vegetable shortening

20-25 dried corn husks

Add all ingredients for the pork to a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Remove any large onion chunks and bay leaves. Remove the pork and shred it in a bowl. Save the cooking liquid.

Add the California chiles to a dry skillet over medium heat along with two cloves of garlic. Cover with 2 cups chicken stock and ½ cup of the fatty liquid from the pork. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add the chiles, garlic and liquid to a blender and add the chipotle peppers, oregano, cumin, and chili powder along with salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth. In the same skillet you cooked the peppers and garlic, add 1 T oil and 1 T flour and make a roux. Cook until lightly browned. Add in the blended chili sauce and reduce heat to low. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until sauce has reduced slightly and thickened.

To make the masa, add the lard to a stand mixer or large bowl along with a couple tablespoons of broth. Whip/beat until the mixture is a bit lighter in texture. Add the baking powder, salt and cumin along with the masa and about a cup of stock. Continue to mix, adding stock as needed, until the masa forms a soft dough, the consistency of very wet sand, slightly sticky to the touch.

Soak the corn husks in warm water for 20 minutes.

To assemble the tamales, scoop some masa onto the wide end of the corn husk and use damp fingers or a spatula to spread it into a roughly ¼ inch layer leaving space at the top and sides and the bottom half or so of the husk empty. Add a tablespoon or two of the filling in the middle of the masa and fold each side of the husk in to seal the masa around the filling. Fold up the bottom of the husk to seal the bottom. Tie with twine or a torn corn husk. Repeat until all tamales are formed.

Add the tamales to a large Dutch oven or pot with a steamer basket to keep them off the bottom of the pot. Add 1 cup of water and bring it to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, adding more water if needed to keep the pot full of steam. The tamales should release from the corn husk cleanly when fully cooked.

To serve, remove from the husk and garnish as desired with fresh pico de gallo, avocado, sour cream, cheese, hot sauce, or any other desired toppings.