Tamales

Back

Ingredients:

3 lb. lean pork roast

1 cup oil

1/3 bottle chili powder (1 oz. bottle)

3 10-oz. cans Las Palmas red chili sauce

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 Tbs. salt

4 lbs. Masa (purchased from a Mexican market or tortilla factory)

1 pkg. hojas (dried corn husks)

Preparation:

Soak hojas in water until soft.

     Pork

Cut port in 1 inch cubes, trimming off all fat. Put pork cubes in 3 quart pan and fill pan with water. Bake in a 350˚ oven for approximately 3 hours (until tender) skimming top of broth. Separate meat from caldo (meat broth) and save caldo.

     Molé

Cover bottom of large skillet with oil (approximately 1 cup). Heat oil till hot and add flour, a little at a time until thick. Quickly add 3 cans chili sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt. Remove from heat. If too thick, add a little caldo (1/2 cup). Add cooked pork and mix well.

Taste masa. Add salt if necessary. Stir in a little molé to color the masa a light brown and provide additional flavor.

     Tamales

Spread a thin layer (1/8 inch thick) of masa on hojas. Put a tablespoon or two of mole in center of hojas and fold sides in and fold small end up. Stand tomales on end in pan. Place steamer basket in pan and stack tamales in steamer. Pour caldo in bottom of pan, not over tamales. Put moist dish towel on top of tamales and put lid on pan. Steam for 1 1/2 hours.

Serving Suggestion:

Tamales can be eaten plain or benefit from a sauce of chili and beans.

Note:

For future use, place in plastic bags and store in the freezer. Tamales are a traditional favorite on Christmas Day in Mexican communities.

History:

I obtained this recipe from a co-worker named Susie Orosco. She didn’t have a recipe but knew how to make Tamales so I had her come to my house and make them for me. I measured her ingredients and wrote down the recipe.