Was Never! I make tamales at least once per year. This year I have made them 3 times so far. I freeze them and give them away, take them out for lunch, no, not like on a date, but rather to devour them…poor little things, they didn’t even know it was coming.
I am in the mood for tamales always, any time, every day.
They are expensive to buy, both in the store and at events, farmer’s markets, festivals, etc. and they take time and patience to make. I make them anyway because I know that I will love them if I make them.
I have made over 200 of them in the past 2 months. I only have a dozen of them left in my freezer.
WHO KEEPS EATING MY TAMALES???
Once the meat has simmered all day and the sauce is made from the drippings, the assembly begins. I set up at the kitchen table with my iPad and a movie and away “we” (I) go.
Every time that I think I have perfected my masa dough, something else pops into my mind of how to make them even better. Not possible? Well…I added minced red and green bell pepper to allow for the appearance of the Mexican flag colors, red, white and green. I have added in creamed corn to sweeten the dough and create a bit more of a soft tamale if re-heated. I have melted lard and butter to add to the masa and baking powder instead of whipping it. I have added broth instead of water. I have added the most minimal amount of sauce to the dough instead of salt, well, sometimes both. See! I just can’t stop.
I believe that I am done editing the recipe for now… until the next time that I post a tamale recipe…
I love tamales and I will be sharing the pork tamale recipe with you today. I will share others at a later date.
Warning: These are labor intensive and I will not lie. It is an all day or a split day of preparation, assembly, patience, sweat, (possibly tears) and love.
Worth it? ABSOLUTELY!!!
Enjoy!
Feel free to share your own recipes, I would love to add them to my kitchen! There is not much I love more than making a new recipe!
“Whatever it is you are searching for, I hope you can eat it.” – Jessica Tijerina
Tamales de Puerco 
Yield: 40 Tamales
1 package Corn Husks – Soak in hot water for 1 hour
FILLING:
Ingredients
4 lbs. Pork Butt
1 White Onion, quartered
3 Cloves Garlic, smashed
4 cups Broth
1 T Smoked Paprika
2 tsp. Cumin
2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo sauce
1 Guajillo Pepper (dried)
1 Ancho Pepper (dried)
Method
In a large crock pot place pork butt fat side up and add water just before it is covered completely
Add all other ingredients
Cook on High for 8 hours or until it falls apart
Pull the pork out and shred, set aside
Reserve liquid, peppers, onion and garlic for sauce (see recipe below)
SAUCE:
Ingredients
Reserved liquid, peppers, onion and garlic from pork, remove and discard stems
If you prefer, you can strain the seeds out and continue to use the peppers, onion and garlic
1-2 cups Broth
1-2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
Method
Blend reserved liquid and ingredients from the crock pot until a thick paste forms
Add additional broth until smooth and slides off of the back of a spoon
If not spicy enough, add in Chipotle and Adobo sauce **Be mindful that the longer the sauce is allowed to sit, the spicier it gets**
Add ½ cup of sauce to the shredded pork to coat
Set aside ¼ cup sauce to use in masa dough
Pack up remaining sauce to use once tamales are ready to serve
MASA:
Ingredients
4 cups Masa Harina
½ cup Water
3 cups Stock
½ lb. Lard
¼ lb. Butter
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
2 tsp. Baking Powder
½ cup Creamed Corn
1/8 cup minced Green Bell Pepper
1/8 cup minced Red Bell Pepper
1/8 cup reserved Sauce
Method
Melt lard, butter, salt and smoked paprika in a small saucepan
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, add the masa and baking powder
On medium speed, slowly add the melted lard/butter mixture until all has been added
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and slowly add in the hot water, then the stock, then, creamed corn, reserved sauce and mix on low until all has been incorporated
Mix in the peppers by hand
Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes
Assembly
Left to Right
Masa, Meat, Husks (Center), Towels (1 wet, 1 dry)
Take 1 husk and open up with the wide end facing out
Take a small amount of masa and spread onto the husk up to the top, but not over
Add 2-3 tablespoons meat and fold the husk over until the masa meets and then roll the husk up and fold the small end up (should reach ¾ of the way up or all of the way to the top of the tamale.
You can leave as is or wrap and tie a piece of corn husk to look like a present
Enjoy!
- If you have any questions or would like step-by-step photos with instructions please send me an email: mail@jessicatijerina.com or a text: 612.424.0161