MEXICAN TAMALES RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Start by adding the corn husks to a large bowl and soaking them in the hottest tap water you've got.  You can use a bowl or plate to keep them submerged if they float to the surface. 
• To make the dough, add 1.5 cups masa harina to a mixing bowl along with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt.  Combine well and then add 1 cup of stock, roughly combining into a shaggy dough.
• Add 6 tablespoons of lard and 3 tablespoons of butter to a mixing bowl and let it come to room temp.  Use a hand mixer on medium-high to whip the fat to a lighter consistency, approx. 2 minutes.  
• Add half of the masa dough to the fat and combine using the hand mixer on medium speed.  Add the other half and combine into a cohesive dough.  Along the way you might need to add additional stock to get it to combine.  I usually end up using my hands to give it a final mix.
• Drain the corn husks and pat dry a few of them.  We'll use the husks that are widest and intact. 
• Spread 2-3 tablespoons of masa dough on the lower left portion of the husk's wide side.  I like these tamales best when the dough layer is super thin and I find that using my hands is the easiest way to get a thin, even layer of dough on the corn husk.  You could also use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread the dough. 
• Add 2-3 tablespoons of filling to each tamale.  I used bean dip and cheese for this batch.
• Fold the tamale onto itself and seal the edges so that you have a cocoon of tamale dough surrounding the filling.  Roll the remaining husk around the tamale and fold the bottom portion of the husk upwards. 
• Place a vegetable steamer inside a large pot and fill the pot with enough water to barely reach the level of the steamer.  I used a large stock pot with approximately 1" of water in it. 
• Bring the water to a boil and then lower heat to mediumish.    My stove setting for this batch was between medium and medium-high. 
• Stand the tamales up vertically in the steamer, with the open side up and the folded side facing the side of the pot, this will keep them closed as they steam.  Cover the tamales with the remaining corn husks to prevent water from dripping into the open ends.  Steam for 60-75 minutes.  Keep an eye on the pot to ensure that there is always water to steam; if it runs low you can add more.  When the husk pulls away readily from the tamale then they are done.  Ideally the tamale has a light, moist consistency. 
• Serve immediately with your choice of Salsa and sides. 

Steps:

• Place all filling ingredients into a crock pot and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. (I usually do this procedure overnight).
• When meat is done, remove meat from sauce and shred in bowl this give you the opportunity to remove the fat out of the meat.
• Run sauce through sieve to remove skins of chiles, garlic and etc. Your sauce should be thick and a beautiful deep red color! Reserve 1 cup of meat sauce for the tamale dough.
• While meat mixture is cooling, place husks in warm water to soften.
• Mix all the ingredients of tamale dough plus 1 cup reserved meat sauce together (I do this in my kitchen aid -- makes the job much easier!).
• Take approx 3 tbsp of dough and place in the middle of corn husk. Spread thinly place filling in the middle with an olive and wrap until dough meets, the Woman who taught me how to make these -- says an olive in the middle brings good luck!
• Fold ends and roll package so that corn husk has covered all of filling.
• Place in steamer. Steam for 40 minutes.
• Spoon sauce over tamales on plate.
• These freeze very well. I freeze after they are steamed so the prep of dinner is quick, I do know those who freeze before they are steamed and it seems to work as well.