TAMALES DE HARINA 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:

• Cut pork into 3 chunks and place in a large saucepan. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil; skim foam from surface. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Remove pork and let cool. Strain broth and reserve.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil while pork is cooking. Add tomatoes, arbol chiles, and guajillo chiles, and boil until chiles are soft, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking water, and allow to cool.
• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Combine tomatoes, 1/2 cup cooking water, chiles de arbol, guajillo chiles, and cornstarch in a blender; blend until smooth. Strain tomato sauce through a fine-mesh sieve.
• Beat lard with an electric mixer in a large bowl until fluffy. Combine masa, 1 cup reserved pork broth, 1 tablespoon salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl and mix until smooth. Add masa mixture to lard and mix until it has a smooth cookie dough consistency. Test if the masa is ready by dropping a small ball of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it's ready, if not, keep beating for a little longer.
• Shred cooled pork with 2 forks.
• Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of the tomato sauce and pork down the center of the masa mixture. Fold sides of husk together, 1 over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add tamales with the open side up and cook until filling is heated through and separates from the husk, about 1 hour. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.