Tamales
Nixtamalized corn masa spread onto corn husks, filled with pork in red chile sauce, and steamed — a pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican dish where skipping the lime-treated masa leaves the whole point behind.
Meat
Ingredients
- 4 cups nixtamalized corn masa (masa for tamales)
- 1 cup lard, whipped until light
- 1 cup pork or chicken broth
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Salt, to taste
- 2 lbs pork shoulder, cooked and shredded
- 4 dried guajillo chiles
- 2 dried ancho chiles
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 onion
- Dried corn husks, soaked until pliable
Steps
- Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles briefly, then soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
- Blend the soaked chiles with the garlic and onion into a smooth sauce, then simmer with the shredded pork until well coated.
- Beat the lard until light and fluffy, then beat in the masa, broth, baking powder, and salt until the mixture is light and a small piece floats in water.
- Spread a layer of the masa onto a soaked corn husk, leaving a border.
- Spoon a portion of the pork filling down the center, then fold the sides of the husk over the filling and fold up the bottom.
- Stand the tamales upright in a steamer, cover, and steam for 60-75 minutes, until the masa pulls cleanly away from the husk.